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Seiko InkLink Handwriting System | List Price: $129.99
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Brand: Seiko Instruments
Binding: Electronics
Features: - Instantly capture your handwriting or drawings directly to your handheld, laptop, or desktop PC
- Works on ordinary paper up to legal size, easily clips onto 50-page tablets
- InkLink pen tracks natural movement of your hand; Data Clip communicates positions to your handheld or computer
- Comes with carrying case, 1.5 volt button batteries (3), blue ink cartridge, AAA battery (1), IrDA transceiver, InkLink USB Cable, InkNote Manager software on CD-ROM for PC, Pocket PC and Palm OS, Quick Start Guide
- Compatible with handhelds, laptops, or desktop PC's with USB
Nonplussed. [Posted on 2003-02-14]
This product does everything advertised. I just wish it came with functional recognition software. It's not enough to be able to e-mail jpgs of my notes to someone else; I need my notes reliably converted into text. As another reviewer so eloquently put it, this is nothing that can't be accomplished with a crayon and a scanner. The "Ooh and Ahh" factor of watching one's handwriting pop up on the screen isn't worth $. If you want a way to get pictures of your handwriting from point A to point B, stick with your fax machine for now.
Wonderful device -- but where is Linux support? [Posted on 2003-09-13]
It is a wonderful device -- but why doesn't it support Linux? This makes it useless for many people, notably all those with the Sharp Zaurus handhelds. It's a shame, as the InkLink would be an ideal companion to the Zaurus C-760.
Magical hardware, so-so software [Posted on 2003-10-27]
The InkLink system consists of a clip that fits on the top of an ordinary writing pad, and a special pen. The clip connects either to the USB port of a desktop computer, or to a little gadget (supplied) that allows an IR connection to a palm or pocket PC. The device is very good at what it does---digitising drawings and handwriting at extremely high resolution. I tried writing as small as I could on the pad, and it's still very good on-screen. The resolution's basically greater by the width of the ball-point pen. The hardware is amazing, and works like this: the clip sends an infrared pulse to the pen, which then emits an ultrasonic pulse back. Two detectors on each end of the clip pick up the ultrasonic pulse, and knowing the speed of sound, calculate the exact position of the pen. It works perfectly, even right at the far edge of a letter-sized pad. My main qualm is with the software. It's clunky and has no default vector export format. It took me a long time to work out how to export the drawings in a vector format (the supplied software allows export as .bmp, .jpg, and .png, all bitmat formats). To export in a vector format you have to print the page to a pdf file (using pdfwriter as a virtual printer), then import the pdf into a drawing program such as Adobe Illustrator. It would be really nice to be able to use this device directly in a drawing program, as an adjunct to the mouse. Overall, I would recommend the Inklink. It's very good at what it does, and once the vector export is worked out, it works well as a vector input device. It's also amazing to write on an ordinary pad, and see the same marks come up on the screen. If only Seiko would put a bit of effort to the software, this could become a must-have device.
Buy the SmartPad II instead [Posted on 2004-06-02]
I have both InkLink and SmartPad II. I thought I'd get more use out of the InkLink since it has both PDA and PC interface; however, as stated in many of the reviews, it's a hassle to setup and has many weak s/w issues. Additionally, I take great issue with the extremely short pen battery life. SmartPad II is not easy to use with a laptop; however, it works like a charm with my Pocket PC. Plus there is no setup hassle and the battery life is wonderful...I've not has to buy a replacement battery yet. It's an odd "AAAA" (that's right, 4 "A") battery. The organizer case forced me to lighten up as it does not contain the usual ring binders; however, there a lot of surface on the left inside face to Velcro till your hearts content. Finally, this device does not optically sense the location of the pen; so, there are no issues with flipping sheets. I've modified a standard steno pad (by trimming the backboard with a scissor) to fit the sleep) and find I can flip back and forth and edit as long as I do the same on the PDA. I realize that you could fax or scan hand scribbled notes and have a graphical capture anywhere. I find that I can draw and beam diagrams to those that have PDAs and email them to those that do not without another digitizing session. So, chose the SmartPad as your InkLink will sit and collect dust...mine does.
good product for students [Posted on 2006-03-07]
I use it to write notes in class that are sent to my handheld. Then at the end of the semester, I throw away all the paper and I can keep electronic versions of my notes. The down side is that after I fill up half a page of paper it runs out of memory and i need to get out another sheet of paper. Bleh. Maybe it's just a Treo thing. It is good for my classes where the teacher requires hand written notes.
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