At a Glance
Expert’s Rating
Pros
- Thinner and more comfortable than the Livescribe Pulse
- Increased storage capacity for same price as the Pulse
- Fun and useful way to take notes with audio
- Ability to add features via Livescribe app store
- New USB port location allows usage as input device
- Ability to share notes and audio via pencast
- Password protection for sensitive audio files
Cons
- No bundled writing-to-text transcription app
- Still a bit bulky
- Requires special paper to work
Our Verdict
The latest addition to the Livescribe smartpen family is sleeker, better-looking, and has more memory than its predecessor. New tricks include password protection, an app store, and the ability to function as a USB-connected input device.
Livescribe’s Echo smartpen has been revamped to include shortcuts for sending notes to popular Web services, such as Facebook and Google Docs. The entry-level 2Gb version now costs $99, and the new line of pens features the ability to make interactive “pencast” PDFs that animate recorded handwriting and synced audio.