Customer Reviews

Logitech io2 Digital Writing System

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

I was looking for an alternative method than bringing a laptop to class because of carpal tunnel problems. I think this IO2 pen does a great job filling that duty for the following reasons, but there's also room for improvement:

PROS:
1. The pen battery and memory are sufficient for my needs - I am in 5 hours of class each day, and write approximately 20 pages of 8.5x11 notes, and the pen can handle that without going into the "red" on either the battery life or the memory, as long as I replace the cap when not writing.

2. It's faster than handwriting and then typing notes - transferring, correcting, and formatting 20 pages takes about 1.5 hrs each day, instead of many more to type them in.

3. It's user friendly. The training session is easy, and the software pretty much works with a few simple buttons. You open the software and it downloads the pages you've written, erasing them off the pen as it does so, then you select a page and pick one of three actions:
a) put the image of the page into an e-mail
b) put the image of the page into a word document (kind of like you scanned it in)
or c) CONVERT the page into editable text then put into word or an email. I always use this option, and what the software does is give you a 2-page layout with the scanned image on the left, the suggested typed text on the right, and then you correct it for errors before inserting it into a word document.

4. The "vibrating" factor isn't a problem - you feel a slight "hello-i'm turning on" vibration when you take off the cap, a quick double-buzz when you check the box to indicate you're done with a page, etc. Nothing too strange...

5. The paper isn't too much more than a regular notebook (nor does it look really strange) and can be ordered from a couple on-line stores pretty easily.

6. The pen does a good job recognizing both print and cursive, and if you add words to the dictionary it does better at your personal abbreviations or specialized terms.

7. The special appointment paper is great - you can check a few boxes and write text, sort of like old-fashioned carbon-copied phone message books, check a box saying it's an appointment or calendar item, and when you load the pen into your USB cradle it'll import that appointment into outlook automatically.

CONS:

1. MY BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH THE PEN IS WITH THE CONVERSION FUNCTION: IN ORDER TO RETAIN YOUR "FORMATTING," THE PROGRAM TENDS TO PUT THE TEXT YOU WROTE INTO A BUNCH OF ARBITRARY TEXT-BOXES SPREAD OUT ACROSS THE PAGE IN A WORD DOC, so the page is pretty much un-editable. Of course you've already edited for translation errors at the earlier step, but you can't really change the formatting of your notes into an outline or anything, because separate paragraps are in different textboxes. To get around this problem, as soon as you're done correcting the converted text, but before you click "put into word document", just highlight the text, copy it, and paste it into your own word document. You lose the formatting and have a bunch of extra carriage-returns, but it's better than trying to organize a bunch of text boxes on a page in WORD.

2. My second critique is the pen loads things PAGE BY PAGE - and every time you put a page in a word document, it opens a new document instead of adding a page to the first document, so you have to do some cutting and pasting to keep your notes together.

3. The pen is still a little TOO BIG. Granted I'm a woman with smaller hands, but I can't imagine how it must be to get the original IO, because this one is almost too big for me. I can barely manage to write with it comfortably, sometimes I have to take breaks.

4. The ink-cartridges are poor quality - I'm looking into getting a better refill, but the size seems unique so far. The pen pretty much writes like a cheap ball-point pen, which is depressing for someone who likes fine writing-utensils.

5. It takes quite a while to "upload" the docs from the pen to the computer, even with a USB 2.0 port. To deal with this, I usually just plug it in and let it transfer while I do other things.

6. You can go back and add text to pages before, but sometimes the pen is confused and so off-sets this text from the original text and you'll have to arrange your text-boxes to compensate and make the page look right.

7. The pen gets confused with diagrams because it tries to overlay shapes and text, and doesn't do so well. I find it's better to highlight any diagram and designate it a free-form drawing (this is pretty simple to do in the IO software before you use MyScript to convert the page), so the pen doesn't try to convert drawings.

8. The pen doesn't learn along with you. After the initial 30 min. training program, and disregarding the words you can add to the dictionary, the pen stops learning your handwriting.

