Nicely done, how do you come up with this?

One of your images appears to be broken though, the one just above Garfield

Best review I ever read, I am definitely going to try this brand new device :P

(Thanks Stephen, broken image fixed!)

Very interesting review! I may have to invest in some coloured pencils!

Wow, i didn't expect THAT – I'm actually using this pencils for my designing processes. They have been around 30€ last year, i think. It payed off for me when i was in a unmotivated and uncreative mood.

This seems to be highly related to a Paper Prototyping. ;-)

It always starts with a shiny new box and almost always ends up with at least one frustration. I love complex matters told in simple ways.

Thanks for the article. Loved it :). Already ordered my first box of pencils.

Is pencil in Beta?!?

Very nice review. All this pencil class devices are wireless? Do they need batteries?

hah! Pure genius Philipp!

when archeologists uncover this post in a thousand years time they will be very very confused.

Tis like Tom Peter's sez " Give me back my color pencils- I Wanna colur outside the box "!!

nicely done!!

I spotted a UK English version called "Colour Pencils" but some of the features weren't the same. I guess they've not been fully localised yet.

I don't think this idea will last very long, although I have to give credit for creativity t whoever came up with it.

How will the company that produces this monetize it? I see no mechanism for upgrades and the ongoing revenue stream they would produce.

Also as you mention the user interface is hardly intuitive. No drop-down options? No context sensitive helps?

Reliance on third party add-ons is excellent though. As we know, any successful product has to create an ecosystem in which many other companies act as unwitting sales and support staff for your product. Along those lines I would recommend some sort of certification process so that only those who have been properly indoctrinated can use the product in a commercial environment.

Ooops.

In may last post I meant to say "educated" not "indoctrinated".

What was I thinking!?

--> Macbeach

I believe it will be monetized by the shrinking length. As the device shrinks the user will decide the purchase another, full length device.

ugh im waiting for a web 2.0 version, i hate interfaces that dont have a good ajax deployment

I've upgraded to colored sharpies. Very durable and the length of lifetime is way longer. Portability is really a strong suite with these guys.

i liked your idea! Just that you know!

Don't you know anything?
The battery life is shown by the length of the pencil. Unfortunately in these pencils the battery is not replaceable forcing the user to by another (Manufacturers seem to refuse replacing the battery)

This "Paper" that you speak of, is also very useful I have listed a few of it's functions in the comments on another blog previously
http://www.geeksaresexy.net/2008/01/30/a-thinner-and-cheaper-alternative-to-the-macbook-air/#comment-42629

a cat, a mouse, dependent solution, no original documentation...
additional feature, you can use the white pencil for other purposes since the paper you are using is white. may be as a candle!!!

How could you have missed it, Philipp – there *is* a precursor to Clip Art [mode] for Color Pencils (any brand of either too! and no lock-in of any kind): they are called "stencils" and usually are made out of somewhat thicker/ stiffer type of paper. Also of thin aluminum alloys and even transparent plastics.

Just as with clip art, stencils CAN BE mashed up, modified by hand, and subjected to full range of instance transformations [mirror image; reverse; alongside any axis or angle]. Being precursor to clip art, the chief limitations of stencil technology are image unscalabality (on their own – there are technical solutions, so called pantographs, that make even that possible!), and main suitability for shape-outlining. Also, there are nowhere near the number of existing stencil art libraries, as compared to clip art ditto. But, it is a highly mature technology whose roots go back to ancient, pre-Unix-dating-algorithm and earlier, Roman times, Byzantium and (carbon confirmed to -40.000+ years from 0000-00-00:00:00:00) even Australian Aborigine Art period [then used, alas, not with Color Pencils, but simply artists' fingers dipped in natural dyes mixed with a mashup of spittle and spunk.]

lol, freak philipp xD

i think its wicked out of this world try it with paint then you wont be showing of so much

Jajajajajaja!!!
   Very Nice!

Can I translate it into spanish to post-it on my blog???

(Absolutely Jose, please add your link here if you did...)

Thanks!!!! :D

what did you do with that pencils?

