New "magic" pen helps struggling Hebrew readers
From: Jewish Community News - August 2010 - page 7

Los Altos Hills, CA resident Alan Warshaw and his business partner Alan
Greenfield recently launched Magic Yad, a "magic" pen that helps struggling
Hebrew readers and bar or bat mitzvah students. 

Magic Yad is a software application for the Livescribe Pulse smartpen, a
computer in a pen that captures handwritten notes and simultaneously records
and links the audio to the notes. Bar or bat mitzvah students can use the
Pulse smartpen to learn from a pre-printed Hebrew text of their Torah or
Haftarah portion. They can play back pre-recorded, professional chanting by
tapping at the beginning of any trope phase (or verse or page) with their
Pulse smartpen. Additional icons allow users to record and hear themselves
chanting a phrase or slow down the audio playback to fine tune pronunciation
and cantillation. 

Congregation Etz Chayim in Palo Alto has purchased 5 pens to share among
bar/bat mitzvah students. The voice of the Etz Chayim teacher will be loaded
in their pens. 

"Magic Yad is particularly attractive to teachers of special-needs students
(students and adults) because of the ease of repetitive operation, large
fonts, etc," said Warshaw. 

Magic Yad has also introduced several products for the High Holy Days to help
participants with their Torah and Haftarah preparation. 

View the entire article at:
http://www.jvalley.org/pages/datebook

Links:
Livescribe Pulse smartpen
http://www.livescribe.com

Magic Yad
http://www.magicyad.com

Magic Yad Special Needs
http://www.magicyad.com/magicyad/special-needs/