I’m not one that usually hops on the technology boat right away. I usually wait and see what happens and then buy in once it fleshes out and actually proves to float. But recently some things have looked so good that I just jumped in, the Wii and even Guitar Hero. But those are in the video game realm, a place I know well. A place I’m not afraid to invest in. But what about actual new technology?
I was watching HGTV the other night and they had an hour special covering this year’s CES event in Las Vegas. CES is where the world gets their first look at the technology and gadgets that will shape our future…or something like that. CES is where you hear about the next 101″ television set and the robot that will wash your dog and mow your lawn at the same time. These were all covered and discussed, but one brief highlight caught my attention.
The digital copy pen…for lack of a better term. The company is EPOS and they have made a digital pen that will save your sketches to a USB drive. The nice thing that makes me wanting one is that it is a normal pen that you can use on normal paper. You don’t have to buy special paper or digital ink or anything.
From what the web site shows, the pen uses some sort of sonar positioning technology that is constantly beaming data to a USB receiver - essentially mapping out where your pen is on the page. It can then save your drawing as an image on the USB drive. Then just hook the USB to your PC and download - simple!
I’m a person that writes on paper a lot. From drawings, doodles, system plans, and just random thoughts. My problem is I don’t carry around one common notebook or notepad. I have dozens of notebooks all over the house and at work so no matter where I end up there is always one there. But 90% of the time I will be translating those notes to the computer in some form, especially if it is a drawing sketch. Ever since the tablet PC was introduced I thought it would be great to have one and use that as my notepad that I take all over. I just jot things down there and have them forever in archive form without all the clutter of paper.
This pen doodad seems to fit right in the middle. It gets me the the feature I want without extra features I don’t. A tablet PC would be great, but I don’t need it as a laptop, per se, I just want a place where I can doodle electronically. The EPOS web site doesn’t say anything about when this USB digital pen will be available, hopefully soon, but floating around is an $80 price tag, which I could totally buy into.
This technology is one of those things that seems like should have been available (and affordable) quite some time ago. I’m glad someone finally made it happen and hope they stay in business long enough for me to get one.