Is Microsoft or Google going to bid for them say some $39 per share

Pfft. Your review isn't news to me. I've been excited about the possibilities of Graphite-based Cordless Manual Printing since its debut a few centuries ago. Actually, my biggest joy and frustration with this technology is device shrinkage.

I'm all for portability. Taking up less space in my pockets, bags and folders is a win. But any UI or UX engineer should have seen that while the GCMP devices have a fairly long usable life, the user experience weakens when the they shrink below a certain length. For most adults, anything below 3.5" (thats about 8 cm) is unusable and frustrating. Thus the devices must inevitably be discarded earlier than necessary. And did you know that all GCMP-compliant "sharpeners" reduce them further?

This is no better than inkjet and laserjet and I shall not be scammed.

There are accessories one can buy to nearly double the usable life of nearly all GCMP devices. Many are compatible with kid-friendly Wax-based CMP tools and the Limestone-based CMP tools popular in academia.

Here's a link to one such your audience may like:
http://www.pencilrevolution.com/2006/05/kutsuwa-pencil-extenders/

Similar to the XML-based Open Document Format (ISO 26300), these devices are rigorously standardized, so there isn't vendor lock-in. The relevant standards are ISO 9177 and ISO 9180.

Wow, Jose Daniel, if you do the translation I want to use it too! I was going to ask for that too, but I'll wait a few days to see if I can use yours :)
(if there aren't news about him, I translate it!)

The lack of a true cross-vendor color standard is a major problem in this marketplace as is the lack of availability of a-la-carte purchasing. Some vendors allow purchasing of replacement individual pencil modules after the size reduction process has rendered the original unusable, but others do not, forcing the purchaser to wastefully repurchase an entire set. It's like being forced to buy a whole CD instead of just the song with the hot video.

I would also direct your attention to two other affordances offered by color pencil technology.
1. Reproduction of two-dimensional images can sometimes be enhanced by the use of plug-in technology such as a light table. By plugging in (literally) a light under a translucent surface, the user can "trace" an image to more accurately reproduce it even if training in drawing techniques has not yet been completed.
2. Some vendors offer the hybrid "watercolor pencil" that enables use in both dry and wet environments. Again, the user is held hostage to the paper manufacturer for optimum results but the option is there.

It looks like someone from the IT age has forgotten how to use pencils.
I love this post – really funny.

Philipp, thanks for this review. I believe I shall purchase some of these color pencils instead of getting a newer version of Photoshop, after conducting a cost-benefit analysis. Do you have an Amazon referral link?

But seriously, this was hilarious. Reading it in middle of a meeting, I had to keep covering my face so (hopefully) no one could see how much I was laughing.

"Football theme" I think some of the American readers might get confused!

Great review. :)

Great post Philipp

Crikey I feel old. I used to be "Ink Monitor" when at school – I had to fill the desk ink wells with ink as we used dip pens. We didn't even have coloured pencils!!

J. McNair [ http://blogoscoped.com/forum/123223.html#id123282]:

> For most adults, anything [of GCMP] below 3.5"
> (thats about 8 cm) is unusable and frustrating.

Confirmed AND validated: no less an industrial giant and über-national everyday commercial presence than IKEA Corp. (originally Swedish but now head-quartered in the tax haven of the Netherlands), which distributes *FREE* PENCILS --if in original graphite hue only-- to all needy potential clients for wishlist making purposes, validates the above minimum-usable-length claim in quite unintended manner.

http://www.pencilrevolution.com/uploads/ikea115.JPG

These pencils, which are meant to be pocketed after use by IKEA's clients[*] (="browsers"?), ergo pencils meant to be used in their primary capacity during JUST ONE ("1") few-hour visit to any of company's commercial temples, are but 85mm long, or mere 0.5cm (approx. 0.1968") longer than J. McNair's above stated figure (confirmed median result of measuring 12 individual pencils selected for this sample).

Compared to other types of [default length] pencils, that size extension seems more than generous for the intended single-time-use purpose, and could hardly shortened.
http://www.pencilrevolution.com/category/philosophy/page/2/

[*] no doubt partly an insidious form of IKEA's pocket advertising and a not-so-subtle mechanism of lockage-in; see: http://www.tombraiderforums.com/archive/index.php/t-56054.html

Ikea pencils!
2006 I got 152 of them, 2007 I only got 116 (One trip in each year)

Warning:
Early models were a health and environmental hazard.
Be sure to only use lead free devices.

