January 30, 2008 at 9:06 pm · Authored by Ricky · Filed under Devices

Vision Objects recently announced the integration of MyScript technology into the Pulse smartpen and Livescribe Desktop software. This allows the smartpen to track your handwritten notes, transmit them to the Livescribe Desktop software, and then manipulate the words, including the ability to search through your handwritten notes. The Pulse smartpen sounds fantastic, it records an audio track of the lecture at the same time as the student is writing. Thus, at the end of the lecture (or wherever else you’re using it) you have a digital copy of handwritten notes that is digitally synced with the audio track.

My question is, why isn’t this digital pen technology embedded into a cellphone yet? Sure, it’s a bit awkward to hold, but you could totally ‘write’ with a corner or your handset, it record the handwriting digitally, and then you could attach the signature to an email or perhaps use QuickOffice on your smartphone to digitally sign a document and send it off. This could be incredibly useful for mobile professionals, mobile salespeople, anyone else who might need to digitally sign something and email it off right away. The digital pens that I’ve seen in real life are already massive, why not just stick them into a smartphone?