mac.iLounge

Pens are always going to have their place; even with computers, iPads, and smartphones everywhere, handwritten notes aren’t going away. But why not find a way to make the old work with the new? That’s what Livescribe has done with its Echo Smartpen, now available in a 2GB starter pack model ($100). Armed with a rechargeable battery, Echo records everything you hear and write, turning your words into searchable, sendable text. You dock it with your Mac using an included USB cable to access the recordings.

To go along with the new version of the Smartpen, Livescribe has also launched its Livescribe Connect software. It allows you to share your notes—the company calls them pencasts—via email, as well as to Google Docs, Facebook, Evernote, and your iPad or iPhone, among other services. Just draw a line and write where you want it to go, then tap the pages you’d like to send. The next time you dock to your computer, they’ll be sent right out.