Today I sat down to write in a journal, with my actual hands. My hand was rather sore afterward, probably because I can't remember the last time I have done this; maybe 6 months? Depending on what type of lifestyle, career, and devices you are used to, some folks just don't write written notes anymore. Aside from those of us with great filing tendencies, if we write a note, we're not really going to store it anywhere. Leave it at home, and it is no use to you when you're away. The Equil Smartpen 2 is a great alternative to hand written notes, all while providing the satisfaction of old-fashioned doodling.

It works by storing your handwritten notes onto your electronic devices and into the cloud so you can access them whenever you please, and even edit them. Equil makes sure to copy your notes with supreme accuracy, to the point that “the pressure between the pen tip and the paper is analyzed and recorded” (BGR).

The pen, using Bluetooth, contains a small receiver unit that records as you write. Then, using an accompanying mobile and desktop app, your notes are converted into a PDF-scan quality file, can be uploaded to Evernote, stored in the cloud or email, and also converted into normal text if you'd rather not transfer all the silly cat doodles you inadvertently added (Tech Crunch). Compatible devices include Mac and Windows-powered computers, as well as iOS and Android mobile devices.

Being a pen-fan myself, I like the fact that the Equil Smartpen 2 gives you an array of pen tips and colors to choose from. This could encourage people like myself to pick up then pen and paper more often. You know, getting back to basics (not reall). The pen is currently on super-sale, shipping for just $109.99 to start, if you purchase it from the company's Indiegogo page. Regular retail price is $129.99.