A while back, Logitech came up with a solution that would convert your writing into digital notes, thanks to a special pen, paper and software. Even though the Digital io Pen worked exceptionally well, its hefty price tag was pretty discouraging. Not to mention the continuous supply of special paper you would have to get exclusively from Logitech and the cost quickly added up for whom the pen was designed for – college students and people that have to take a lot of notes. For a period of time, we didn’t hear anything from Logitech and how well the io pen did in the market. But the demand was apparently good enough for Logitech to come up with a successor to the original concept – welcome the Logitech io2 Digital Writing System.

The io2 pen works just like a ballpoint pen with a USB interface and an included cradle for transferring data to the PC. The pen also has three LED lights that light up for designated indications. For instance, one green and one red LED light would indicate the battery and memory status. The pen has a strokes memory of 856KB with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. The battery lasts for three hours for continuous usage and 20 hours in standby mode (not connected to the cradle). Once you plug the pen back into the cradle, it’ll automatically transfer files to the computer via its included software and start recharging.

According to Logitech, here’s how the io2 functions: "You activate the pen by removing the cap, and deactivate it by replacing the cap. There are no extra steps required. Simply write down your information just as you would with pen and paper-up to 40 pages at a time. When you write with the pen, a tiny camera with an optical sensor captures your work and registers the pen’s movements, while a processor digitizes your words and images. After placing the pen in the cradle, all your information gets transferred to your PC or on a network server."

Similar to the original io digital pen, you’ll also have to purchase the specialized "smart" paper in order to use the device. The io2 pen costs $199.99; the cradles (desktop and travel) cost $29.95; the paper range from $4.95 to $14.95 and MyScript Notes software is $39.95.

Initial Thoughts: Unfortunately, this’ll be an expensive solution once you start totaling all the accessories you need to fully take advantage of this solution. Although the concept is innovative, the same value issues appear to plague the io2 pen; something we hoped would change once Logitech came out with the second version. The battery life is far too short to actually make a use of the pen and if you are in a profession where writing is critical, you would want to have plenty of paper, which would alone drive up the costs overtime. Of course, students need not apply. Perhaps the most discouraging aspect of the product is that it costs far too much to make it even a desiring gadget to have in your arsenal of digital tools. From what it appears at the moment, there may be far too many drawbacks for the io2 to show its worth.