2015

COLLABORATING TASK 1

Kevin baetsl Jens hauser Alexei Petrici Kevin tejkl

ARTEVELDE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE E-Skills

1 SUMMARY
Phree is a new creative, innovative product on the market. It is a technological gadget in the shape of
a pen. Phrees line is Make the world your paper.
And Phree really took that line literally, thanks to their pen you can write, note and draw on any
surface. The data will be sent over bluetooth to any device of your preference (a laptop or
smartphone).
In this report we will answer a few questions on this new innovation, such as :

What is it?
What does it?
Why is it useful?
Who can benefit from it & what is its main costumer group?
Where/how does it fit in a modern company?
What are the advantages?
What are the disadvantages?
Who already uses it?
Does the product have a future?
What are the competitors of the product?

2 TABLE OF CONTENT

Content
1

Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 1

Table of Content .............................................................................................................................. 2

Phree ............................................................................................................................................... 3

3.1 What is it? ........................................................................................................................................ 3

3.2 What does it? .................................................................................................................................. 3
3.3 Why is it useful? .............................................................................................................................. 4
3.4 Who can benefit from it/ Main consumer group? .......................................................................... 4
3.5 Where/How does it fit in a modern company? ............................................................................... 4
3.6 What are the Advantages? .............................................................................................................. 5
3.7 What are the Disadvantages? .......................................................................................................... 5
3.8 Who already uses it? ....................................................................................................................... 5
3.9 What are the competitors of the product? ..................................................................................... 6
3.9.1

Advantages ........................................................................................................................ 6

3.9.2

Disadvantage ..................................................................................................................... 6

3.10 Does the Product have a future? ..................................................................................................... 6

4

Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................... 7

4.1 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................... 7

4.2 Reflection ......................................................................................................................................... 7
5

List of references ............................................................................................................................. 8

3 PHREE
3.1 WHAT IS IT?
Phree is a new innovative input device. It is designed as a Smart pen, that allows you to write on
nearly any surface.
The pen automatically sends the generated data over Bluetooth to the device or app of your
preference on a laptop or even a smartphone. When connected to a smartphone, the pen can also
be used to answer incoming calls. Phree uses a 3D laser technology to track any movement or motion
on any surface (skin, wood, stone, metal,) and capture it on high definition with a special optical
sensor (Gokey, 2015)
Phree is a Kickstarter project from Israel, which aimed to generate a funding of $ 100.000 to
complete the product and produce the pen. They gained over $ 1.000.000 of funds for their project,
which made it a massive success.
The designers of Phree have declared that they will ship their product starting March 2016.
The pen will cost $ 198 Dollar and shipping costs start at $ 10

3.2 WHAT DOES IT?

The pen detects any movement and automatically sends the data to your device of preference. For
example, if you use Microsoft Word. Everything you type, note or draw on a surface will be sent to
the Microsoft document making the content visible immediately.
The pen can be used for literally any device or app. So it is not only limited to Microsoft Word, but
also Excel or PowerPoint. It even can be used on Apple apps.
The sensor uses the same 850nm laser as an optical mouse, measuring the interference between the
projected beam and reflections from the surface.
The optically extracted motion signal is then translated into x-y-z information by signal-processing
algorithms on the pen's 8mm by 8mm by 16mm integrated sensor unit. (McLellan, 2015)

3.3 WHY IS IT USEFUL?

The device can be used on nearly any surface; it even can be used for answering calls or simply as a
computer mouse. Phree will be very useful in the educative sector or Business sector, and even the
medical sector.
Students can immediately write their notes on a desk or even their own skin, the data will be send to
their device. Or for example when people are in a meeting, it is possible to instantly show notes on a
screen and explain why, what or how.
As well, this device will be very useful for businessmen. Being at an important meeting or business
presentation, a businessman can easily put down some important information, which will be rapidly
synchronized with a smartphone.

3.4 WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM IT/ MAIN CONSUMER GROUP?

The target consumer group of Phree seems to be wide spread, not only business companies, but also
the medical and the educational sector could benefit from such an advanced input device.
Further the connected pen can moreover be used as a computer mouse, also artists and computer
scientists might be interested in the possibilities of this device.
The added values such as a notification display on the pen and the usability as a Bluetooth headset to
do phone calls, makes Phree even more attractive for the consumers.
Artists and illustrators have used Phree to draw detailed images on table tops, which are then
mirrored in real time on the digital screen of their choice via Bluetooth. (Gokey, 2015)
Although many consumer groups would benefit of the product, the business world will be the most
beneficial on this innovation.
There are some arguments to prove this statement. First argument is about real necessity of using
this device. A business man has way more content to put down than the average customer. Second
argument is the price: $ 198. It is not the highest price for this gadget, but however a businessman,
maybe in cooperation with his company, might more likely be able to afford such a device.

3.5 WHERE/HOW DOES IT FIT IN A MODERN COMPANY?

Being able to write notes and whole texts wherever you are and additionally on nearly every surface
you might imagine of, could completely change the way we use traditional pens.
As the Phree pen can be carried around and is even able to digitalize your handwriting, the use of
paper moreover might dramatically decrease, leading towards an efficient and modern workflow.
Moreover as studies have proven, the handwriting improves our memory and the ability to
understand the coherence for a long period of time. (Borreli, 2014)
Keeping this circumstance in mind, Phree delivers a real compensatory for the use of a traditional
keyboard, as its utilization is fast and further allows wider opportunities to visually express ideas.

