As someone who loves books and is always looking for ways to capture important information, I was intrigued when I encountered the VYU iMark Smart Highlighter.
It was sent to me to review, and the promise is that this is the modern way to take notes, allowing you to save, organize, and even search them on your phone and computer.
The VYU iMark is designed for all readers, anytime, anywhere, fitting seamlessly into your lifestyle. Whether you’re a book lover, a student, or a professional, it offers a streamlined solution for capturing and managing reading notes.
Key Takeaways
- VYU iMark smart highlighter makes it easy to capture text from books, screens, and handwriting, syncing directly to your phone.
- The NoteIt app organizes, edits, and searches highlights by book or theme, making it ideal for studying and referencing.
- Offline scanning and 8GB storage allow you to highlight anywhere, with sync completed once reconnected.
- With fast setup, accurate recognition, and easy sharing options, VYU iMark streamlines the reading and note-taking experience.
- Perfect for students, researchers, and readers, it’s a unique tool that replaces manual note-taking with digital ease.
VYU iMark Reading Pen Overview
Holding the VYU iMark in my hand, my initial impression was that it’s about the size and weight of a regular highlighter. It feels compact and is certainly easy to carry.
It even has a little clip on the cap, which I found really handy for clipping it into my notebook or book. It’s quite lightweight, weighing only 3.7oz.
Included in the box was a USBC A to C charging cord. It’s great that this device is wireless and rechargeable, and uses a USBC for charging, which is super convenient, especially when traveling.
There was no wall plug included, which is pretty standard these days. There’s also a short instruction manual with a visual guide and a QR code to download the app, making it easy to start using right away.
Getting Started with the VYU iMark: App Setup and Bluetooth Pairing
Getting the VYU iMark started is simple, you just open the cap or remove it, and the device begins warming up.
Setting it up involves downloading the NoteIt app, which is available on both iOS and Android. After installing the app, you connect the device via Bluetooth.
When I first connected it, it immediately recognized the device as soon as I got into the app and turned the unit on. The initial syncing process might take a moment, but once connected, the app interface is straightforward, showing you the battery level and how much storage is on the device.
How to Scan Text with the VYU iMark Smart Highlighter
Scanning with the VYU iMark is quite intuitive, although it took me a moment to get the hang of the technique. You need to line up the words with the little line on the device, then press down and hold. A light activates while you’re scanning, and you just scroll through the text.
The VYU iMark is impressive in what it can scan. It works on regular books, but also digital sources like websites, e-readers, and e-ink displays.
It can even capture text from handwriting and printed paper, basically anything that has text. It even worked great on my website. It boasts high recognition accuracy, I would say it is about 98% accurate.
However, I did notice a couple of minor hiccups, it struggled with Japanese language in one instance.
Also, capital letter ‘I’s were sometimes saved as the number ‘1’, particularly noticeable in a title like “stir fried noodles“. Despite these small issues, the general accuracy is very high. It also supports multi-language scanning.
Using the NoteIt App: Organizing, Editing, and Sharing Scanned Notes
The NoteIt app really is the hub for managing your scanned notes. Once you scan something, it shows up in the app after syncing. Initially, scans appear in the “Highlights” tab.
From there, you can organize your notes effectively. A key feature is the ability to subdivide highlights into specific books.
You can add new books, even with a quick add function that allows you to add the cover and title. A particularly cool feature is being able to scan a book’s ISBN barcode, which loads up the correct information and helps you manage your collection. It’s the ultimate tool for both casual readers and serious researchers.
Within the app, you can edit scanned quotes, search your notes, and share them. Sharing options include sharing the quote, copying a link, or sending to somebody else. This is great for things like content creation (which I’m using it for) or simply sharing information without having to manually write out and type long paragraphs.
You can even change the highlight colors within the app after scanning – like green, yellow, and blue as options.
Everyday Use of the VYU iMark: Portability and Offline Scanning Features
Using the VYU iMark was “so easy”. However, I have to admit it was a little bit clunky for me to get the hang of initially, and it took me some time to really understand its usefulness. My “light bulb moment” came when I saw all the key points from a chapter laid out right there in the app.
One of the significant advantages is its offline capability. It has internal storage, specifically 8GB, which is enough for text from up to 10,000 books. This means you can scan on the go when you don’t have your device to sync to, and your notes will sync effortlessly with the app once you’re reconnected.
As mentioned before, it uses USBC for charging, which is fantastic for travel. It’s also wireless and rechargeable.
I did encounter a minor challenge, when highlighting text very close to the edge or crease of a thicker book, it can be a little hard to get the information. The suggested solution, which I found helpful, is to hold down the edge of the page while scanning across. Otherwise, you might miss the first couple of letters on the edge.
Top Benefits of the VYU iMark for Students and Book Lovers
For me, the biggest benefit is that it’s faster and easier than taking notes by hand. It keeps my favorite quotes and notes ready on hand in my phone, completely eliminating the need to manually retype anything. This makes it great for studying and easily getting key points.
Having all the highlights in the app provides access to a summary of your notes. I found that I could read through the notes on the app a lot faster than flipping through a physical book. Plus, carrying my phone is a lot lighter than carrying around a bunch of heavy books.
It is an “invaluable tool” for students or voracious readers who are into getting quick, easy, fast notes and highlights. It really does feel like a wonderful piece of technology.
Final Thoughts: Is the VYU iMark Worth It?
Overall, the VYU iMark Reading Pen is a fantastic tool for anyone who wants to efficiently capture and manage text from various sources.
While there was a definite learning curve for me in the beginning, after I got through that, its usefulness became incredibly clear. It’s absolutely worthwhile.
I think this smart highlighter is an absolutely fantastic device. It’s perfect for book lovers and students and would make a really great back-to-school gift. I wish I had this when I was in college.
