Remote notes into your PIM?

Posted by Graham Rhind
Dec 4, 2007 at 04:49 PM

Some further comments about the Digiscribble, which I decided to try because it can double up as a mouse replacement - I had one PC where I still needed to replace the mouse with a pen and tablet - and despite the documentation stating that this only works on Vista, is works also on XP.

I agree almost entirely with Alexander’s assessment, but would like to add a few things.

- The way the receiving unit attaches to paper is a little flimsy, and in mouse replacement mode, it only attaches with one clip. As there is a cable between the PC and the receiving unit, it tends to get caught in other wires, for example, as one works, and the receiver rotates on the paper at awkward moments. This could have been better designed.

- Unfortunately the way that the pen can be used instead of a mouse (in terms of pen clicks etc.) is different from the more intelligently designed Wacom pens, so it means learning to use a different system on different computers.

- For handwriting capture the receiving unit can sit in the middle of the paper at the top, or at its sides at 45 degrees. Annoyingly, the positioning has to be set on the desktop, so if you capture notes with the receiver in different positions when you’re away from the PC, the writing can’t be recognised, because (stupidly) the software only allows rotations of 90 degrees.

- I do find the pen awkward to write with, which makes my handwriting more difficult to decipher. I like to see the nib on the paper when I write - the pen’s design prevents this.

- If you stop taking notes for 10 minutes, the unit will switch itself off, and, on being awoken, automatically start a new note. I don’t think this can be overridden, so if, like me, you work on the same piece of paper at different times during the day, it makes new notes of each scribble rather than adding them to a whole.

Otherwise, as I said, Alexander is spot on, and I find it great that no special paper is required.

Graham

Alexander Deliyannis wrote:
>I use Digiscribble for the one thing it seems to be convenient for, namely notetaking.
>During meetings I find it impossible to take notes on my PC and concentrate on the
>discussion at the same time. I have no such problem with handwritten notes, albeit
>these are rather overtly encoded, i.e. noone but me can make sense of them, which is not
>a serious problem.
> >The accompanying software is quite simple and usable. It
>automatically downloads notes from the mobile memory when you attach it to the PC. I
>simply copy the notes I want from within the application and paste them into Evernote,
>which acts as my electronic journal. I can then organise the notes whatever way I want,
>or link to them from within other applications.
> >There is also an accompanying
>handwriting recognition program which I haven’t tried, as my working language is
>Greek which is unsupported by such software. Evernote actually tries to recognise
>text in images and index the notes accordingly, anyway. It seems to be able to handle
>English quite competently.
> >The Digiscribble was a lucky find. Both the Logitech IO
>pen and the Fly Fusion mentioned here require special paper, as will the upcoming
>Livescribe. A couple of other solutions I had found required carrying a cumbersome
>pad along. The Digiscribble (and the Pegasus apparently) are happy with whatever
>paper you throw at them.
> >Mind you, the system is not without faults. It requires the
>discipline of writing within the specific area it covers and seems to interpret
>certain sudden movements strangely, adding lines on the notes (I still haven’t found
>what those movements are exactly, not that I’ve tried much). If you write with the
>special pen on a piece of paper outside your main writing surface, i.e. a post it note,
>which happens to be within the portable memory device’s range, you’ll end up with an
>image that includes the main note and the post-it note as well.
> >Hope the info helps.
>Nevertheless, if you are based in the US (which I assume since you talk in dollars) I
>suggest you take a look at the Pegasus as well. I suspect it may be the same device under a
>different brand. There used to be another similar one from Seiko as well.
> >Cheers,
>alx
> >GeorgeB wrote:
>>
>>Would you please elaborate on when and how you use
> >>digiscribble? For $103.99 + $15.00 shipping, it sounds like a note taker
>>I’‘ve
>been looking for. I’m trying to justify a purchase. Thank you.
> >
>