From there, pairing the Livescribe 3 with a device and the app involves nothing more than turning on the pen the Livescribe+ will automatically recognise it. To get started, users must download the free Livescribe+ app from the Apple App Store. Livescribe has placed a lot of emphasis on the ‘out-of-the-box’ experience with its new smartpen. Keeping it simple, with a bit of complication Livescribe claims the new smartpen is more elegant than previous models, and says it looks and feels more like a standard pen. In the meantime, the smart pen proves entirely redundant for users of Google’s and Microsoft’s mobile operating systems.
The company has not offered a timeline, so consumers can expect at least a four-month wait, if not longer. Livescribe Australia and New Zealand's general manager, Mark Parker, said the Livescribe 3 will be platform agnostic in the future. It’s not all doom and gloom for Android and Windows Phone users, however. The smartpen requires the Livescribe+ app to operate. It’s compatible with the iPhone 4S and above, the third generation iPad and above, and the iPad mini. The Livescribe 3 smartpen has been exclusively developed to pair with the iPhone and iPad, and in particular, those running the newest version of Apple’s mobile operating system, iOS 7. Unlike its predecessors, it does not have an built-in microphone, speaker, or storage, but employs an app-centric model that relies on an iOS-based device for recording and playback via Bluetooth Smart.
Livescribe’s fourth generation smart pen, the Livescribe 3, is a revolutionary step for the vendor.