A healthy dose of scepticism is always good, especially when it comes to new technology. My colleague Bryan Glick hammers the proverbial nail on the head when he talks about the hype surrounding the Apple iPhone. El Glicko says on his blog:

"Perhaps I’ve been in this game too long and the cynicism has set in after seeing too many product launches, but if anything is more likely to turn me off the iPhone – already the most over-hyped technology product in history – it’s the stage-managed artifice surrounding a me-too, catch-up phone."

Lots of people have commented on his blog, telling him he's wrong. But as I said, a healthy dose of scepticism is always good. Which brings me on to the Dane-Elec Zpen.

I got invited to the launch of the Zpen the other day. Very nice it was, too - sipping champagne on the London Eye. Dane-Elec UK country manager Mark Thuilliez demonstrated the digital pen, stating how the intuitive device allows the user to write on any kind of paper - and convert handwritten notes into digital text for word processing.

I was not convinced. For a start, I have a childish, joined-up scrawl - surely indecipherable to a digital device. Anyway, after quaffing the posh wine, I returned home and charged up the device. And I was amazed - this pen is the business.

Apart from translating my name as Hard - which you have to admit, is pretty cool - the pen was word-perfect. That was only about 30-or-so words; not had time for much else yet. But I'll give the Zpen a thorough work out ASAP.

Given the device is intuitive, I expect the response will improve. Also, just think of the potential business applications - such as time-saving for chemists that struggle to decipher the doctor's scrawl.

Nice gadget, me thinks. And better than an over-hyped iPhone? You'd better ask Bryan about that...

Further reading

• Instant messaging is a slippery fish for some firms
• Vodafone deal boost mobile social networking
• Mobile social networking is a community thing
• How can you make money from social networking?
• Finding useful Web 2.0 and social networking tools
• Facebook? LinkedIn? Social networking is rubbish

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Want to contact the writer? Email Mark Samuels