Smart notebooks: A trending gadget students love

Students often resort to the ease and speed of the traditional pen and paper note-taking system despite the rise of tablets, phablets (phone tabs), and laptops. But what if there was a way to get the convenience of digital notes with the speed and physical feel of a notepad? Enter the smart notebook. It’s a gadget that has made class note-taking much easier for students, with the hard copies getting saved as soft copies.  

How to choose a smart notebook?  
A smart notebook is exactly what the name suggests, a notebook where the writing can be saved in the digital medium because of the pen used. So how do we choose one?  

• When shopping for a smart notebook, checking how it works is important. Notepads usually come with their own stylus, and have tracking technology, while others may use special paper  
• Having to buy special paper may not be a bad thing, though, and plenty of smart notebooks allow the writing to be wiped, so the same pages can be used over and over again. In case of normal paper, it’s attached to the clipboard-style tablet (which tracks stylus strokes) and saves the writing electronically   
• The size of the notebook matters. Some are bulkier, some are ultra -thin, some are mini note books. The notebook has to be chosen according to purpose 

How do smart notebooks connect to digital devices?  
Many smart notebooks have paired apps for smart phones, others connect to a number of apps on phones and laptops. Some require web connectivity; others use USB points too. The best thing is, all the data can then go on the internet as back-up to the physical file.  

Are smart notebook pages reusable?  
Reusable notebook pages wipe clean once the writing is done. Page cleaning has various options, including one that clears away by heat when popped into a microwave for a few seconds! There is also custom ‘paper’ available, while some have pages with grids to be filled in with a smart pen. All of them come with smart pens. The better pens have battery indicating lights and most are chargeable via USB. A smart notebook makes class note-taking more interactive and intuitive.