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Neo smartpen M1 review

Do you keep a journal in a paper notebook but wish it had some of the features of a digital journalling app such as search and archiving? There are lots of apps out there for your phone or tablet that will let you keep a journal and write with a stylus, but I have been on a quest to find a hybrid system where I can use an old-school paper notebook with a pen. I recently discovered the Neo Smartpen M1. Let’s check it out.

What is it?

The Neo Smartpen M1 is an ink pen with a built-in camera that digitizes your writing and works with an app on your iOS or Android device to record what you’re writing as you write it in a special paper notepad.

What’s in the box?

  • Neo Pen M1 smartpen
  • 2 D1 size ink refills
  • micro USB charging cable

Design and features

Neo is a company who has been offering smartpens for a while now. Their latest pen is the M1 and it’s a newer version of the pen that Moleskine is using with their Smart Writing Set. The M1 looks like a regular pen, with a cap and pocket clip and is available in 3 colors including the one you see above.

When you remove the cap, you will see a real pen that writes in ink on paper.

The M1 comes with 2 D1 sized refills that you can buy on Amazon and other retail sites in different colors and point widths. The refills are easy to remove and install. Basically, all you do is grab the tip and pull it out.

The Neo smartpen M1 has a built-in optical digitizer that is located above the ink tip. That means that you have to write so that this “camera” is pointing down toward the paper instead of turned upward.

Before you can begin using the M1 smartpen, you have to charge it. There’s a standard micro USB connector on the end of the pen.


A status LED on the barrel glows red while the pen is charging, green when fully charged, and white while the pen is in use.

There’s a small power button on the barrel as well. Once you turn on the pen, you don’t need to press the power button again as the pen will turn off on its own after inactivity and will automatically power back on when you remove the cap or start writing again.

Neo smartpens have to be used with special notebooks if you want your writing digitized. At first glance, these notebooks may look no different than other paper journals. They come in different styles with hard or soft covers, spiral or hardbound, with a bookmark. Neo also offers PDFs that you can use to print your own pages for free. You can see all the pages here.

But if you look very closely at the page, you’ll see tiny grey dots which allow the pen’s digitizer to record your writing and drawings. Click the image above to see the dots.

When I bought the M1 smartpen, I also bought one of the Neo N professional notebooks. These notebooks are pretty expensive ($24.95 from Amazon), but I like hardbound books so I splurged. The N Professional reminds me a lot of my favorite notebook the Leuchtturm1917.

The Neo N Professional notebooks have numbered pages and an envelope icon in the upper corner of each page that instructs the Neo app to email the page.

Neo Notes app

The smartpen can record your text without any extra hardware or software, but without using the Neo app you really can’t do anything with it. The pen syncs to the app so you can view, edit, and search your pages.




The app allows you to use multiple notebooks if you have them and gives you the option of automatically syncing pages to Evernote, Adobe, OneNote, or Google Drive.






Once a page has been imported into the app, you can edit it with some basic tools that allow you to highlight text, change the color of text, and add more notes to the text with your finger or a stylus.

You can also watch a video replay of what you wrote and when you initiate a recording, it will attach that to the page as well. Just be aware that you have to start the recording from the app AND it’s the phone that records the audio, NOT the pen.


The app will also allow you to transcribe the pages into text but it doesn’t automatically share the transcribed text to Evernote, OneNote, etc.

As you can see, the transcription doesn’t do a perfect job. If you like to doodle or add check boxes, it will try to recognize them as letters and the results might not be what you would expect.


The Neo Notes app allows you to search the text for words is useful and you can also tag pages with keywords for organization/filing purposes. This works pretty well as long as your writing is clear and legible.

Writing with theNeo smartpen M1 is ok, but it’s not nearly as enjoyable as my favorite pens which have a Pilot G2 refill. I’m just spoiled 🙂 That said, the pen does an impressive job of recording your pen strokes. As long as you don’t start writing until you hear the beep after you take off the cap or press the pen to the page, you’ll be fine. If you immediately start writing, the pen might not catch 100% of that first stroke.

What I like

  • Not any larger than a regular pen
  • Easily replaceable ink refills
  • Easy to use app
  • Can automatically sync with Evernote, Google Drive, OneNote,

What needs to be improved

  • Voice recordings use the phone’s microphone and have to be initiated through the app
  • Need a setting to autosave transcribed page text to outside sites like Evernote

Final thoughts

I was excited to try the Neo smartpen M1 after it was suggested to me in the comments for a post I did about switching from analog to digital note-taking. That’s why I purchased the Neo pen. I thought it might be the perfect combo of analog and digital. So how has it worked out for me? The pen is nice. So don’t get me wrong. But, the excitement faded pretty quickly because I am not a fan of the way it feels to write with the pen. It writes fine, but it’s just not as smooth as my favorite pens. I tried a couple different ink refills without any noticeable improvement.

