Wacom’s Bamboo Spark lets you write with pen and paper

Wacom has announced a new smart pen and “smart folio” called the Bamboo Spark that allows you to write on paper with an ink pen — and save your notes to a phone or tablet automatically.

Thanks to a digital component in the pen, the handwritten notes transferred to a mobile device that has the Spark app for Android or iOS installed.

The Bamboo Spark is a writing set that includes a special digital pen with an ink cartridge, a pad of paper, and a business style folio that can hold a tablet or smartphone. Users click start on the pen and take notes. Then, when done, sync the pen via Bluetooth with an iOS or Android device and watch the notes transfer to the compatible app.

With the Bamboo Spark, you don’t need any special type of paper. The receiver is inside the folio. It uses electro-magnetic resonance on the board where your paper sits. The board communicates with the pen, which stores the data until you are ready to send it to your mobile device.

The pen can save up to 100 pages worth of writing in offline mode. You can edit your notes in the Spark app, or export them to another cloud-based note taking app like Dropbox or Evernote.

The folio runs on rechargeable battery power and Wacom claims it will last up to eight hours on one charge. The pen requires specially designed ink cartridges that are available through Wacom for $10 for a three-pack.

Wacom is not the first company to create a smart pen system LiveScribe is probably the best-known company in the category for its analog-to-digital handwriting system. However, LiveScribe’s system requires its own special Dot paper in order to work.

Equil also makes a smartpen, which doesn’t require a special type of paper. It uses a receiver that attaches to any paper as large as 9.8″ x 13.”

So, what makes Wacom’s smart pen system any different than what is already on the market?

Wacom is known for its artist-friendly technology. The company’s Bamboo Paper app has been widely praised for its accuracy and realistic flow, and the Bamboo stylus is popular for its smooth, natural feel. So the company has a long history with digital writing and sketching tools. It is possible that the Bamboo Spark smart pen and folio just work better than others on the market.

The Bamboo Spark costs $160, which includes the folio, smart pen, and a pad of paper. It will be available soon at the company’s website.

via Android Police