iTWire has reported on the release of several generations of Livescribe smart pens (Pulse, Echo, Sky, and most recently the Livescribe 3), but what does a real-life, long-term user think of the product?

We spoke to Pete Smart (pictured), media technology consultant, digital and broadcast media at SmartDigitalMedia, which provides services to broadcasters and IPTV operators, sometimes working with the Boston Consulting Group on broadcast, content delivery strategy and research projects. SmartDigitalMedia also provides project management services to broadcasters relocating to new premises. Mr Smart started the business after leaving Foxtel, where he had been chief technology officer.

He said he started using Evernote to capture project and design notes made on an iPad, but "my typing skills are appalling" so the notes weren't keeping up with the pace of the meetings.

So when he saw the Livescribe Sky - which automatically synchronises with Evernote via Wi-Fi - he decided to try it out.

He already owned a Livescribe Echo, which is says is good in situations where extensive notes are required and the lack of real-time sharing is not a disadvantage.

But the Sky is a different kettle of fish. Wi-Fi synchronisation with Evernote (via his smartphone to avoid delays) means the audio recordings and written notes that he makes are almost immediately available to his colleagues, one of whom is a skilled technical document writer that can transcribe portions of the audio to flesh out Mr Smart's written notes where necessary. Getting this potentially very time consuming job off his hands is one of the major benefits of the Livescribe, he says.

This near instant access to a complete record means only one person from SmartDigitalMedia needs to attend most meetings. "It saves a lot of our time, and eliminates a lot of overhead," he said.

How else does Mr Smart use his Livescribe Sky? Find out on page 2.

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He also uses the pen to make notes during phone calls, capturing the conversation with a custom-made cable to connect his IP desk phone with the Livescribe, and then he can share the resulting document with the other party.

And to-do lists or individual action items from physical or phone meetings can be sent straight to the person concerned, even if they aren't part of SmartDigitalMedia's Evernote Business group.

For those who haven't seen the Livescribe Sky in action, here's an introductory video:

 Furthermore, Evernote converts the written notes into machine-readable text attached to the document as metadata, making it easy to search for particular content. He finds this especially convenient when writing reports.

More on using the Livescribe Sky with Evernote:

 Mr Smart may have complex interactions with multiple clients during the course of a single day, and it's important to keep track of the details. "My accuracy of retaining the detail has improved dramatically," he said.

"You have to have the other participants' permission to record audio," but doing so means he can take keyword notes during a fast-paced meeting and afterwards tap a word to listen to that part of the conversation again.

He is currently trying the Livescribe 3, which works as a peripheral to a recent iPad or iPhone. Text recognition "is really quite good" with this model he says, but the Livescribe 3 forces a change in his workflow. "I'm still exploring it," he said, and he sees various benefits such as the way to-do lists are automatically converted to text. However, the standalone nature of the Sky suits his "very mobile work style," he explained.

"The Livescribe Sky really is a workhorse," he said. "When I accidentally broke mine, it was like losing my right hand until the replacement arrived."