Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Oakland - CA United States
The big idea: In 25 words or less, please tell us how this Fast 50 Nominee is helping to address the planet's problems.
Jim Marggraff—bold visionary and inventive entrepreneur—has created the Pulse smartpen, a computer in a pen that bridges the paper and digital worlds.
Please describe how this nominee is using business as a force of positive change. What technology, idea, or strategy is the nominee using -- and what problem, such as global warming, poverty, or pollution, does it address? (suggested length: 100 words)
Jim created the Pulse smartpen with the vision of capturing, accessing and sharing information. The Pulse smartpen represents the harbinger of a new era of mobile computing. Livescribe has developed the first true smartpen that combines all four modes of communication — reading, writing, speaking and listening — in the simple, convenient format of pen and paper.
The technology of the Pulse smartpen and platform and its possibilities are endless. Livescribe is currently participating in a study conducted by Vanderbilt University and the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute (San Francisco), under a grant from the National Science Foundation, to adapt the Pulse smartpen for the visually-impaired, by combining its technology with the Sewell Raised Line Drawing Kit. Combining this method with the Pulse smartpen technology will provide a low-cost, portable education tool for the visually-impaired.
What are the results, both financial and social? How has the nominee's business performed, and what impact has it had on the problem it addresses? (suggested length: 100 words)
Livescribe has defined a complete, low-cost ecosystem for paper-based computing, which includes a smartpen, dot paper, applications, and open platform. The Pulse smartpen's core application is Paper Replay, which allows you to record and sync audio to what you write, so you never miss a word.
Following the announcement of Pulse’s public availability, Livescribe faced the challenge of back orders due to high demand. Media greeted Pulse with favorable reviews. Some links are included below:
• http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/08/technology/personaltech/08pogue.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=livescribe&st=nyt&oref=slogin
• http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/edwardbaig/2008-05-07-smartpen-livescribe-pulse_N.htm
• http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,2305672,00.asp
• http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b0226d22-1fc2-11dd-9216-000077b07658.html?nclick_check=1
Consumer response to Pulse has been equally tremendous and many have found it newsworthy to “twitter” about. See comments here: http://tweetscan.com/index.php?s=livescribe&u=&d=.