Philipp states:
"Note the device color range greatly varies by manufacturer; mine wasn’t even in the 6 bit range, producing only up to 24 colors when displayed."

The 3 colors red, green, and blue seem to be included among the 24 colors in your set. You should be able to combine those to render the full range of RGB colors. The problem is that some of the devices may render colors (i.e. frequencies) for which there is no RGB representation.

This reminds me of the recent "Trees Reviewed" post: http://stevenf.com/2008/01/trees_reviewed.php so the novelty of the parody tech review wore off pretty quick. ;-)

"An undocumented use: if you cut up the device you can create a colored rectangle shape."

This is a actually a precursor to the well known PAK-HACK (tm) (Peace Among Kids Hack). The principle is that the "pencil" is cut in half and distributed to the warring siblings. It is considered an Advanced hack, as implementors need to consider the size reduction of the secondary device due to the required "sharpening" process.

caveat:: – Implementing the PAK-HACK on a device that is too small has been known to result in intra family nuclear war, and sulking.

I once saw a media called "book" where these pencils, esp black ones, are used as OCR tool. here is the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFAWR6hzZek

Excellent post – very amusing :D I love it when people introduce us to the latest technology.

You are incorrect in saying that pencil don't have rechargeable batteries. You are using an obsolete technology. With Pencil 2.0, you can write all you want – and then just replace the batteries when they run dry.

I believe that the new versions are called Pens.

George R. "[...] some of the devices may render colors (i.e. frequencies) for which there is no RGB representation"

Surely such color-blend oddities, which fall outside the standard visible spectrum, or cannot be measured with any degree of certainty, do not deserve to be called "colors," or even "hues (thereof)." Given certain lifestyle subcultures --religious or otherwise-- known perennial abuse of specific RGB combinations in their ceremonial garments and/or presentational cult expressions ("mauve" comes to mind for u-know-who) it is therefore hardly surprizing, that responsible pencil manufacturers do not attempt to market such ready-made instances of RGB spite, also potential causes for litigation against themselves by parties acting on behalf of the Greater Human Good[tm].

Funny post, You can tell pencils dont come with inbuilt spell checkers though as you keep talking about "color" rather than "Colour" :-)

-Bob

reminds me of this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bc6v8IUe_0g
i also rememeber reading about pencils which offered "undo" feature (with rubber tips) :-)

Wow, now they in color?! My device only supports grayscale. Has anybody tried to update?

Finally someone got the review straight.

I've just played around with some which I got by my parents years ago and didn't know how to use them because there was no proper manual.

There's a little workaround to get straight lines until the next bugfix:
Just select a color you don't need in your drawing and lay it on the paper device. Now you can draw a straight line as long as the color pencil laying there.

It looks like this device has been designed to facilitate copyright infringement.

It could be used to copy photos and other still images, or even (shudder) entire books!

Also, it could be used to create pornography, and would also be a powerful tool for the creation of forged documents.

Some parents even give these to their children. How irresponsible can that be? How many parents really keep a close eye on their children while they're using these pencils?

Brilliance. Love it.

The shrinkage issue has already been addressed by George in a Seinfeld episode.

Be wary, however, if they were imported from China – they could contain lead.

The FDA may pull them, so I'd have them tested before using them to ensure there is no toxic substance included. Unless of course you've signed a waiver accepting full responsibilty and a release in the event you did not follow the warnings issued with the pencils.

You can acquire lead testing kits at Home Depot.

Many users have attempted to convert their pencils into a JPEG format to make them compatible with other operating systems. The results are visually appealing but I think this is actually going to limit the utility of the device.

http://fiveprime.org/flickr_hvmnd.cgi?search_domain=Tags&search_type=Search+Tags&textinput=pencil%2Ccolor

Loved this! Amazing work! :)

Brilliant on many levels.

On the bright side, this device has already evolved to the point where it can write mail.

