What does the Pulse Smartpen come with?
The Pulse Smartpen comes with a 3-D Recording Headset, USB mobile charging cradle, single subject notebook, Smartpen case, ink cartridge refills and stylus, and the Livescribe Desktop software. The Livescribe Desktop must be downloaded and installed from www.livescribe.com.mx.

What are the PC system requirements to use Pulse?
• Windows XP™ SP2 or Windows Vista™ operating system
• 600MHz CPU or higher
• 300 MB minimum free disk space
• Available USB port
• Internet connection

What are the system requirements for Livescribe Desktop for Mac?
• Mac OS 10.5
• Intel-based Mac
• 1 GB RAM
• 2GB minimum free disk space
• Available USB port
• Internet connection

What is Livescribe?
Livescribe is fundamentally changing the way people capture, use and share information with pen and paper, ensuring people will never miss a word. Located in Oakland, California, Livescribe developed a breakthrough low-cost mobile computing platform, which is an integrated system of Smartpen, dot paper, applications, and development tools designed to enhance personal productivity, learning, communication and self expression for anyone that uses pen and paper.

Who is behind Livescribe and when was it founded?
Livescribe was founded in January 2007 by Jim Marggraff, an entrepreneur and the inventor of paper-based computing, including the LeapPad and Fly Pentop Computer. In addition, Livescribe has significant consumer hardware and software experience and includes key executives from LeapFrog, Palm, Apple and IBM.

How many employees work at Livescribe?
Currently, Livescribe has approximately 70 employees.

What is a Smartpen?
Livescribe’s Pulse Smartpen is a Montblanc-size computer with advanced processing power and substantial memory for handwriting capture, audio recording, and additional applications.

What is dot paper & DPS?
Dot Positioning System (DPS) is a technology that enables interactive “live” documents using plain paper printed with micro-dots. The Smartpen’s high-speed infrared camera reads the dot-pattern, which enables a wide range of paper-based applications. Livescribe’s dot paper notebooks and paper-based applications will be provided by the company and partners at prices comparable to standard paper products. Dot paper may also be printed on certified home or business printers for free. More information about dot paper is included in the “Dot Paper” section of the FAQ.

How does dot paper work?
The camera located at the tip of the Pulse Smartpen takes a continuous series of photographs of 6 x 6 dots, spaced 0.3mm apart, creating images of 1.8 x 1.8mm grids of 36 dots. The camera takes 72 snapshots per second, sufficient to capture and recreate handwriting. Each picture of these dots is decoded by software in the Smartpen to provide an (x,y) coordinate pair, telling the Smartpen exactly where the pen tip is on any given page. The Smartpen's location, derived from the (x,y) coordinates, is interpreted by Smartpen software, and mapped to an "application" in the Smartpen. The camera does not see ink written by a user, nor does it see artwork on a page. Rather, the Smartpen tracks and remembers where ink is written, and knows the coordinates of items such as buttons.

What are the benefits of Livescribe?
Livescribe’s combines all four modes of communication — reading, writing, speaking and listening — in the simple, low cost, and convenient format of pen and paper. In the case of taking notes during a discussion or lecture, the Smartpen records the conversation and digitizes the handwriting, automatically synching the ink and audio. By later tapping the ink, the Smartpen replays the conversation from the exact moment the note was written. Notes and audio can also be uploaded to a PC where they can be replayed, saved, searched and sent.

What makes up Livescribe’s mobile computing platform?
Pulse Smartpen: a Montblanc-size computer with advanced processing power, audio and visual feedback, as well as substantial memory for handwriting capture, audio recording, and additional applications. 
Software Applications: a breadth of solutions that leverage audio/ink capture, handwriting recognition, and Internet connectivity to enhance personal productivity, learning, communication and self expression. 
Livescribe Desktop and Online Community: allows users to backup, search, and replay notes from their computer. Users can also upload and convert notes to interactive Flash movies or PDF files and share them online. 
Dot Paper with Dot Positioning System (DPS): technology that enables interactive “live” documents using plain paper printed with micro-dots. The Smartpen’s highspeed infrared camera reads the dot-pattern and enables a wide range of paperbased applications. 
Development Tools: Livescribe is developing a suite of easy-to-use tools for creating, publishing, sharing or selling new applications and content. The tools are designed for both end users and professionals.

How do you use a Pulse Smartpen?
The Pulse Smartpen is used the same way one would use a regular ballpoint pen. To start a Paper Replay session, one must tap on a “Record” icon located on the dot paper. To stop recording, simply tap on “Stop” on the dot paper with the Smartpen.

