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The best pen in the universe scans objects, lets you draw in every colour imaginable

Just when you thought pen technology couldn't get any more advanced…

Esat Dedezade

You’re excited about a pen? Is there some sort of stationery fetish I should be aware of?This is no ordinary pen. The Scribble is a hi-tech writing implement, and it’ll make your entire collection of fancy writing implements obsolete in an instant.

Pssh. Wake me up when it’s got orange ink.It does. And not just orange either. Any shade of orange you can imagine. Or see for that matter.

The Scribble, you see, has a built-in RGB colour sensor which can scan any object to capture its colour information.

Once captured, it’s able to recreate that colour by blending together colours from a number of ink cartridges. There’s also an accompanying app which lets you select colours on your mobile device, if there’s no colours around you to inspire you. 

Basically, it’s a printer disguised as a pen. What a wonderful time to be alive, eh?

The best pen in the universe can scan any object and match its colour using spec

This is amazing. But given how expensive printer ink is…
Fear not. For starters, you can buy individual ink cartridges as opposed to a whole set. Scribble also promises that the cartridges will be no more than US$10, and they should last up to several months. And yes, they’re recyclable too.

Is this yet another thing I have to charge?
Well, yes, it’ll need to sip back on power via microUSB every once in a while, but that’s a small price to pay for a freaking magic pen, don’t you think?

The best pen in the universe can scan any object and match its colour using spec

Right. I want one. Now.
We like the enthusiasm. But you’ll have to wait a little while before you start scanning colours. The Scribble Ink will be available to pre-order on Kickstarter soon, for US$150.

There’s also a cheaper US$80 Scribble Stylus version, which has a stylus tip and no ink cartridges, designed for tablet use. The Ink variant also comes with an attachable stylus tip. Happy scribbling.

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About

Esat has been a gadget fan ever since his tiny four-year-old brain was captivated by a sound-activated dancing sunflower. From there it was a natural progression to a Sega Mega Drive, a brief obsession with hedgehogs, and a love for all things tech. After 7 years as a writer and deputy editor for Stuff, Esat ventured out into the corporate world, spending three years as Editor of Microsoft's European News Centre. Now a freelance writer, his appetite for shiny gadgets has no bounds. Oh, and like all good human beings, he's very fond of cats.