Sunday, January 21, 2018

Liquid Crystal Paper Blackboard

I have horrible handwriting and am not very talented when it comes to drawing so you wouldn't think a note / sketch pad would be considerably valuable to me.  That is not really the case though.  If you think about it, typing on a keyboard can occassionally be impractical or impossible making handwritten notes essential at times.

My desk is often cluttered with papers and sticky notes filled with information I've written down during phone conversations.  Also, often times when assisting clients on criminal cases at court houses and jails I'm not allowed to bring a computer, phone or tablet into secure meeting areas so it is necessary to handwrite notes on paper.  That was until I got my hands on a Blackboard!



Boogie Board's Blackboard eWriter lets me easily take handwritten notes while on a teleconference or while having a conversation someplace where other types of devices are precluded and then digitalize the information so it can be accessed later on my pc or smart phone. Using the Blackboard has helped me reduce clutter around my office and be more organized.  Plus I'm saving some trees by not needing to use as much paper with the use of this eWriter.

After writing notes or drawing sketches on its 8.5" x 11" Liquid Crystal Paper screen, a free app that is compatible with Android or Apple phones and tablets allows you to electronically save the information displayed on your Blackboard.  Use your phone or tablet's camera through the app to capture the information on the eWriter.  Your scanned images can be archived within the app or transferred to a computer as a pdf.  So you can electronically catalog your notes by date, topic or a person's name when using a Blackboard compared to shifting through piles of papers and sticky notes later looking for a specific detail.  After scanning your Blackboard, you can also continue to draw on, highlight and enhance your work through tools available via the app.



Because my Blackboard doesn't take photographs, record videos, or otherwise store information I can take it with me into a secure area, use it for in custody consultations, and electronically save that information when I can later access the app after leaving lockdown.  Because images are generated on the Liquid Crystal Paper from the pressure placed against it from the included pen shaped stylus,  the Blackboard only uses a minute electrical current when something is erased. This means the eWriter utilizes such a limited amount of power there is no need to turn on, plug in or charge it. 

The installed button cell battery provides an estimated 5 years of use before needing to be replaced. You therefore won't find yourself worrying about whether or not your Blackboard needs to be charged up.  That is especially nice if you are traveling with it.

Utilize the stylus to write on the Blackboard just like a pen on paper.  A nice feature is that the stylus magnetically attaches to the base of the Blackboard with a firm grasp when not being used making it easy to keep track of.  The stylus also has an eraser tip function just like a pencil.  Hold down the single erase button at the top of the Blackboard while rubbing specific areas of the pad with this stylus feature and only images on those spots will disappear.



On the other hand, if you want to clear the whole pad simply hit the big circle at the top of the pad and the whole screen will be wiped clean.  Of course that could be very bad if you hit it by accident so there is a safety feature included as well.  Clicking on a lock button to the right of the quick erase feature will protect from accidental erasing.

You know the lock feature is activated when a red tab is being displayed.  This is one aspect of the Blackboard you always want to be aware of.  If you erase something before scanning it to the app your work is gone for good which is a mistake you obviously want to avoid.



Blackboard's screen is actually transparent so things can be placed underneath and traced onto it.  It also comes with four insertable background templates. One replicates the look of a lined note pad, another has a grid for drawing, plus there is an option that provides the layout of a day planner book.  My personal preference though is the template that just provides the visualization of a black backdrop.

I've found taking handwritten notes without using ink or paper then digitalizing them into an accessible electronic format to be very handy.  Check it out for yourself! You can purchase a Blackboard of your own from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Fred Meyer, Office Max, Office Depot, and Staples.  Find out more about Boogie Board's Blackboard by visiting liquidcrystalpaper.com


24 comments:

  1. That's pretty cool. Almost like an Etch-a-Sketch! When it transfers it to your computer or tablet, does it convert it to text, or is it just like a JPG or something of what you wrote?

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    1. It transfers as an image file that can be slightly edited or enhanced digitally after being captured with the camera as well as saved and categorized within the app. The image file can be turned into a jpeg or pdf by the app to email or save on a pc.

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  2. looks like something many people would find a great use for. Know couple of my kids would probably use this.

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  3. That seems pretty cool. Perfect for note taking, and I am sure that my homeschooling daughter would love it.

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  4. Looks like an awesome gadget for taking down notes and transferring them later on. Definitely something that's nice to have in your bag!

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  5. This is so cool! My daughter has something like this and has so much fun with it. She likes to draw!

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  6. Very cool and better for the environment. Looks perfect for homework, scratch paper or for leaving family messages.

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  7. My kids actually have something very similar to this. Its called a boogie board. they got it for like 10 bucks at Sam's club. I think it's perfect for taking notes and not wasting as much paper.

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    1. It actually looks similar because Blackboard is made by Boogie Board. It is a more advanced version of previous products like your daughters have. My kids have Boogie Boards too and love to use them in the car when we are on road trips. They want Blackboards of their own now :-)

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  8. This is really cool for people who take notes a lot. I like that the screen is clear so you can trace things onto it.

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  9. I've heard of these but haven't tried this one. It sounds like it would be helpful for folks drawing things to plan events or design.

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  10. How interesting (and sort of magical looking! LOL). I hadn't even seen the kids' 'toy' version yet. Thanks!

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  11. Looks very interesting! I have never seen this device before, I think my kids would love to get one for drawing.

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  12. The Blackboard looks like a pretty useful gadget. We too take notes or scribble in our notepads while traveling. This sure will help if it is able to convert the handwritten notes into digital data.

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  13. This sounds like a really interesting gadget, I can imagine it can come in so useful for so many different reasons.

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  14. Are you an attorney? I was a legal assistant before I had kids. Nice product.

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  15. Now that is a useful tool! I love the style of it.

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  16. That is an awesome device. I could really use this in my life!

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  17. That's handy you can take it into the courtroom! What a great tool!

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  18. What a cool tablet! I need to check this out for myself!!

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  19. I will have to show this to my son. I think he will find it useful. As a web developer, he has a lot of sketches, notes and other stuff only an internet nerd like him can understand.

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  20. How very cool, I do love taking notes when on a conference call or meetings but got too many sticky notes lying around. This would be awesome to have

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  21. That is so cool! This might be super useful for school and stuff, I need to look into it more.

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  22. We love Boogie Boards in our house! We have a bunch for our kiddos, I will have to try this one out too!

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