Livescribe Smartpen Portfolio

Check description carefully, it only takes the starter book size, so your letter or A4 don't fit. There should be 2 sizes!

I had been looking for a way to protect my pen when I take it out and about, since I used to take it out in a little pouch I have which did not offer a lot of protection. I was returning a pen case, which did not fit my pen since it was an Echo and the case was for the Pulse, to Best Buy when I saw this case. Since I prefer the small A5 notebook to the regular sized single or three subject notebooks, this case is perfect for me. A word of warning, this portfolio only fits the smaller notebook and journals, since Livescribe has not made one for the bigger notebooks. Then again, there are already portfolios for regular sized notebooks, so if you truly need one, you can find one.

Material: I give this a 5/5. The outside is a sort of faux leather material that has a nice feel to it, it is mostly smooth with a slight texture, and it looks nice. The inside is a sort of smooth, but slightly rough fabric. This fabric gives enough cushion and smoothness for the pen to go in, stay in and get out of the holder without the back of the pen being scratched or damaged in anyway. The portfolio looks and feels nice.

Notebook Slot: This gets a 5/5. It is strong enough to hold the notebook in place as you write, but it is easy to slide the cover into and out of the slot. Also, the notebook will not jerk up and down in the slot to any kind of movement, it is stuck in place which is nice because you do not have to worry about it working itself out of the slot.

Side Slots: I give this a 2/5. The slots in the front cover of the portfolio are too small to really hold anything that I need. It would have been nice if they were at least big enough to hold one of the flip notepads or if they were big enough to hold pages from the A5 notebooks. You could put the ink refills there but it was so tight I was afraid they might break. So, for me, these slots are useless because they are too small to hold anything I would like it too.

Bookmark String: This gets a 5/5. This is a nice feature that I have never seen in a portfolio before. The ability to mark where you are in your notebook without having to flip through a bunch of pages is a good feature. I like it and use it a lot.

Elastic Band for the Pen: I give this a 4/5. This does the job of keeping the pen secure to the portfolio. I have not dropped the portfolio yet, but I have walked with it in my hands and the motion of my hand did not cause the pen to move out of the slot. However, the roughness of the band gave me concern when I first saw it and my concern was right on. On the rubber grip, I can see tiny scratches from the band. I would have liked for there to be a smooth cushion to protect the pen from getting scratched. As long as you do not let the band anywhere else but the rubber grip, the rest of the pen will be fine.

Elastic Band for the Covers: I give this a 4½/5. The band keeps the portfolio closed just fine. There is enough elastic in the band for it to hold the portfolio closed if there was nothing in it or if there was more than just a notebook in it. The only thing I would have liked was either a slightly raised area or a small strip to the side that would give you a better grip to remove the band from around the cover. I have really short finger nails so it is sometimes hard to get a grip on the band, it just more annoying than a defect to me.

Cost: This is a 4/5. It could have been cheaper, but the convenience in carrying a notebook around with a safe place to put the pen made it worth the price. It is a nice looking, feeling and well put together portfolio that is worth the price.

Protection: I give this a 5/5. The notebook has held up for the last four months I've had it. I've carried it around in my hands and in my backpack, and the portfolio protects the notebook and pen just fine. I have yet to drop it with the pen inside, so I cannot speak to that. If I ever do, I will edit my review to include my opinion of that. But, I think that the pen will be well protected form a fall.

Overall, the portfolio is a nice accessory for the pen that will allow you to use one item to transport both the pen and the notebook at the same time. It is a good buy at a slightly expensive price that that reason alone.

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After reading other reviews here, I said "No way!" Then, while at the LiveScribe store, saw this and went "Yeah. A portfolio AND a pen holder. That's what I need!" Somehow the similarity of the two never connected and so I paid the higher price and the shipping charges there. What others have written is instructive: the SMELL is the first thing that hits you. It is strong so if you've got any type of sensitivity to scent, this is NOT the thing to get. After several days, it's much less but it's still there. Don't marginalize this: I did, to my regret. The size is the other factor. For years, I've taken an 8.5x11 pad portfolio to meetings: this is MUCH smaller you will be buying the 'single subject ring notebooks to fit (the same size as your starter book) but it does hold the pen at least. (LiveScribe owners know there's no pocket clip on the pen so carrying it around with the possibility of it getting lost is a large concern.)

Overall, I could have found other things to spend nearly $30 on frankly but this does fill a niche for a meeting-saturated exec who will have colleagues without a keen sense of smell. Be careful and play with other LiveScribe toys first.

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This portfolio makes it simple to carry your LiveScribe pen and your notebooks all in one. I also keep a little packet of refill ink cartridges in one of the business card pockets so I'm never caught without ink. :)

I don't think this is "real" leather, but it looks like leather and so far it's held up very nicely. The LiveScribe journals and spiral notebooks both fit in here perfectly snug, fits like a glove. There is a nice elastic band that holds it shut. Overall, I'm very happy with this!

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Very small, normal paper wont fit such as printer paper for contracts or school work. Has pockets for business cards which is a plus. Material seems to be somewhat durable, shows scuff marks on the outside leather and the felt inside gets dirty quickly.

looks very professional but keep in good condition to maintain the right "look" Needs specific sized journals and holds pen snugly. Would definitely recommend it for people who need to keep a professional appearance or don't want to carry a bunch of notebooks or loose leaf papers.

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