|
Published March 30, 2009 at 12:57 PM
|
Is pen-based computing finally ready for prime-time? The mere mention of the technology hearkens back to Go Computing, a pen-based computing startup
that famously flopped in the early 1990s because of poor technology and
a market that failed to develop.
But investors are nevertheless banking on Livescribe Inc., a smart-pen maker that has raised a $7.5 million Series B round from Swiss investor Aeris Capital. The funding news follows an $11.1 million Series A last month from VantagePoint Venture Partners and Lionhart Investments Inc.
Livescribe's Pulse smart-pen is billed as a low-cost mobile computing platform that can record and link audio to handwriting. It has an infrared camara in its tip to record writing and a microphone to record a user's voice.
Because of past failures in this realm, we're skeptical of how this company's technology will take hold. That said, Livescribe was founded in 2007 by Jim Marggraff, a pioneer in pen-based technologies. He developed technology for Leapfrog Enterprises Inc., which makes pen-based learning games for children. He also co-founded Explore Technologies, which was acquired by Leapfrog, and networking gear maker StrataCom Inc., which was bought by Cisco Systems Inc. [NASDAQ:CSCO] in 1996 for $4 billion.
Aeris Capital managing director David Hartford will join Livescribe's board, the company said. - Olaf de Senerpont Domis
Comments
|
This looks interesting. I wonder if in the future, Stylus pens will have this capability.