Phree Is a Pen That Can Answer Calls, Send Texts, and Doodle in Evernote

This week the biggest story on Kickstarter is definitely the Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night project, which managed to raise over $1 million (just under Rs. 6.5 crore) in a day (and by now is close to $2 million, or just under Rs. 13 crore). Video game crowdfunding projects have raised a lot of money in the past as well, with names like Pillars of Eternity and South Park: The Stick of Truth perhaps the best example of their success.

For our Kickstarter of the Week column, we're always on the lookout for cool new gadgets to fund, and while Bloodstained is really cool, we wanted to try and find some hardware project to back as well.

We found the Phree, a kind of smart pen for your phone or tablet. We've seen similar products before, most famously the Livescribe series of smart pens. What really sets this one apart is a built-in screen, which allows you to use it even without a paired smartphone or tablet.

Here's how it works - the Phree connects to your device over Bluetooth, and is compatible with apps like Office, OneNote, EverNote, or Viber. The idea is simple - just sketch or write down an idea - on any surface, and see it appear on your screen.

The cool part is that it also doubles as a headset for your phone, so you can answer calls without taking your eyes off the screen. It also has a small screen along one side, which is visible while you're writing - if you're right handed - so you can reply to texts directly with the Phree, even if you've kept your phone in your bag. You can even use the Phree to write out a number, dial it, and talk to the person on the other end, without touching your phone at all. It also supports text entry using handwriting input in multiple languages, which sounds quite useful.

While we're not completely sold on the Phree's design - it looks a little too stocky, and might not be comfortable for some people to hold - we've got to admit that the features look great, and the little touchscreen on the side allows you to easily switch between the different functions, anytime you want.

You can see the full video explaining how it works below:

So far, the Phree has raised over $65,000 (approximately Rs. 41 lakh) of a $100,000 (approximately Rs. 64 lakh) goal. The project will be accepting funding for over a month still - it will stop taking funds on June 26.

You can get one Phree for $148 (approximately Rs. 9,500), which is definitely expensive, but it's around half the cost of a Livescribe 3 in India. Estimated worldwide delivery is for April 2016.