Interactive apparatus with recording and playback capability usable with encoded writing medium

A system comprising:

• a network comprising a data storage unit;
• and
• an interactive apparatus having an audio recording mode and an audio playback mode, comprising:
• a writing tool for manually writing non-electronic information on an encoded writing medium comprising a plurality of visual non-electronic markings representing encoded position information;
• an audio input device for recording audio;
• an audio output device for playing said recorded audio;
• an optical unit for determining position on said encoded writing medium of said writing tool based on said encoded position information and for recognizing said encoded position information and non-electronic information on said encoded writing medium, wherein recognition of a non-electronic recording-enabling graphical element on said encoded writing medium by said optical unit activates said audio input device in said audio recording mode and enables time-synchronization of creation of writing on said encoded writing medium with said writing tool and recording of said audio, and further wherein recognition of a non-electronic playback-enabling graphical element on said encoded writing medium by said optical unit activates said audio output device in said audio playback mode and enables multiple techniques to control playback of said recorded audio;
• and
• a communication device for communicating with said network, wherein said communication device transmits at least a portion of said recorded audio and at least a portion of information associated with said writing to said data storage unit for storage.

A method of visually integrating audio and an encoded writing medium using an interactive apparatus, said method comprising:

• activating an audio recording mode of said interactive apparatus in response to recognition of a non-electronic recording-enabling graphical element on said encoded writing medium comprising a plurality of visual non-electronic markings representing encoded position information;
• wherein said interactive apparatus comprises a writing tool, an audio input device, and an audio output device;
• while recording audio using said interactive apparatus, time-synchronizing creation of writing representing non-electronic information on said encoded writing medium with said writing tool and recording of said audio using said interactive apparatus;
• and
• deactivating said audio recording mode of said interactive apparatus in response to recognition of at least one of a plurality of non-electronic control-enabling graphical elements on said encoded writing medium.

A method of processing audio recording comprising:

• in response to recognition of a first non-electronic graphical element on a writing surface useable for writing in a non-electronic format thereon, performing a recording of an audio signal, wherein said recognition is made with a writing instrument comprising:
• a processor;
• memory;
• and an audio recording device;
• in response to recognition of a second non-electronic graphical element on said writing surface, ending said recording, wherein said recognition is made with said writing instrument;
• and
• storing said recording in digital form and storing time-synchronization between said recording of said audio signal and any writing representing non-electronic information created with said writing instrument during said recording.