I also found that my weird hybrid print and cursive writing style with doodles and checkboxes doesn’t lend itself that well to transcription or text searches for words.

In the end, I found that although my notes were backing up to the cloud that I wasn’t looking at them after the fact.  I’ve finally come to the conclusion that the best note taking and task system for me is a paper notebook, my favorite pen, and my own version of the Bullet Journal system. At the end of the day or week, if I need to remember something I’ve written, I quickly type it into a note on Google Drive where it will be backed up and is searchable since it’s straight text.

While the Neo smartpen M1 didn’t quite work for me, it’s still a nice pen and I can see that it would be useful for meetings and school.

Price: $129.00
Where to buy: Neo or Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was purchased with my own funds.

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Neo smartpen M1 review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 25, 2018 at 12:00 pm.

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Baron Fig gets to the point with new Squire Click ballpoint pen

We’re no stranger to Baron Fig ’round these parts; I’ve reviewed the Confidant Hardcover Notebook, the Vanguard Softcover Notebook, and the Squire Rollerball Pen. Although I really like Baron Fig’s notebooks, I’m a bit obsessed with the Squire Rollerball Pen. Its just-right length, balanced weight, ergonomic shape and finish, and smooth writing tip all contribute to making it my daily pen of choice. Baron Fig has recently launched their Squire Click, a “clicky” variation of their original twist version. The Squire Click features an aluminum body, dimensions of 5″ x 0.35″ and a weight of 0.7oz and comes with a black ballpoint ink cartridge. Available in Charcoal and Fig Wine color schemes, the Squire Click retails for $45.00. Visit BaronFig.com for more info or to order.

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Baron Fig gets to the point with new Squire Click ballpoint pen originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 18, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Bellroy introduces Pencil Cases and Classic Pouches

Known primarily for their high-quality, thoughtfully-designed wallets (several of which have been reviewed here at The Gadgeteer), Bellroy has recently launched a line of cases pouches. Intended to store and organize your smallish items, the YKK-zippered pouches are made from either Leather Nubuck leather or Soft-woven Polyester, available in multiple colors and in three sizes: Pencil Case, Pencil Case Plus and Classic Pouch. The Pencil Case and slightly larger Pencil Case Plus have a single compartment that can fold out into a tray and are sized for holding writing instruments or other small items, while the clamshell-styled, wide-opening Classic Pouch has mesh wall pockets inside for organization and is collapsible for travel (including one pocket with a discreet magnetic closure). Prices vary from $39 to $79 depending on the material and size of the pouch. Visit Bellroy.com for more info or to order.

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Bellroy introduces Pencil Cases and Classic Pouches originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 7, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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ACME Studios Eco Pen doesn’t add to the landfill

I like using those clear barrel disposable pens.  They’re cheap, and you can always keep several around in case you misplace one, but the downside is that the plastic barrel is going to hang around in a landfill for a long time.  ACME Studios has developed some plastic barrel pens that will break down in about a year, so you can still use your favorite style of pen without the guilt of adding to the pollution.

The ACME Studios Eco Pen’s body and cap are made of 100% biodegradable corn starch plastic.  When disposed of properly, they’ll break down in a year; the refill isn’t biodegradable, though.  The body of the pen has a window that lets you see your ink level, and all pens use black ink.

Bedol offers the Eco Pen for $2.49 each.  They are available in twelve colors, but you’ll be sent a random color.  Check them out at Bedol.

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ACME Studios Eco Pen doesn’t add to the landfill originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 2, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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Jamee Miller takes on the challenge of dyslexia and hits a homerun with the Read ‘n Style Pen

Jamee Miller is a small town girl who grew up with dyslexia. She came up with the idea of the Read ‘n Style pen while in college and struggling to read assignments.  She then partnered with the startup company Hidden Abilities to turn the concept of the Read ‘n Style pen into a reality.

It is the first digital pen that is designed to assist with the challenges of reading and comprehension, and it is very easy to use. Once it is fully charged, simply press the button near the top and scan the text that you are reading. The text is then converted into audio and transmitted to the user via a small and comfortable Bluetooth earbud. The earbud along with the charger is included in the package, and ensures privacy, convenience and no disturbance to others. The designers were very careful to make sure that no data is saved on the device. This is an important feature since it allows the pen to be integrated into any testing or a confidential environment, without the risk of cheating or theft of data.

While the Read ‘n Style pen was initially designed to address the challenges of dyslexia, it can be used in other ways such as teaching kids to read, including word and sound association. And for those with failing eyesight, the pen may add some level of comfort and convenience to their lifestyle.

The Read ‘n Style pen is available at Indiegogo for $396.00 with a $70 discount for early pre-orders.