I am not a technology expert by any stretch of the imagination but I do enjoy using tools that truly simplify my life.  In the classroom, I really enjoyed using the SMART board technology when it suited the lesson.  At home, I love being able to download episodes of my favorite television shows sans commercials.  So as I read through an article in the New York Times about the SmartPen, I thought of the legitimate uses a student might enjoy.  And the list was impressive.

Students are not known for their ability to multitask or focus during distractions.  With this little piece of technology, however, students are able to capture hand-written notes as well as lecture notes simultaneously.  We've all seen or experienced first hand the professor who writes his lecture notes with one hand while erasing with the other while speaking uninterrupted on the topic in detail.  Frantic students struggle to retain even a portion of the disseminated information in an environment like that.  With the Smartpen, however, the student can focus solely on capturing the written word while the pen captures the spoken word. 

The author of the article in the Times suggested that this piece of technology actually will help educators maintain the focus and attention of their students because, unlike with laptops or other portable devices, this little gem is designed specifically for note taking.  Although some would see that as a limiting factor, it actually helps sell the product in my mind.  If the manufacturers are focusing on one purpose that means that they can afford to spend ample time prefecting its use.  According to the article the SmartPen works and works well.