There are now several options in smart pens that you can use to write and draw stuff on paper, all while automatically creating a digital copy of the content. Only catch is, you’ll have to use a special paper printed with imaging patterns that can be tracked by the pen’s integrated camera. The Wacom Bamboo Spark is a new smart pen solution that can work with any sheet of paper that’s A5-size or smaller.
Instead of using special paper, the pen relies on an accompanying folio designed to hold a tablet on the left side and an A5-sized pad on the right, tracking pressure (it can detect 1,024 different levels) from the pen’s tip to recognize every line and stroke. Whether you’re taking down notes, sketching out design ideas, or doodling a horrible logo for your amusement, this thing should let you automatically digitize everything you put to paper.
The Wacom Bamboo Spark consists of a smart ballpoint pen and a smart folio measuring 8.1 x 10.0 x 1.2 inches. In order to be recorded, all pen strokes have to be limited within the active area measuring 8.2 x 5.8 inches, with the system able to store up to 100 pages of digitized content at a time. That stored data will be erased as the system is synced to the accompanying app, which is available for both iOS and Android devices. It comes in three versions: one with a pocket on the gadget side, another with a tablet sleeve, and a last one with snap-fit handles sized for the iPad Air 2. A single charge is enough to power the device for up to eight hours of use.
Available now, the Wacom Bamboo Spark is priced at $159.95.