9. The software that comes with the pen isn't really great at managing the documents. Each page is a separate document (even at the stage where you're in the .pen documents, before you even insert it into word or outlook).


OVERALL - I am fairly happy with my purchase because I really can't bring a laptop to class, and this does save time. However, I feel I still waste a lot of time fighting the formatting problems inherent in the software, so would like to see a new version of the software that doesn't do the stupid text-box trick. I don't think this pen would useful in the working world unless you couldn't bring a laptop to meetings or something.

The pen is pretty nifty and very easy to use if all you're looking for is a way to have all your notebook pages "scanned" into the computer, the problems really start with the conversion function.

I have had this pen for just a couple of days, so this is very much a first impressions review.
I like it and the handwriting to text works reasonably well. My handwriting is not something I'm proud of, but the software is doing a good job. I suspect my hand writing will improve as I use the pen more. There are some improvements that could stand to be made, for which see below, but overall this looks like it is going to be very useful. I wanted a pda, but didn't want to have to carry one. I carry enough digital detritus as it is. This pen was my alternative solution to most of the problems I wanted a pda to solve.
As for improvements, the first is the size of the pen. I can use it reasonably easy, and logitech claims it is smaller than it's precursor, but it is not real comfortable, and my wife, with smaller hands, can not use it at all.
The second improvement it needs is to the software. I find it big and intrusive, I would much rather see it more seemlessly incorporated into the os, so that it was easier to concentrate on the management of documents without having to deal with a separate software program.
A related improvement is to the document management system - having to mark a page as done is annoying - it would be great if there was also a faacility to 'reopen' a page.
These are minor inconveniences in comparison to the functionality the pen offers; it really is something special - Get it!

I received this digital pen as a gift, and am impressed with its capabilities (what a great idea!). This pen allows me to transfer meeting notes & other writing into electronic form for ease of filing, locating, and transporting (via computer & PDA).

The pen size is supposedly smaller than first version, but is still a bit on the thick side -- however, I found it to be manageable.

Even though I don't have very good handwriting, the software that came with it (MyScript)did a good job recognizing both my printing and cursive writing as well as drawings/sketches. Some guidelines for accurate translation of writing: write in your normal style when setting up your profile, write horizontally, cross out mistakes and continue (software corrects), do not retrace letters. The software can convert your writing to edit-able computer text, Microsoft Word documents, Microsoft Outlook (Email, Calendar, To-Do List).

Unfortunately although the pen writes on any paper, special digital paper must be used in order to convert to electronic documents, but digital paper is available from several sources at relatively reasonable cost and in various forms & sizes (notebooks, notepads, etc.)

Overall, I'm very happy with the pen (though I'd love a version that could write on regular paper ...guess this would require totally new technology though).

I wanted a way to capture my notes electronically. Handwriting recognition would be nice but is not a requirement (mainly because my handwriting is really bad).

I did not want to spring for a tablet PC nor did I want to carry somethign that heave to meetings.

I bought both the io2 and a Pagasus Mobile NoteTaker.

As I suspected, my handwriting was so bad that neither did a good job (both use the Microsoft handwriting engine). I believe that Windows Tablet Edition uses its own and is better.

The io2 was hard to use because of the special paper and not being able to see what was actually captured (it didn't always look like what was on the paper).

The Pegasus Mobile NoteTaker has a small screen so I can see what it got, it works with any paper and you can see what you write on your PC screen when connected. It even has a "sketch pad" mode to allow you to make sketches in e-mails Word, etc.

Best of all it's only $100. Oh yea, the pen is a normal size too. They are working on full OneNote compatability. Right now it transfers your notes to OneNote as a graphic and no text recognition is available for OneNote. It does work with Word, etc. In fact it has a "real-time" mode when connected so you can write on paper and it converts your handwriting to text right in the e-mail or Word doc.

When the Amazon box showed up at home, my wife was wondering what I was thinking. I have a Dell Latitude D800 and a PalmOne Treo 600 with a portable keyboard. My lifestyle screams mobility. She asked me - what do I want with a digital pen?

