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Problem statelment: How to associate one string (domain name) with another string (username/password combination)? a.k.a. translate strings.

Here's a whacky possible solution: use a translator pen, such as this:"SuperPen Translator" - which supports 'custom dictionaries' , to store passwords. Run the pen across site's address bar displayed on the computer screen, and the pen translates it to your username/password for that site.

Here's another of those pens: C-Pen.

Of course, if none of their dictionaries are user-editable, and if they have no SDK, this won't work.

Here's a more sensible solution: Javascript password generator
(Video about it - flash format)

Well if they can get the algorithm into hardware that can fit inside a pen, why not a phone? =)

C-pen works like this, the pen takes images of the book and reconstructs the line of text without any wheels needed. So any patents on this technology must be old by now.

However, c-pen takes this one step further and does OCR on it internally resulting in text only output.
I know they have tried to sell in their technology to mobile phone manufacturers, seeing great opportunities in the built-in cameras, though I suspect NEC could do it in software anyway and C-pen since has had better success with bluetooth connected pens that are more intutive to use together with your phone instead of trying to make the phone do something it was not meant to do.

The only thing I can imagine this being useful for is playing 'secret agent' - What are you going to do with 800x600 pictures?

Now, on the other hand, with a C-Pen 800C, you could do some real damage. :)

The C-Pen is a stand-alone, highligher-sized single-text-line scanner with OCR, LCD display, 4MB memory and IrDA. Software is available for Win32 and Mac.

My g/f used one of these during the last 2 years of her degree, and swears by it - it's so discrete you can use it anywhere, including libraries and even book-shops!

You can always buy a bunch of these and attach them to a stick. Voi'la! You have your own unique handy-man portable scanner.

The heir to the hand scanner you mention is the CPen Pen Scanner. It seems like this is exactly what you're looking for.

Google Search: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q="pen+scanner"

I understand and appreciate your problem. I have tried many solutions, and I believe the c-pen 800c is the best solution I've tried for my research needs. There is another pen based solution, WizCom QuickLink SuperPen which I've also tried. I did not like the wizcom because it was not as comfortable to use or as accurate. It also actually had a moving part. :) Both have SDKs to write your own software, however, the only one I could get access to was the c-pen, which made it even more of a favorite of mine. The cpen can also act as a mouse and can do some gestures in addition to being able to input text through "writing" (in big letters) on the page. Both companies are barely alive it seems, but it's a niche market, and I hope they survive. They both have some fantastic functionality, such as translation and barcodes. Of course c|net did the normal bribed review, but I guess the cpen wasn't out at the time. Both are upgradeable and can load extra programs or dictionaries and such. I wouldn't want to go back to college with out one.

Hey, if this has at all been useful, please feel free to buy me one! I miss having it around.

I understand and appreciate your problem. I have tried many solutions, and I believe the c-pen 800c is the best solution I've tried for my research needs. There is another pen based solution, WizCom QuickLink SuperPen which I've also tried. I did not like the wizcom because it was not as comfortable to use or as accurate. It also actually had a moving part. :) Both have SDKs to write your own software, however, the only one I could get access to was the c-pen, which made it even more of a favorite of mine. The cpen can also act as a mouse and can do some gestures in addition to being able to input text through "writing" (in big letters) on the page. Both companies are barely alive it seems, but it's a niche market, and I hope they survive. They both have some fantastic functionality, such as translation and barcodes. Of course c|net did the normal bribed review, but I guess the cpen wasn't out at the time. Both are upgradeable and can load extra programs or dictionaries and such. I wouldn't want to go back to college with out one.

Hey, if this has at all been useful, please feel free to buy me one! I miss having it around.

This thing is ideal for working with research in a library.

Ciryon

Ciryon

Isn't this just a step away from an English to Mandarin translator, in itself a step away from being a universal translator for the most common Eurasian languages? You know this has military implications, with a US Tour of Duty over Taiwan. And Carnivore usage is pretty much guaranteed if this isn't already spawned from that project.

Still, doesn't this type of tech get in the way of learning new langauges? Learning languages is known to foster some good brain wiring in early ages, so this tech throws that out the window if people are no longer going to need to learn the language. Just take out your C-Pen, scan the text, and it will speak the text into your bluetooth connected earpiece.

Makes me wonder if other tech that we introduce to our kids will affect them, making them too dependent on the tech. Those PalmPCs are great to help you remember things, but I know I start to rely on it and become more forgetful. Or maybe this will be a boon because we have so many things to remember that it no longer fits in our skulls. Time will tell.

Finally, I want a scanning wand to make text [re]entry easier.

As they thought everything they did was secret, I think it would have been very hard to discuss with them if I did not know what they were developing. And the reason for keeping it secret was valid I think. They were the only one doing this, with this technology. In a way similar to the "Transmeta situation". By the way, the product is official since long, and the company is publically traded. They were developing the C-pen, a "pen" with a digital camera inside that can parse text. Very cool!

CPen (http://www.cpen.com) is very portable and very cool. It is big as a highlight pen and you scan a word in the same manner as you would with a highlighter. It comes with one dictionary but you can buy them also. It also beams text to and from PalmPilots and Laptops using IR. Also contains an address book.