How does the Pulse record audio?
The Pulse Smartpen has an embedded microphone to record clear sound. It also comes with a 3-D Recording Headset, making it possible for users to capture multi-directional, far-field audio. Practically speaking, Pulse records all the sounds that your ears can hear.

What is the recorded audio format?
The audio format for the Pulse Smartpen is AAC.

How many hours of writing can Pulse support based on battery life?
Pulse can operate for 3 to 4 hours of Paper Replay.

How do you upload information to your computer?
Pulse comes with a USB mobile charging cradle that, once connected, easily transfers notes onto the computer. Simply place the Smartpen on the cradle. The Livescribe Desktop software will recognize the hardware and transfer the audio and ink from the Smartpen into a digital notebook on the computer.

How do I manage my notes and audio in my Pulse Smartpen?
Once users have transferred their notes and audio from Pulse to Livescribe Desktop, they have the option to keep their Paper Replay sessions in their Smartpen or delete them manually to create more storage space.

What is the Livescribe Desktop software?
The Livescribe Desktop allows users to backup, search, and replay notes from their computer. It is also the gateway to the Livescribe Community where users can upload and convert notes into interactive Flash movies or PDF files and share them online.

Is Pulse Mac-compatible?
Yes. The public beta for Livescribe Desktop for Macs will be available on Nov. 24, 2008.

I already have a Pulse Smartpen. Do I have to buy a new one?
No, this is a software update. To sync your Pulse Smartpen with your Mac computer you just need to visit http://www.livescribe.com.mx and download the new software.

If I download the Mac software, will my pen still work with my PC?
Your Pulse can still work on your PC, but we do not currently support your Pulse to work with multiple computers and recommend that you choose only one computer/system for your Pulse. If you choose to use the Mac software, you can transfer all your Pulse data from your PC to your Mac.

If I have a pen I've been using with a PC, how do I make it work with a Mac?
The following steps will transfer your Pulse files from your PC to your Mac:

a) On your Windows machine, locate your My Livescribe data folder in My Documents>My Livescribe. 

b) Copy the My Livescribe folder onto a network or Flash drive.

c) On your Mac, paste the copied folders to //Library/Application Support/Livescribe.

d) Rename the Folder from My Livescribe to Livescribe.

e) Start Livescribe desktop.

Can I use the same Smartpen for both my Mac and my PC?
We recommend that you choose only one computer for your Pulse. We do not currently support your Pulse to work with multiple computers.

Will all the features available with Livescribe Desktop for Windows be available with the Livescribe Desktop for Mac software?
For the Livescribe Desktop for Mac beta, the following features are included:

• Paper Replay 

• Page viewing 

• Transfer from Smartpen

• Search

• Export AAC file

• Share as PDF We will continue to add additional features to our Mac software to make it as robust as it is for PCs. In particular, we are working to add integrated uploading to the Livescribe community and Print Your Own Paper. These features are expected to be in the Livescribe Desktop for Mac 1.0 release in Q1 2009.

Are there new features for Macs that are not available on PCs?
Yes, Mac users can share their notes as PDFs and export AAC files.

When will the Mac beta be publicly available?
It is scheduled to be publicly available on Nov. 24, 2008.

When will the final Mac Livescribe Desktop be available?
The Livescribe Desktop for Mac 1.0 will be available in Q1 2009.

Can you store your notes online?
Registered Pulse users receive 250MB of personal online storage to share notes, drawings and other content.

What is pencasting?
Pencasting enables users to share notes, drawings or other content online as interactive Flash movies.

How is Livescribe integrated with Facebook?
In addition to having a Livescribe Facebook Fan page, Livescribe has developed a Facebook application that allows users to share their pencasts either by posting it to their profile or sending it to their friends.

How do you print your own dot paper?
On Nov. 24, 2008, consumers will be able to print their own Livescribe dot paper at home for free using certified color laser jet printers. From within Livescribe Desktop, consumers can select Print Your Own Paper from a pull down menu. To start, consumers will be able to print four, 25-page unique dot paper notepads.

Prior to printing the entire notepad, consumers can print a test page to ensure their printer supports this type of printing. The notepads have a unique dot pattern that transforms plain paper into an interactive “live” document that is used in conjunction with Pulse. Similar to the dot paper purchased at retail, the Print Your Own Paper will also include the printed controls at the bottom of each page. We recommend printing dot paper with color laser printers.