For one, it's a pain to take the Latitude to meetings. In my small town, bringing a notebook computer into a room has instantly branded you a complete geek (which may or may not be true). Two, I have tried taking meeting notes and reminders on the Treo. While I love my Treo, as I loved my Palm IIIc and my Axim X3, trying to thumb type notes and keep up with the meeting provided to be a bit much for me. So, I looked to an input device that could be unobtrusive but could still fit into my digital lifestyle. The io2 seemed to fit the bill.

For the most part, I made the right call. Sitting in meetings, nobody says much of anything about the oversized pen. I take my notes, dock my pen (and the download is not that slow), and usually import them into OneNote, which I am increasingly getting used to. Instead of notes all over the place, they are centralized and on my hard drive, ready for review.

Not everything is peachy with the io. I have struggled with the OCR software. My handwriting is pretty good, but it has a hard time picking up my rounded text. The digital paper is a pain in the fact you might not have it near you when you need it. And the whole system is not cheap, even though its a bargain over getting a Tablet PC. I anticipate that this will the same durability as my other Logitech products, which has been pretty good.

I tried the IO2 for three weeks at my work, using it in different note taking situations: internal meetings, client meetings, taking notes on articles, "thinking out loud" on new product designs on my own, and my other day-to-day activities. I still like the idea of the IO2 but the pen didn't work for me in these real-world situations. The pen is a bit fat for everyday writing, uncomfortable in your hand and therefore tiring. The handwriting recognition isn't good enough, even after training, for the variation in my writing in different situations (hurried at times and not at others, sequential at times and jumping around the page at others...). It struggles if you have any note-taking habits such as using graphics such as arrows to set off your notes, or shorthand such as initials for people's names or abbreviations for words. The pen doesn't allow you to go back on a page and cross out a word or clarify a letter or insert a word -- the text will show up on the digital page but it seems to confuse the heck out of the handwriting recognition. The software also doesn't seem to keep learning with you -- you train it and that is all it ever knows. Another small but irritating problem was that you can't use one page of paper for more than one digital "page" -- that is, if you write two sentences on a page and then want to use the rest of the page for another topic or meeting, you can't tell the pen to treat these as separate pages on the computer. All in all, a good idea, with great promise for the eventual IO4 or IO5, but not ready for real-world use if the handwriting recognition is critical to you.

Yes, the pen is a bit "fat" - takes some getting used to, just like switching from an ink pen to a mechanical pencil, pressure and finger placement adjustments. Yes, you need "special paper", but I found the paper to be slightly more expensive than quality notebooks - the difference here is that I don't waste paper as I do with "generic notebook paper" - I don't doodle as much, I don't make the same notation several times, etc. However, the "fat pen" and the "expensive paper" are a far cry from detractors for me. As one who grabs one notebook after another dashing to this or that meeting only to return and toss it upon my desk, grab another notebook an hour later and so on, only to return to find I have to hunt through each notebook looking for the notes from a particular meeting. Instead, I now have about 3 digital notebooks handy - they all look the same, no way to confuse them with "generic paper" - and I know that when I return and dock the pen, my notes, no matter how hastily scribbled, will be uploaded and filed or e-mail or ready for editing within just a few minutes.

The time saved thus far has been hours, and I do mean hours, per day. What a treat to have notes already "transcribed" onto my computer program or folder - the "old fashioned note taking" usually meant the notes stayed in the notebook, until needed...if I could find them, if I could still make sense of them.

I bought a spare docking cradle so I can have one at work and one at my home office - thus I always have the option of charging the pen and/or uploading documents ( think the spare cradle is much more sound/solid - it's not the "portable" model, but seems more likely to survive many, many dockings). I've not encountered difficulties with any of the recognition software - the training was straightforward and both my printing and cursive were easily matched by the program.

I hope to see the surface of my desk by the end of the month - with only a few digital note pads here and there - well, I'd settle for seeing a corner of the desk!

No regrets, reasonable price - note: take a moment to order the ink refills...thus far, a bit tricky to find readily available.

