We were excited back in 2009 to hear that Livescribe was launching an app store. I remember, we were particularly impressed with the fact that a device so small, like the Pulse smartpen, could ignite such a thriving developer community. Unfortunately, Livescribe has chosen a new path, shutting down its developer program to focus on “cloud access, storage and services.” While this shut down won’t immediately affect Livescribe’s app store immediately, certain applications may lose compatibility as future software updates roll out.
Here’s Livescribe’s explanation:
Our recent introduction of Livescribe Connect, which enables customers to easily send notes and audio, as a pencast PDFT, to people or destinations of their choice like Google Docs, Evernote, email, and Facebook, is an important step in this direction. Applications in our online store will remain available for download and purchase pending compatibility with future Livescribe software updates,” signed, the Livescribe developer programs team.
We thought with a couple solid years under its belt, Livescribe’s app store was in prime shape to power through 2011. And our disappointment is only a faint echo of the discontent among Livescribe developers, and those with pens like the Pulse and Echo whose main selling point is the app store itself.
Officially, the Livescribe app store SDK and developer site will be pulled on July 22, and no more application submissions will be accepted after that time. On July 8, in just a few short days, the developer forums will be shut down. At that point, Livescribe pen owners will not be able to access the specially designed paper necessary for using Livescribe products.
[via SlashGear]