Flowtica’s Scribe may appear simple, yet it is not your average pen — it provides so much more functionality.
As a meticulous note-taker, I record thoughts on the reMarkable 2 and utilize a physical notebook (from Leuchtturm1917) paired with a Lamy Safari for journaling. I appreciate the convenience and user-friendliness of the reMarkable 2, making it perfect for note-taking during briefings and managing my to-do lists.
However, in the past month, I have been trying out a new gadget: the Flowtica Scribe. This pen features a built-in microphone that allows you to record meetings and discussions, connecting to a mobile app that automatically transcribes these recordings and creates summaries. I have had access to Teenage Engineering’s TP–7 previously, but the Flowtica Scribe serves dual purposes as it functions as a standard pen for note-taking. Flowtica is crowdfunding the Scribe, which is currently available on Kickstarter for $169, offering a $130 reduction from its expected retail price of $299.
The Scribe has a barrel shape resembling that of any typical pen and isn’t particularly heavy. It sports pogo pins at the rear, along with a button on top and another on the side. It does not glide as smoothly as a fountain pen or rival the quality of Uni-ball’s Jetstream gel or Air rollerball products. Nonetheless, the Scribe performs adequately on its own, and you receive five refills in the package.
Getting started with the Scribe’s recording function is simple: just hold the top button down for two seconds. The small LED next to the pogo pins blinks red to signal that the device is recording, and to stop, simply press the button again for another two seconds.
You can activate the side button to mark important moments during a meeting — this feature is called FlowMark — turning it into a digital highlight. The built-in recorder is excellent, effectively capturing audio. It is crafted for meeting environments, and I found it useful during recent product briefings, where it highlighted individual presenters well.
To access stored data, you’ll need the Flowtica app, which is currently exclusive to iOS. Flowtica mentions they are developing an Android app as well, but it wasn’t available during the testing phase. My favorite aspect of the Scribe is its capability to automatically transcribe audio to text; while there are numerous tools available for this, the convenience it offers is refreshing.
Transcribed text can be located in the Flowtica app, which also analyzes the information to provide AI-generated summaries. These summaries are useful, though I typically don’t rely on them — what truly impresses me is having transcribed text available mere moments after recording. You can also save handwritten notes by simply capturing an image and uploading it to the app.
AI technology is omnipresent today, and although I remain skeptical about many available utilities, I frequently utilize transcription features, with the Scribe excelling in this area. The fact that it is a tangible product I can also use as a regular pen enhances its value, and if you’re curious about what the Scribe offers, you can acquire the AI-enabled pen for $169. There’s only four days left (at the time of writing), so if you find it appealing, you should act promptly.
