In Review: Pulse LiveScribe 2 GB Pen, 2009 Version

I just purchased a 2 gigabyte Pulse Livescribe pen. I saw it in Target and simply had to have one. While I knew logically that the 1GB pen would be sufficient, I adhered to my philosophy that more is better and opted for the 2 gigabyte version. There are a lot of comments and articles on the Livescribe pen from when it first came out. I almost did not get it because of the comments. I am glad I did move forward with the purchase because huge improvements have come about,some fairly recently, no doubt in response to the very complaints I read about in reviews, articles and forums.

Out of the box, the pen comes with a USB docking station that serves two purposes: 1) to charge the pen; 2) to allow for upload to your computer any audio and written notes you have taken. It comes with

• Docking station (USB)
• "Getting Started Guide"
• 3-D Recording headset & a neckstrap for the headset
• 1 Smartpen case
• 2 ink cartridge refills
• 1 stylus
• Composition-style "starter" notebook that contains instructions/ tools for setting up your pen
• "Demo" card
• Stickers.

The first thing you want to do is go to www.livescribe.com/install . Do not hook up the docking station to your computer and place the pen in it. Do not try to charge your pen. Mine came out of the box with no battery life at all. Fortunately I took my time to read the entire getting started guide before doing anything.

Step 1: Take everything out of the box and make sure you have all the parts and pieces you should have received. (see list above)

Step 2: Go to the website. There you will find several tutorial videos as well as a download button based on your operating system for the desktop. Watch the videos. It is ok that you are not yet ready to act along with the videos. You can replay them after you download the software and charge your pen's battery. (It takes about 3 hours to fully charge the battery)

Step 3: Download and install the desktop software. There is compatibility with Windows XP, Vista 32 bit, Vista 64 Bit and Mac OS, which is a fairly new development.

NOTE: I did find one somewhat distressing thing about the pen and software. The manufacturer suggests you download the software to only one computer - the one on which you will be doing all the storage and hook up of the pen. This may seem strange to a lot of people but I have two computers: a desktop and a netbook. The netbook goes with me on travels, so it is likely to be the one I would be downloading to when traveling. The desktop is where all my writing and photography production is done so it is critical to the hookup and upload process of my notes from the pen. The specs say that the 2 GB pen holds two hours of audio with no comment to the amount of notes that will hold. Two hours of audio goes further than one would think if, as I am going to be using it, it is recording in the "field". On the other hand, that could be not long at all. As a freelance writer, I rely heavily on note-taking in the field where audio may be helpful. Also when I am touring hotels, participating in activities and dining, I take a lot of notes. I will cover these experiences in more detail in a later article.

Step 4: Hook up the docking station and allow the computer to find it and install its driver. Now the charging process has begun. Do not remove the pen from the docking station until it is fully charged. While charging the pen, go to the forums and read the messages. There is a lot there that will help you maximize your experience. Sign up for the forum so if something tweaks your interest you can ask a question or make a comment.

Step 5: Open up the Livescribe desktop and register your pen. You may find that there is a firmware upgrade required which can take several minutes. Do not remove your pen from the docking station. Just let it do the firmware upgrade and register the pen. Now you are ready to start using your pen. Once the firmware upgrade is complete, go back to the videos and using the starter notepad and the pen, walk through the exercises with the videos and you will be on the road to full enjoyment of your new Pulse Livescribe pen.

I am excited to begin using my pen and reporting on the experience. Look for part 2 of this review to be available soon.