A Livescribe Pulse Smartpen application that implements a simple countdown timer. The pen itself has several applications for recording written notes and audio. Many users had requested a countdown timer application even before Livescribe released a development kit for the pen. This application was also entered in the Livescribe Developer Challenge .

Applications for the pen are written in Java, specifically the Java Platform, Micro Edition (J2ME). The Developer SDK for the pen captures the essence of the pen’s functions. It provides for applications to be launched from the pen’s menu system or from previously captured marks on the special Anoto dot-paper. There is a small community of developers working on applications for the pen’s new Application Store (in beta as of this writing).

The Pen Timer Free application is a simple countdown timer. It can be used in man situations, like setting time limits in meetings or short-term reminders. This version, intended to be a free version with a paid version to follow, has limited features. The initial starting times are selected from the application menu. The starting times are limited to 5, 10, 15, and 30 seconds or 1, 5, 10, 15, and 30 minutes or 1 hour. In addition the alarm that sounds when the timer expires is configurable from a set of pre-loaded sounds. Similarly a 5, 2, and 1 minute warning sound can be configured from the same set of sounds.

The not-released paid version will (would) allow creation of timer regions on the dot-paper. These regions are drawn and configured with alarm and warning sounds as well as an initial time. When reactivated they immediately begin their countdown. This mode allows you to pre-configure timers for later, quick, use.

Screenshots and Videos

Video used for Livescribe Developer Challenge entry.

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The Code

I am still considering how to release the code. So you will just have to enjoy the screenshots here, the YouTube video or see me in person to get a live demo.