PRESS RELEASE
LONDON, UK. - July 19, 2010 - Livescribe Inc., (www.livescribe.com) maker of the award-winning Pulse smartpen, today announced the arrival of EchoTM, the newest smartpen in its product lineup, along with software enhancements geared for business that makes sharing, securing and organising information incredibly simple. Today's announcement also previews new communication and collaboration tools coming later this year, including Connect and Paper Tablet, which simplify and streamline the sharing of information within existing workflows using industry standard document formats like Adobe PDF.
"Livescribe's mission is to enhance the capture, access and sharing of written and spoken information to improve communication, collaboration, productivity and learning," says Jim Marggraff, CEO and founder of Livescribe. "Today's announcement of the Echo smartpen and preview of our new communication and collaboration tools marks a significant advancement in paper-based computing, as well as personal and professional information management. Notes, audio, and other information captured on paper are now seamlessly integrated into readily used online applications and services. Integration with Adobe PDF brings the communication benefits of audio and ink together in a ubiquitous format for use by millions of people."
Echo Smartpen
The Echo smartpen captures everything consumers hear and write and provides quick and accurate access to important information by simply tapping on the written notes either directly on paper or on a computer using the Livescribe Desktop software.
Echo features a sleek ergonomic design with a rubberised grip and anti-roll surface. It is available in 4GB and 8GB models, recording approximately 400 and 800 hours respectively. This new smartpen also features industry standard connectors, micro-USB and 3.5 mm audio jack, to enable customers to use their favorite ear buds for private listening as well to share common USB cables with other mobile devices. Click here to see a demonstration of Echo.
The 8GB Echo smartpen features abundant storage with up to 800 hours of audio or a combination of audio, digital ink and applications. Applications range from rich reference tools such as a complete 120,000 word American Heritage Desk Dictionary to simple games and study aids, available from Livescribe's Beta Application Store, which now includes more than 60 applications. Livescribe smartpen applications enhance many aspects of digital life from productivity and education to entertainment and communication, enabling users to customise, personalise and extend their smartpen functionality.
New Smartpen and Livescribe Desktop Enhancements
A variety of free enhancements to Livescribe Desktop and the smartpen have been added for both Echo and Pulse customers.
- Launch Line: a new way to access and launch applications in seconds
- Password protection: ensures recorded audio on your smartpen remains private and safe
- Custom smartpen name: display a name or other contact information when turned on, making identifying the owner of a smartpen easy
- Custom notebooks: group and organise notes as easily as creating a playlist in iTunes
- Pencast import/export: save and share pencast files locally to your desktop, a server, or send to others as an integrated audio/notes document. Anyone with the Livescribe Desktop software (free download online) can now open, view and interact with a native Livescribe file
New Communication and Collaboration Tools
Livescribe will also release Connect software, which enables customers to send notes, audio and Pencast PDFs quickly and easily from smartpen and paper to a wide range of destinations including email addresses, online sites and other popular third party consumer, education and business applications. Information is automatically sent when the smartpen is docked to a Mac or PC. With Pencast PDF, customers will also be able to author and share pencasts in an industry standard Adobe PDF document directly from smartpen and paper. Anyone with Adobe Acrobat Reader 9.3 or above will be able to view and listen to an interactive Pencast PDF. To see an example Pencast PDF, click here.
Livescribe will also introduce Paper Tablet, powerful new collaboration software that lets consumers communicate in real-time, directly from a Livescribe notebook to a Mac or PC using an Echo smartpen and a standard micro-USB cable. Now any Livescribe paper product can also be used as an interactive, high-precision graphics tablet, with the smartpen being used as real-time graphics stylus on paper. Customers will create and share notes, drawings, and annotate or sign documents or presentations locally or over the web with popular video conferencing applications and industry-standard education collaboration tools.
Livescribe Pencast Player on Apple iPad, iPhone and iTouch
With the launch of Echo, the company is announcing Pencast Player for iPad, iPhone and iTouch, which is an application enabling customers to access their pencasts anywhere they go. Now notes and audio from critical meetings or lectures are portable, playable and easy to share with a simple touch. My Livescribe will be available from the iTunes store later this summer.
Product Availability
All Livescribe smartpens and the Livescribe Desktop software for Mac and PCs are localised and available in English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish. Additionally Korean, and Chinese languages are supported in the Windows version of the Livescribe Desktop and all smartpens.
Livescribe is also introducing several new accessory products to enhance the experience with Livescribe smartpens.
- Echo 3-D Recording Premium Headset (£29.99): features embedded microphones that enable 360 degree binaural recording - ideal for recording in lecture halls or conferences
- Smartpen Portfolio (£24.99): a convenient all-in-one solution for professionals, fits Livescribe journals or A5 notebooks, and provides extra storage for a smartpen, business cards and extra ink cartridges
- Deluxe Carrying Case (£24.99): a protective zippered case, with plenty of room for a smartpen, ear buds and other cables and accessories
The new Echo smartpens, available in 8GB (£179.99) model, dot paper and accessories are available now at Amazon.co.uk now and Micro Anvica, Harrods, PCWorld and other outlets from September.
A full set of downloadable applications are available at Livescribe's Application Store at www.livescribe.com/store. The 4GB Pulse smartpen is now available at a new price point of £159.99.
Echo is available exclusively through www.amazon.co.uk for the next four weeks.
About Livescribe
Located in Oakland, Calif., Livescribe has developed a new low-cost mobile computing platform that enhances productivity, learning, communication and self-expression for anyone that uses pen and paper. The Echo and Pulse smartpens revolutionize the act of writing by recording and linking audio to handwriting, so users never miss a word.
For more information, visit Livescribe at http://www.livescribe.com/.