Consumers should use the following guidelines for printing:

• Print files at 100% (no scaling)
• Print files on white, un-coated paper
• Adobe PostScript compatible (Level 2 or more recent)
• 600 dpi minimum
• LED based print engines are recommended
• Black toners containing carbon
• Sample list of printers Okidata 3400 Okidata 6100 Okidata 9600 Konica MinoltaC450 Xerox Phaser 7400 Xerox Phaser 7700 Sharp AR-C240P

What kind of paper options do you have?
In addition to the ability to Print Your Own Paper, Livescribe currently provides two types of dot paper for use with the Smartpen -college-ruled notebooks and lined or unlined journals. They are available for sale wherever the Livescribe Pulse Smartpen is sold, including Livescribe.com.mx. at comparable prices to other quality notebooks.

What if you are using multiple notebooks at the same time?
Each dot notebook available at retail has a unique set of dots that is associated with it. More importantly, each page contains a unique grid. When Pulse Smartpen is docked, the Livescribe Desktop software will recognize the dot patterns from the various notebooks and automatically upload information to each appropriate digital notebook. Consumers do not have to worry about information loading to different places on the Livescribe Desktop and even have the option of naming each of their digital notebooks.

How do I manage my notebooks and journals?
Livescribe Desktop allows you to archive older notebooks and journals. This feature permanently removes older notebooks and journals from your Smartpen, so you can use another notebook or journal with the same dot pattern (i.e., same colored notebook or same numbered journal). After archiving, users will still be able to access their old notes and audio from Livescribe Desktop.

What do the numbers mean for the Livescribe dot paper products?
Each dot paper product has number associated with it (i.e. Lined Journal No. 1 or Lined Notebook No. 2). Within each Livescribe dot paper product is a number that indicates a unique set of dots. Users should make sure not to use two of the same numbered products (i.e. two No. 1 Lined Journals) simultaneously, otherwise users risk overwriting your previous notes and recordings.


Livescribe has developed an archiving feature in Livescribe Desktop that allows a user to organize and archive his/her Livescribe dot paper products, so he/she can buy and use the same numbered notebook or journal without overwriting their old notes. For example, once a user has archived a No. 1 Lined Notebook, he/she will be able to use a new No. 1 Lined Notebook with his/her Pulse Smartpen. The Pulse Smartpen is capable of working with multiple kinds of Livescribe dot paper products at a time. For example, a user can use a No. 1 Unlined Journal, No. 1 Lined Journal, and No. 1 Notebook at the same time because each dot paper product has a unique dot pattern. Do not use two of the same numbered products simultaneously (i.e. two No. 1 Lined Notebooks) because they will have the same dot pattern.

Who will use the product?
Livescribe’s paper-based computing platform is well-suited for anyone who uses pen and paper. College students, journalists, lawyers, doctors, are a few good examples. College students in particular, are heavy note-takers and Livescribe’s solutions directly address their needs, pain points, and wants.

What type of support is available for Pulse users?
Registered Pulse users have a one-year limited warranty. In addition, customers can utilize an online knowledge base at www.livescribe.com.mx , e-mail customer support, use online chat, or call the toll-free customer support hotline at 01-800-00-PULSE.

What type of support is available for Pulse users?
Registered Pulse users have a one-year limited warranty. In addition, customers can utilize an online knowledge base at www.livescribe.com.mx , e-mail customer support, use online chat, or call the toll-free customer support hotline at 01-800-00-PULSE.

What does the Pulse Smartpen come with?
The Pulse Smartpen comes with a 3-D Recording Headset, USB mobile charging cradle, single subject notebook, Smartpen case, ink cartridge refills and stylus, and the Livescribe Desktop software. The Livescribe Desktop must be downloaded and installed from www.livescribe.com.mx.

What are the PC system requirements to use Pulse?
• Windows XP™ SP2 or Windows Vista™ operating system

• 600MHz CPU or higher 

• 300 MB minimum free disk space 

• Available USB port

• Internet connection

What are the system requirements for Livescribe Desktop for Mac?
• Mac OS 10.5

• Intel-based Mac

• 1 GB RAM

• 2GB minimum free disk space

• Available USB port

• Internet connection

What are the legal issues surrounding recording conversations and lectures with Pulse?
Similar to using cameras, cell phones, digital voice recorders and other consumer electronic devices, the owners have a responsibility to behave ethically and demonstrate common courtesy when it comes to personal privacy. Pulse users should request permission prior to recording conversations or posting conversations/content online.

How environmentally “green” is Livescribe as a company?
Livescribe is committed to environmentally friendly materials and supports the sustainability of natural resources. Livescribe notebooks will offer Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper in the future.