The Write Machine

Bangalore-based Hi-Tech Solutions claims theirs is the first eDiary in the world. I am not sure about that,but there doesnt seem to be anything that compares in India. You are forgiven for thinking I am talking about a cutting-edge gadget with numerous apps and widgets. For,the eDiary is a B4-size diary,with real paper in it,and a pen tucked in the side. Its a leather-covered diary,like the one you might pick up from a stationery shop.

The e part of the diary comes from a small receiver unit at the top of the book and similar sensors in the pen. The receiver is switched on every time you open its leather case. There is a green light on the unit which blinks to show its ready. As you write,the light starts blinking faster to indicate it is receiving the strokes. All your pen strokes are recorded by the sensor device and stored in the diary itself the receiver unit has a built-in memory to save up to 100 pages of written notes at a time.

The next time you plug in your diary,or just the receiver unit,to a PC using a micro-USB cable,all notes are transferred to the computer. The notes are even saved as in a diary,by date,as .tiff files. You can access these notes using the eDiary software and make alterations,for the software also lets you use the pen to write on saved files and even erase strokes. Then you can play around with the files by increasing the size of a certain stroke,cutting a word out and using it on a different picture file and so on. The files can even be used as sticky notes on your desktop.

The company claims these files can also be converted into text .txt files,but I could not do so. Initially,I thought my handwriting was a bit much for the software to decode,but then the company told me that,for certain version of Windows,you need to install Tablet PC Software Development Kit and recogniser pack.

The company does not tout this feature much,but you can also use the eDiary to write live on the computer. As you write,the strokes immediately start appearing on the page in the eDiary software. Since this is live,you can use the diary like a tablet to make drawings,flow charts and sketches during a demonstration or presentation. This is even better for artists who have to struggle with digital tablets. One gets the feel of working on paper; there is nothing which compares to that.

If you run out of paper,you can replace it with any B4 paper. You will also need to replace the cells in the pen once in a while. The receiver unit appeared a bit flimsy,so it is recommended that you handle it with care. At times,the receiver unit keeps blinking even when the diary is closed,and this drains the batteries and you need to plug in the unit to a PC for it to recharge.

This innovative gadget is a great buy for the keyboard-challenged and the pen-addicted among us. The Hi-Tech eDiary is available online on letsbuy.com for Rs 9,350 ,and carries a manufacturers warranty of one year.