If you’re an inveterate scribbler who can’t read your own notes, help is on the way.
Enter the Livescribe Pulse smart pen, the Mensa of writing implements.
The Montblanc-size pen not only “remembers” what you write, it will also transcribe your scrawl to a PC or Mac and even make a PDF file that you can directly upload. It also synchs the audio to your hand-written notes.
This gadget that Maxwell Smart would have proud to own, is at Best Buy , in a 2-GB version for $149.99 and a 4-GB for $169.99. It is one of seven new inventions that won the Edison Awards, announced Thursday.
The great grandniece of Thomas Edison, Sarah Miller Caldicott, chairs the awards that are judged by criteria established by the Edison Papers at Rutgers.
Other winning inventions are:
- Brammo Enertia Motorcycle is a high-performance motorcyle, not a scooter, that can go 40 miles on a house current charge. It’s a green commuter vehicle with Harley performance for $8.500.
- CarMD. Is there a doctor in the car? Yes! The Pinto the On Board Diagnostic socket under the hood of all modern cars gives you the trouble codes that car dealers charge $200 to check. Even if you’re all-thumbs mechanically, you can now stand tall when having car talk with your mechanic. All for $99.
- Zeo Personal Sleep Coach is perfect for sleep-deprived workers who need a nap at lunchtime. At Hammacher Schlemmer, $249.95.
- The Quantum Light is a LED light bulb that uses about half the electricity of a compact fluorescent of similar light generation. For$10.
- The 3M MPRO miniature projector can load and replay multimedia (sound and images) from any computer allowing you to make a presentation wherever you can find a wall painted a light color. You can fit the lightweight gizmo and its accessories into two pockets. Cost is about $259 to $359, depending on options.
- The Honeywell Wind Turbine, from Windtronics, generates enough electricity to supply about 25 percent of an average household’s need. The device, which fits on the roof, is a bit pricey at $9,000, but rebates can bring that down to $2K net.