3.6 WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES?

Phree is not only a digital pencil you can write on every hard surface with, but even it can be used for
taking phone calls, writing and receiving messages, also it can be used like a Bluetooth headset or as
computer mouse.
Moreover the smooth, handy and small design of the pen makes it likely to use it on a daily base.
It is easy to carry around as it is designed as a simple pen. The pen also informs you of notifications.
It would certainly save a lot of paper to use this innovation instead of a traditional pen.

3.7 WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES?

The price is quite expensive at the moment; people will still prefer the laptop keyboard. Being first
time on the market and not being tested enough means that there could appear some software or
hardware problems. Furthermore, problems of construction stability may occur.

3.8 WHO ALREADY USES IT?

Phree is still a work in process and the aim remains to ship the device in March 2016. Until now only
prototypes in a selected few cities were tested, but the wide presence on different media seem to
fuel the customer expectations. (Phree - Make the world your paper, 2015)

3.9 WHAT ARE THE COMPETITORS OF THE PRODUCT?

Apple already announced a pencil on the 9th of September 2015. This kind of innovation is only
accessible for Apples iPad. (Apple-Pencil, 2015)

3.9.1 ADVANTAGES

Cheap advertisement for the pen and the company

The image and the promotion that Apple has is very easy to use for Phree. This new technology will
be a part of the advertisement of the new iPad Pro. So the degree of popularity will increase very fast
In the near future.

The Phree is more effective

Apples pencil can only be used on the iPad Pro Display, whereas Phree can be used on nearly any
surface and will be synchronized to any Laptop and Smartphone.

3.9.2 DISADVANTAGE

The iPad market share

As Apple offers it, it is likely that many customers of the iPad will be ordering a pencil as well. Apple
sold more than 10 million iPads in the last quarter (second quarter of 2015), what means, that there
is a high possibility, that the pencil could have similar sales numbers without high sales costs
(Statista, 2015).
So not only for the pen there will be competition, but also for the concept of a smarter mobile input
device.
For example, Inpris has created an invisible and eye-free touchscreen control engine. This engine can
be used for exercising, studying, finances and much more. Additionally there are developments of
touchscreen keyboards that are imprinted in desks or tables. (Inpris Ltd., 2015)

3.10 DOES THE PRODUCT HAVE A FUTURE?

Phrees idea is very innovative and creative. Their Kickstarter project has brought them 10 times
more money than they needed. So the idea is very welcome for a lot of consumer groups. There will
certainly be demand for this device.
Another fact about the future is, that Phree expands its functionality. Within the next months, they
will try to bring out even more software and apps added to programs like for instance outlook or
OneNote (OTM Technologies Ltd., 2015).
So yes, the product certainly has a future. There is demand and moreover the competition is not yet
able to keep up with the added value of the Phree.

4 CONCLUSION
4.1 CONCLUSION
Phrees concept of a mobile input device is very innovative. The pen itself is creative and is very
smooth of design.
The fact that not only you can use the pen for writing, drawing or simply making notes, but also for
answering calls and responding to notifications (of apps), even increases the likelihood for usability.
The pen sends the data of its movement directly to the device you have connected it with, making it
very easy for artists, scientists and of course, business people to benefit of the added value. The
decrease of paper use within the company might dramatically change the whole cost structure.
Nowadays there are not many competitors for the pen and the concept of Phree. When it comes to
rivals such as Apples pencil, the restricted usability makes Phree and its input opportunities remain a
step ahead.

4.2 REFLECTION
Phree seems like a very cool concept, and I believe itll be used in the future. This assignment made
me think more in group and setting up a Skype meeting with the other groupmembers was fun and
ver informative.

5 LIST OF REFERENCES
Apple-Pencil. (2015). Retrieved from Apple: http://www.apple.com/apple-pencil/
Borreli, L. (2014, February 6). Healthy Living. Retrieved from Medical Daily:
http://www.medicaldaily.com/why-using-pen-and-paper-not-laptops-boosts-memorywriting-notes-helps-recall-concepts-ability-268770
Gokey, M. (2015, June 24). Make any surface your virtual canvas with this 3D laser smartpen.
Retrieved from Digitaltrends: http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/phree-smart-penkickstarter/
Inpris Ltd. (2015, ocotober 25). Inpris Product. Retrieved from Inpris Ltd Homepage:
http://www.inprisltd.com/product/
McLellan, C. (2015, June 9). Phree: The Bluetooth pen that writes on almost any surface. Retrieved
from ZDnet: http://www.zdnet.com/article/phree-the-bluetooth-pen-that-writes-on-almostany-surface/
OTM Technologies Ltd. (2015, october 25). Phree - Make the world your paper (Upgrade 11-News).
Retrieved from kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1958554063/phree-makethe-world-your-paper/posts/1360229
Phree - Make the world your paper. (2015). Opgehaald van Kickstarter:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1958554063/phree-make-the-world-yourpaper/description
Statista. (2015, ocotober 25). Absatz von Apple iPads weltweit vom 3. Geschftsquartal 2010 bis zum
3. Geschftsquartal 2015 (in Millionen Stck). Retrieved from Statista:
http://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/165489/umfrage/weltweiter-absatz-von-appleipads-nach-quartalen-seit-2010/