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Livescribe's Pulse Smartpen, which creates digital copies of notes and links them to recorded audio, launches today in 1GB and 2 GB models. Using specialized paper with microdots to track pen movement, the Pulse not only copies notes, but can do quick calculations, translate foreign words and record 3D audio.

We got an up close look at the Livescribe Pulse, and found out for ourselves what it could do. Livescribe's CEO, Jim Marggraff, is the same man responsible for Leapfrog's Fly Fusion Pen. He left to found Livescribe and work on more advanced smartpens. The Pulse is about 6 inches long, about a half inch in diameter, has a 96x18 OLED display, up to 2GB of memory (good for 150-200 hours recording time or 60,000 pages of notes), dual embedded mics, and a data/charging dock with a similar design to a magsafe charger.

The main feature of the Pulse is that it digitally transfers handwritten notes and links it to audio recorded at the same time. For example, if you were to begin recording audio while writing, you could go back later, tap anywhere on the page and bring up the audio that was recorded while writing in that specific part of the page.

The written notes are transferred to the computer via USB dock and are imported into Livescribe's own software interface. From here notes can be organized and manipulated as you see fit. One feature is the ability to animate pen strokes, so that they sequentially appear on screen like you wrote them on paper. It also comes with handwriting recognition software so that you can search for keywords in your notes. The early software we saw had a few bugs, but it should be ironed out before the pulse hits shelves. All of these notes can also be uploaded to your own personalized page on Livescribe's server (250 MB free) where you can share with others, or just keep it as backup for yourself.

One of the neater functions of the Pulse is the 3D recording headset that comes with the pen. The headset looks and functions like a normal pair of headphones, but on the backside are a pair of binaural mics that enable 3D audio recording. If you have the headset in your ears, or draped over your shoulder while recording, and you go back and listen later, the audio sounds exactly the way you experienced it earlier. If someone is walking around you while talking, you can hear the sound transfer from one ear to the other.

The specialized dot paper is the key to the Pulse's functionality. While Livescribe will produce notebooks catered around specific functions of the smartpen, templates can also be downloaded and printed from home for free. At the bottom of the paper are a series on controls (Record, Play, Stop, etc...) that run the main functions of the pen. Tapping on a section of your notes will bring up the corresponding audio that was recorded as you were writing on that spot of the page. Menu navigation is carried out through a cursor, which is also on the page, or can be drawn anywhere on the page. From here, some of the more advanced functions of the pen can be accessed.

The calculator and translator show off some of the more powerful abilities of the Livescribe Pulse. If you bring up the calculator app, and write "10x4=" on the paper, the Pulse will spit out the correct answer of 40. Likewise, with the translator, if you pick to translate from Spanish to English and write down the word "coche", the Pulse will analyze the text and show the word translated as "car." These functions are just the tip of the iceberg; Livescribe not only plans to make more productivity apps like this, but open up the platform with an SDK available to all in the second half of 2008.

The Livescribe Pulse Smartpen is expected to ship in March (PC only, Mac support to follow soon) with the 1 GB model selling for $149 and the 2 GB model for $199. Both pens come with a 100-page dot notebook, 3D recording headset, ink and stylus refills, USB cradle, Livescribe Desktop app, and 250 MB of online storage.