Can't believe the omissions in this review!
What happens when you put one in a microwave oven?
What happens when you put a pencil in a can of soda, or when you bring a Mentos and a pencil in contact?
What happens when you screw it open? Reviewer too scared of breaking the warranty or what?

Another glaring omission here is the historic fact that pencils were invented in Kazakhstan. As a way of repelling jews and gypsies, tigers and headlice.

But more importantly... WILL IT BLEND? :-)

e.g. http://www.willitblend.com

I think it is important to note that these devices also support alpha transparency. The effect is achieved by applying more (for opaque) or less (for transparent) pressures, while drawing. By using one colour over another you can achieve a higher colour depth than the 24 colours your review indicated.

I did find though, that if you do decide to create a rectangle shape, do it before too much use of the pencil has commenced. I made the mistake of waiting too long after using the pencil and was only able to come up with a lopsided triangle, which was NOT what I wanted.

The mentioned pencils are great.
They are produced by a toy-crazed company.

Their oldest outlets are some sort of an old fashioned toy store museum where the dreams of a child are made from colorful plastic and wood.

Brilliant!

Although I am a little sad in saying this, I haven't laughed that hard in weeks.

What does Doom look like on one of these?

I think you only get one frame of Doom per two or three minutes.

Actually, the 2.0 version by this producer – and its predecessor – allows one to smear the image with a watercolor brush, i.e., it is not the device with replaceable batteries. This feature may have extended the life of the non-replaceable batteries, however.

Also, contrary to what George R. suggests, RGB mixing of colors is rather ineffective with these devices; one must revert to the antediluvian RBY standard, which is not available online.

The earlier packaging system (1950s) was much better, albeit only manual, and also environmentally friendly, being entirely made from easily recycleable material quite similar to paper. Once one had mastered the snap closing device (see the Orhan's link), the trays could be propped up, thus allowing easy removal of the devices.

Also, use of the devices has apparently never resulted in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, which makes them a boon to sufferers.

Steve Jobs is rumoured to be releasing a set of iPencils. They will be half as skinny and come only in white, black, pink, and lime green.

no mention of the a competing operating systen, the Cray Ola, which has the benifit of being edible, have a larger array of colours (a standard package holds 64 and a large package holds 128 (and producing a completly water proof image.

Nice comparison of crude and high technology...Ü

Stompin man! Wadda Hoot!

This if fake! You can tell by the shadows of the so called "pencils" that they are photoshopped.

This would fail health and safety review due to sharpe pointy end. Are these for Adults over 18 only

Hello,

Thank you for your review, I was wondering if I should switch to pencils but it's clearly not a mastered technology yet, I'll be keeping an eye on it though as i'm a fan of everything about new technologies..

Particularly valuable review because it reveals the "easter egg" feature of being able to cut up the pencil device to make a rectangle.

Someone please help!

The bought the UK version someone mentioned above. It doesn't have the same range of color as the illustrated version. Is that because different locales lack names for certain colors?

Can I use both versions on the same paper? Are sharpeners compatible with both locales?

I knew, I just *knew* that sooner or later this topic, or discussion thread, would become just another instance of Godwin's Law:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin's_law

Lo and behold, there *IS* an explicit connection, one preceding the review even, therefore doubly valid:

# Pencils
# 15 December 2007

# Hitler ate my granny!

http://www.newstatesman.com/200712130027

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Mr Google Blogoscoped Forum,

I don't know if that mean is secure enough, but I am the widow of the late and beloved Sir Douglas Pennson Goodright. Because of the turnmoil here, he passed away in an ambush in front of the Nairobia's Pencil Corporation Ltd. Factory.
The Government wants to get hold of the pen factory, and I am trying to transfer the funds abroad.
If your helping hand could help me achieve the transfers of the funds in a German bank, my son and I would be willing to give you 10% of the total amount of pencils produced, which amounts to three millions and fourteen thousand (3141592) pens of various colors.

May God's Helping Arm bless you, sincerely
Penny Goodright

My friend in the UK tells me they've already put out a version with a rubber on the end of it!!! Seems they give condoms out with everything in Europe these days.
She says they also have a "propelling pencil" in development. It will be made of metal so you can throw it like a dart through the air I guess. What happens when the rubber falls off, she doesn't know.

