LeapFrog FLY Fusion Pentop Computer

Put revolutionary technology at your child's fingertips with the LeapFrog FLY Fusion Pentop Computer. This working pen is actually a powerful handheld computer! Designed for kids ages eight and up, the Pentop Computer gives them a fun, innovative way to record and organize class notes, get help with math homework, study for tests, and much more!
The Pentop Computer doesn't need a keyboard. Kids just write with the pen on the specially designed FLY Paper, which is provided in the included notebook. The computer recognizes anything kids write on the paper -- from algebraic equations to doodles -- and will read back what was written. Then, the Pentop Computer will scan it, digitize it, and make it available for upload to your personal computer. From there, kids can do whatever they want with the data; for instance, email it to friends or transfer it to a research paper.



The Pentop Computer comes equipped with a FastComp application to help your child tackle math problems. When your child gets stumped, he or she can simply write out the equation and the computer will calculate it. It also makes a great study partner: Your child can get ready for tests in any subject by using the pen to create interactive "flashcards." The computer will be able to use the flashcards to then give your child customized pop quizzes and will even keep score.

Some user comments:
At the basic level, the FLY Fusion Pentop computer is a digital pen that captures your handwriting and then digitizes your notes once it's connected to your computer (via a USB port that is located at the top of the pen). I was a bit worried about it recognizing my handwriting, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that it digitized 99% of my notes correctly (and it's easy to correct the odd mistake). If you don't want your notes digitized, and prefer to keep the "handwritten" look, you can do that as well.
The Fly Fusion Pen is a smaller, sleeker pen top computer than any other we've seen on the market. It has the ability to record handwritten notes and save them as a picture or Word document. I don't recommend the pen as an out-of-the-box visual note taker. Although it has trouble recognizing odd writing styles, it is still a helpful option for when you have written your essay by hand. It also has a small hard drive that can store music and the speaker is of decent quality. One problem is that you can only record notes on micro-dotted paper made for the pen. The menus are complex, but they are simple and easy to use after a week of using them.