IRISNotes 2 Executive Digital Pen Scanner for Mac and PC

It is UNUSABLE on computers that don't have a CD/DVD drive. I have been absolutely unable to make it work. (And I'm a tech buff.)The minimal documentation gives a web site where you can supposedly download the software; but that web link doesn't exist, and I couldn't find the appropriate download link after about 30 minutes of poking around their site.I submitted a customer support request to IRISNotes, simply to ask where I could download the software. But they didn't even bother to respond! (I did get the automatic feedback that they received the request.)Additionally, the description only talks about a pen (as in the picture). You also need the special device that clips on top of your paper. So it really isn't a pen-only that you can carry around, you have to carry around the inconvenient extra device, which is totally inconvenient.Summary:1) doesn't work2) documentation inaccurate3) no customer support whatsoever4) not as described: not just a pen, but a pen plus additional hardware

For the relatively low price, I thought I'd give this pen/capture device a try. The crazy thing really works! I didn't have to use the "training" function of the OCR software because my not-very-neat handwriting is converted to a MS Word document with accuracy that is about 95%. I clean up a few things and have my notes in a Word file. Very cool.I find that I write a little more carefully than usual when using the IRISNotes pen, but that isn't bad. When I return to a previously written item on a page to correct or add something, the pen has a tough time placing that correctly. I generate a lot of handwritten notes and in the past have scanned them so they would be accessible on my computer. After using IRISNotes for about two months, I rarely scan notes unless they are made onto a handout or document.I put Velcro on the IRISNotes receptor and stick a small Velcro strip on each of my notebook pads so it is easy to position the receptor. The clip did not easily work on any of my notebooks. I've learned that I need to be careful to have the receptor aimed down the middle of the page or all the notes will appear to be jammed along one side or the other.Slick, easy and - for me - a game changer.

Battery No charging when I used a PC or a MAC, it is a bad pen becasuse the writing recognition is bad. i NOT RECOMEND.

The pen is beautiful, elegant, and it reads what you write. The advertisement was misleading, because you would think that you would be able to see your writing in the computer as you write, and that is not true. For starters, you have to have it unplugged from the computer in order to use it. After that, you need to write, finish writing and pulse a button. Only then you are allowed to plug in the receiver into the computer and download what you just wrote. On the flip side, it understood my mysterious handwriting almost immediately, and it was able to translate it to computer characters leaving space only for a few corrections to be made. I have to say that I like it in spite of its limitations.

People have difficulty with this pen because they don't know how to use it. The manual and the online support is pretty useless. There is little to hunt out online in the way of any real help... so my suggestion is don't waste your time. I had a boat load of troubles... so let me share:Couple things you should know.1) Amazon "suggests" a couple items that go well with this IRISNotes pen -- specifically LifeScribe notebook and refill pen cartridges. The LIfeScribe stuff does NOT go with IRISNotes. So don't buy those. You do NOT need special notebook paper OR special ink cartridges. That is part of the beauty of IRISNotes!I actually DID buy them and was going to return them but decided to hang on to them after all in case I get a LifeScribe pen system at some point.2) The directions that come with the pen are pretty useless. The instruction manual looks big -- but it's in several different languages. Your manuel will actually be about 10 pages. If you follow the directions in the book, there is a good chance your receiver will not properly connect to your computer. That was a major problem I had because I followed the directions.IRISNotes instructs you to first charge the pen with your computer (the top comes off w/ a little mini usb hub).. okay: no problem. Then you are supposed to charge the receiver. NO. That is a problem.Do not charge the reciever until you install the software. You can use the disc that comes with the pen and receiver or you can download it from IRISNotes. If you are downloading the software, you will need to find the download page on the IRISNotes website. It will ask you a bunch of questions about the "order number" the "process number"... etc... I had no idea what numbers they were looking for as nothing on the box they sent me was marked as such. I just punched in a bunch of those numbers into the required fields and was taken to the download center no problem.Once your software is installed, you should immediately put in the access code on the back of the CD so you are taken out of the 30 day Free Trial Mode. I have no idea if this really makes a difference -- but who wants to forget to put in the access code and then lose everything and have to start over? Also -- there may or may not be components that aren't there in the free trial: again, I do not know this, but I have my suspicions.After the software is installed, then plug in the receiver to charge it. It will take an hour or ... up to three (according to IRISNotes... mine took about one)As it charges, the receiver "should" be recognized by your computer. It DOES work with Win 7 & 8. Go ahead and try out making a note on a piece of paper. The directions for making a note are correct enough.If when you plug the reciever into the computer via the usb cable, the computer complains that your device was not properly installed, or is corrupt, or you get the ERROR CODE 43 message.... do not panic. Get a paperclip, and push in the reset button on the back of the receiver until the numbers whirl and flash a bit. THEN plug it back in. Should work!That is not on the Internet anywhere-- and even IRISNotes didn't know how to solve that-- i just stumbled on it!IRISNotes customer service is kind of hit or miss--- I've talked to some good, some bad. Overall, I can't complain: they wre willing to send me a new receiver without much convincing.Most of my practice notes came out pretty easy. You have to write a little slower than you might normally -- but not by much. I practiced with printing, cursive and using common medical abbreviations and symbols that I use in my day-to-day. All of it worked fine.There is a feature to help your software recognize your handwriting better. When I have a chance to try it out, I will let you know how or if it works for me.So 4 stars for now.