I'm a little torn. While these look promising, I'd hate to invest in "pencils" only to find that I'm not knowledgeable enough to get the most from them. Is there technical assistance available. Instruction manuals? Videos, perhaps?

Thanks!

I hope I am not exposing myself to any legal or government action or infringing on anyone's patents, but I felt compelled by the bravery of your insightful post to admit that not only have I been "creating" images with these clever inventions for many years, but also have found a way to extend the life of their usefulness in two unorthodox but thrillingly effective methods.

1. I use a metal "razor" device in a holder, called an X-Acto knife, to sharpen the pigment end of the pencil, thus avoiding the wasteful, often inefficient problems of the standard sharpener. A larger version of this, called a matte knife is also effective.

2. I have discovered a "pencil extender" in some of the more esoteric art stores, which is simply a cylindrical wooden handle with a metal grip on one end that holds the "stub" of a shortened pencil so it can be hand sharpened. This permits me to circumvent the dreaded 3.5" (8 cm.) limit with impunity.

I hope this information will be helpful and allow others to break new ground in this exciting technology.

I remember using the colored pencil appliction years ago, i didn't realise they were still supported though. Can you get them for OS10.4 I'd love to try them out again.

I am a user of the word processing power of colored pencils, though usually only the original grayscale version is in common use. For this utility, mechanical pencils have recently hit the market and more than make up for the shrinkage shortcoming of the previous releases. Though almost all brands of these 'mechanical' pencils only have grayscale currently in production, a small range of colored inserts can be found. Another convenience that comes with the mechanical version is the consistent line width. The third-party sharpener is no longer necessary with this new technology, as the line quality stays high with use. All together, I am very pleased with the upgrade. The new mechanical mechanism does not interrupt the previously mentioned usability and an extended undo function can also be purchased. I would highly recommend it!

Dear Mr.Harris,
You're are not infringing per se any of the Pencil Inc. patents (such as http://www.google.com/patents?id=v0-YAAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4&dq=pencil&as_psra=1)
However extending pencil's life by third party add-ons breaches the PEULA (Pencil End-User Licence Agreement) you've accepted when opening the pencil case.

You should cease using the afore mentioned device, or we would have to consider legal consequences.

Sincerely,
Mr Pen Youri

whoever "Pencil Inc. Attorney Dpt." is- Dude/dudette – you really have a sense of humor.. I split my coffee reading your handle n comments

I think he is the same guy behind the spammy msg and the Nigerian scam ;-)

I think that this is actually old technology being recycled for the modern day and age. I seem to remember something very similar, if not identical, to these "pencil" things when I was at school in the 1970's

Yu Brilliant Bastard! LOL

I really do think that the reviewer should have clarified that the pencils tested are the Xi models.

In the Xi models the actual colour of the pencil core is reflected on the outer surface of the pencil, thus making selection of the correct colour a simple operation. With the base models, the outer covers are a uniform brown and selection of the appriopriate colour requires more time and care.

The cost differential between the two types is very insignificant when judged against the benefits. In our own firm, we stopped using base models as soon as Xi became available.

FYI: latest application of this truly-flexible technology:

"Colorware attacks MacBook Air with crayons, comes out with 35 flavors"

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/02/black-macbook-air-1.jpg
http://m.engadget.com/2008/02/18/colorware-attacks-macbook-air-with-crayons-comes-out-with-35-fl/

(I *think* "crayons" are shorthand-Americanese for "color pencils," etymologically close to once a giant in this field, the Crayola Co. – ie. must be an unauthorized commodification of their pencils' brand name [like "Vespa" for "motor scooter," etc].)

I think this device is a hoax and that you are a liar! It's all clearly photo shopped!

I have some paper. It's 90gsm high rag content ivory. Will this device work on this platform?

You're all insane.

