LiveScribe invents new note-taking approach pen

LIZ GARRETT ASST NEWS EDITOR EGG722@CABRINI EDU

LiveScribe is the company held responsible for one of the newest innovations designed the classroom known as the smart pen.

The business has been targeting college students in particular by strongly promoting their catchy phrase, “Never miss a word.” Cabrini students along with professors have similar skeptical views towards the new note-taking approach the smart pen would provide.

Since May 2007, this device has been acquiring a mass of attention at technology conferences throughout the nation, according to the New York Times. It is also being considered a cure-all for students who are too tired or lazy to put forth the full effort during class. The smart pen is both a recorder and a camera all in one typical ballpoint.

When using the device, the student is capable of having whatever is being lectured stored in the mini-recorder, which is built inside the mechanism of the pen. This technique allows the user at a later date to touch the smart pen to any section in his or her notes and conveniently listen to the teacher or professor’s words. The mini camera creates a link between the written notes and the recording.

“My biggest concern with the smart pen is that it would be used for cheating. I would not want my voice manipulated electronically either,” Megan Clementi, mathematics professor, said. “The risk of academic integrity and the loss of privacy would definitely be an issue for me.”

LiveScribe has even created a page on Facebook to further market the smart pen.

The company has gone another step up with advertising their device by making a paid offer for students in college if they publicize the smart pen at their college or university. The pen alone costs about $200 at this time.