There's something totally captivating about the idea of writing onto paper and having your words of wisdom automatically translated into machine readable (and editable) text. Logitech has already had one stab at bringing to market a pen and digitisation package to perform this feat, and has recently produced an updated version.

The Logitech io2 Digital Writing System includes a pen which both writes with ink and captures your pearls of wisdom digitally, plus software for your PC that can store, search, and organise your digital texts - and translate them into editable texts.

There's also a docking station which acts as the interface between pen and PC, and a starter pack of digital paper. Plus you get some spare ink refills for the pen and a few coloured markers for it, which will be handy if you happen to work in an office with several of the devices floating about.

The whole system works remarkably well. You write and draw what you need to and at an appropriate moment drop the pen into its docking station, waiting a very short time for Logitech's software to assimilate your work. The software which translates your handwriting into editable text can be trained to recognise different users but we didn't even bother with any training and got 100 percent accuracy - admittedly using pretty neat handwriting.

It is even possible to make digital documents into e-mail attachments and link them to to-do lists and calendar items, with just a click or two. However, we think this is one of those systems that works perfectly well in technology terms but isn't necessarily all that practical.

First off you need to use the right kind of paper. Digital paper has patterns of very tiny dots on it which are vital to the whole system. The pen can't recognise your writing without these dots. So you've got to remember to carry a supply of this paper around. And it is not cheap. Bought direct from Logitech's Web site, you're looking at spending £4.99 on an 80-page A4 pad, for example.

Then there's the problem of the pen itself. Obviously you need to carry it around. It's quite large - about the size of a marker pen - and probably you will not want to make it your only writing implement. You'll need to make sure its battery is fully charged (it is good for about 25 pages of writing). And to ensure its memory is regularly cleared out through the docking process so that you don't try to exceed its 40-page capacity.

Finally, if you want to convert your own written notes to editable text, you'll need to be prepared not to scrawl - and we've all been guilty of that particular writing sin before.

The negative points are a real shame because the technology is remarkably impressive. And in some working environments the Logitech io2 Digital Writing System could be a real boon. But for those of us who often scrabble in the bottom of our bags for a pen, and who will find taking specific paper to meetings too much of a chore, it simply can't work.