Having now tried the original Pencil, the coloured Pencil as in the review and the v2.0 Pens, there is also a new refillable solution that avoids the third party sharpening device. Still only available in original Black, but a range of densities (HB, 2B, 3B, H etc) and thicknesses (0.3, 0.5, 0.7 etc), the new Propelling Pencil shows some promise. Cheap versions have only one charge, but professional ones have extra storage capacity for multiple charges (referred to as "Leads"), Eraser tool and even a manufacturer toolkit (Sharp spike) to allow user maintenance. Typically used with additional vector drawing tools such as "Ruler", "Set Square" and even "Protractor". Unsure whether compatible with "Compass" although it should be noted that no staircasing was noticable at any resolution when Compass was tested in the lab.
The Propelling pencil has advanced user features such as "Click and Draw" with the ability to fold away when not in usage for both user protection and to ensure the charge lasts further.
Disappointing about the lack of hues, but still worthwhile investment for those who wish to advance to a professional career.

Wow!!! I own an art supply store (and am, therefore, a "merchant,") and I do all the tech support/purchasing/tech ed. for our store. Thank you for the excellent cross-platform educational tool.

One fantastic add on that you might consider when purchasing this manual technology known as 'pencils' is the Human Powered Kinetic Energy Technology Eraser. Much like the back space on your keyboard it has the ability to undo minor mistakes. Although the removal might not be complete it is an adequate tool for graphic image and spelling correction. This user friendly human interface tool comes in either a hand held or pencil device attachment style.

In a world where everything has been done before and only needs copying you are all sad incompetent bunch of oiks!

This will never catch on. Vaporware.

Reference: Ancient technology.
An amazing observation of the technology in todays world. I applaud your research... I wonder if you could be of any assistance concerning a package of what I thought were "Pencils-Crayons-Coloured sticks"...which I purchased recently along with the above mentioned add-on "sharpening tool". After some considerable difficulty and following all the instructions to the letter (great difficulty in inserting the sharp end of the stick into the "sharpening tool") and shaving off the strange covering I eventually exposed the center. I now seem to be left with a pile of something which a friend of mine refers to as "plastic???????"......and all my fingers are covered in a multitude of colours........Mild panic...is this some sort of imported virus or alien life form........"WILL I EVER BE NORMAL AGAIN".....Never again will I purchase any form of ancient technology.............

You may also cut them in half and share half, with no additional licensing req.

this is by far the dumbest thing i have ever read.

I am reliably informed that the articles I purchased are not the previously mentioned pencils but are in fact, 'Felt Pens'???????????, and do not actually need to be sharpened........Does anyone have a manual or operating instructions. I am at a total loss........need help........

It appears to me that Notp Tieef uploaded the beta version of the latest operating system for coloured pencils called 'felt pens'. Software instructions have not yet been rewritten to take account of the unusual features. The safest approach at this stage is not to accept automatic upgrades, nor to test the beta unless you have specialist experience and isolate your hardware (rubber gloves can help). One tip is to avoid real sharpening tools as these have all been made virtual in the latest release. My experience already shows some bugs however: heavy pressure leads to a reduction in density and an increase in thickness; definitely something the final release will have to deal with. You may also have to upgrade your floppy: 90gsm may be too thin to absorb all the ink produced.

Foolish earthling! Colour pencils are ancient history on our planet! But after reading this, I realise that what we use instead might be too complicated for your tiny brains!

Just a quick "Shared Learning" moment...

In our company, we were sold the "Felt Pen GSD" (Graphic Solution Devices – 12 colours, non-eraseable). Upon operating them with the "Pencil Sharpener", I found their functionality greatly reduced.

If other industry consumers have encountered similar issues, we would be glad to hear from you. We have simply returned to Adobe Photoshop – Keep It Simple, Idiot!

What a clueless review.

Not only did Philipp limit his review to the Home Basic edition instead of the Ultimate version (http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXPJL2), the moron didn't even apply the patch: (http://www.mmwindowtoart.com/drawing/wetcp2.html).
  

I have linked to this article from an Object Oriented tutorial for ColdFusion programmers in which I use the pencil (basic form) as an object example for both encapsulation and inheritance.

I applaud your work. Please ignore xrayzed, he is just a fanboy of towerhobbies.

http://www.x-entertainment.com/articles/0913/

Where to you plug in the head phones?