Pulse SmartPen a fun, useful $150 gift for students

Although I write about technology I won't say I'm a gadget junkie, but when I saw this item, I admit to feeling a bit covetous. The Pulse SmartPen is indeed a gadget by Oakland, Calif.-based company Livescribe Inc., founded by the same man who also started LeapFrog. Sure, you say, but $150 to $200 for a pen?!?

It's not just any pen. It's a regular-sized pen that digitally captures audio and syncs it with handwriting. The 2GB to 4GB pen is equipped with a tiny camera at the tip, that when used with cheap but special paper, can play back what was recorded even in different speeds by tapping the pen on any part of your notes.