Tom Sawyer Signatures, notes, even sketches pop open on PDFs when the pen is docked.

Add a ballpoint pen to the list of handheld computers for capturing data in the field…or at least a digital pen with a camera in the tip, dedicated paper and software to acquaint them with each other.

The software creates a printer driver called Xpaper on your PC. It works with your regular printer, except when you use the "Xpaper printer" to print a document such as a report, punch list or inspection form, when the software prompts you to use the special paper. Later, anything that is written with the digital pen on any sheet of that paper will be reproduced on a PDF of the document on which it was printed, which pops up on the computer screen when the pen is docked. It's like having a scanner in your pocket, without the bother.

Tom Sawyer

"Inspectors, surveyors, real estate agents and medical professionals are using it for tabular, and non-tabular data, like signatures and sketching," says Rod May, head of operations at the vendor, Talario LLC, Brookings, S.D. "The response has been very good," he says.

It works because the pen captures pen strokes with the tiny camera, which also eyes the pattern on the sheets and recognizes not only the unique identity of each page, but also the exact nature and location of the marks put on it. So when the pen is docked, it puts the marks on the PDF where they belong. The kit costs $249 and can be seen and ordered at www .talario.com.