Most smart notebooks work just like any other notebook on a day-to-day basis. The difference is that when you finish a page in a smart notebook, you can scan it for easy future access. “Smart notebooks work with a special pen, like the Pilot FriXion, designed to write on the pages without damaging them,” says Lemay. “When you’re done with your notes or have filled up all your page templates, you snap images of your notes using the notebook’s companion app. From there, the notes will be stored in the cloud using the software you selected when you set up the app.” Other smart notebooks use paper printed with tiny microdots and a pen that can sense them. When you write in one of these smart notebooks, the pen automatically records its movements and transcribes them as a digital document.