I bought the IO2 pen despite the rather subdued reviews here and I have to say that I am quite delighted.
- Size of the pen is not problem at all
- Handwriting recognition is working OK, but I don't really need it , as the IO2 search functionality is marvelous!
- Ample battery life and memory
- Price of special note books is OK
All in all, a very pleasant surprise.

This pen is amazing. My handwriting is so bad I typically print and even then I often can't read my own notes but this pen is getting better then 95% of what I write into text. I think once I become consistent with my letters (never had to be before!) that percentage will increase. I did do the training, but that only took 20 minutes. If you read the other reviews you see a few negative comments but I have not had those negative experiences. The pen is chubby, especially as I am used to a slim Cross pen, but I have no problem with the size or comfort. I used the Collins notepad one reviewer complained about without problem. The download time is not like a thumb drive but considering all the other time I am saving with the pen I don't care (it is not THAT slow). The only thing I really don't understand is why more people aren't using these. I'm an author and plan on doing a whole book with this pen. Can you imagine doing a term paper with just handwriting and then in seconds it's typed? A teacher grading a paper could quickly write their notes and e-mail or print types responses. Definately worth the Amazon price for this.

I've been using the Logitech io2 for a little over 6 months. I picked it because I needed to be able to take notes while standing for long periods of time. I found that a tablet PC was too bulky and heavy for my needs. While the pen works "okay", there's still a ton of room for improvement -- even with the latest release of the handwriting recognition software.

Negatives:
*The pen is really large. I was expecting it to be the size of a premium pen based on what I read on the internet. It's actually larger than that. There are actually warnings in the manual about not using the pen for extended periods of time because of this. It's fine for short periods of notetaking, but I'm taking notes sporadically for 4-8 hours at a time and my hand gets really sore after a while. And once my hand gets sore, my handwriting gets a little shaky which brings me to problem #2...
*The handwriting recognition software is pretty bad, even with the latest update. I think if I were sitting at my desk printing perfectly all day long, then the software would work pretty well. But from my perspective, it fails the "real world" test. When I'm actually out and using the pen, the software doesn't have flexibility to deal with simple things that most people do as they write for longer periods -- angled text, letters with variable spacing, letters/numbers that look similar. You have to print very consistently and very precisely to get good recognition. Obviously handwriting recognition like this is a huge task and very difficult. The documentation that comes with the pen makes it clear how you need to write to make it work well -- unfortunately, the marketing information makes it sound like you can just go ahead and write away and it can handle anything, which is very misleading. FYI, the handwriting recognition software is made by a 3rd party, which means that Logitech offers basically zero support for it.
*All of the software that comes with the io is pretty poorly designed, not user-friendly, and requires you to jump through a lot of extra hoops to just get your data in a usable fashion. It's almost like they designed the main software with the assumption that the primary reason you're using the pen is to get a graphical output of your writing. My reason for using it is to do handwriting recognition and get text output for use in other applications. If you just want a picture of what you've done, the pen works great. But if you want to actually get text out of the process, it's a hassle.
*Because of all these problems (poor handwriting recognition, badly designed software), I have a sneaking suspicion that it probably takes me longer to process my notes using the io pen than it would if I took my notes with a regular pen and then typed it all into the computer.

Positive things:
*The battery life is really phenomenol. I've never had the battery die on me, despite long periods of taking notes.
*The storage size is great -- again, I've never run out of room.
*It's lighter than carrying around a tablet PC.
*The training of the handwriting recognition is pretty simple and doesn't take a long time.
*The handwriting recognition software has a customization feature, where you can add new words to your custom dictionary. This is handy for me because I use quite a few abbreviations and technical words that their standard dictionary doesn't recognize.
*They give you lots of paper as part of the pen package to get started, as well as several extra ink refills. The paper isn't really that expensive, but it can be hard to find if you're on the go.
*At the end of the day, you still have a paper copy of your notes if something happens to your pen. This is something that a tablet PC can't offer.

My recommendation is to not purchase this product unless you're only looking for graphical output (ie a picture of your notes) and have large hands. If you want text to import to other applications or if you have smaller hands, this might not be a good choice for you. I think this technology has great promise, but there's still a long way to go.