How Smart is the Rocketbook Wave Smart Reusable Notebook?

Rocketbook Smart Notebook Review

Mobile technology, including cellphones, tablets and the like, has rapidly advanced the over the last 20 years, enhancing productivity and the efficiency of communication exponentially. The traditional pen & paper notebook, on the other hand, has largely stayed the same. Most analog enthusiasts (ourselves included) appreciate the fact that the paper notebook is something that has yet to be replaced by digital screens. The tactile experience of putting ink on paper is still the best at manifesting ideas and getting into the “flow” of creativity.

The folks at Rocketbook understand this need for analog in a digital world with their innovative, reusable smart notebook called the Rocketbook “Wave.”

The Tech-Savvy Solution: Rocketbook Wave

Bringing a new meaning to the expression, “cooking the books,” the Rocketbook Wave is a smart notebook for today’s tech savvy writer. The 80 dot grid pages of the Wave are coded with 7 icons at the bottom of each page, along with a QR code. These icons interact with the accompanying Rocketbook App (FREE for iOS and Android) to convert your work into the digital realm, utilizing the technological advantages of modern mobile communication. Through the integrated app, your work can be saved directly to the cloud to your preferred productivity programs like your e-mail client, Google Drive, Evernote, Dropbox, OneNote, Slack, Box, iCloud and text messages.

Reusability of the Rocketbook Wave

The Wave can also be completely reused once you’ve filled up every page using the included Pilot FriXion pen. The notebook is designed to be microwaved to erase everything and start over. Thanks to the thermo-sensitive ink technology behind the Pilot FriXion pen, each notebook can be reused several times while keeping all of your work saved to the cloud.

In this video, we demonstrate just how easy it is to use the Rocketbook Wave, saving your writing using the FREE Rocketbook app, and then erasing the pages to make the entire notebook reusable by nuking it in the microwave. For the purposes of this demonstration, we show how to quickly scan and send two pages to a text message and Evernote.

The Writing Experience with the Rocketbook Smart Notebook

We know our readers care greatly about the writing experience, so we would like to include more detail here about what it was like to put FriXion pen to page here.

The FriXion pen has a gel tip feel, writing smoothly with little pressure put on the page. It’s not quite as liquid as a rollerball, but a rich mark can be created with far less pressure than with a ballpoint tip. It is recommended that you write with as little pressure as possible. If you are heavy handed with tip pressure, you lessen the ability to reuse the notebook in the future, as the pages will have impressions of where you had previously written.

Besides being able to nuke the entire notebook to erase it, you can also use the plastic nub on the barrel of the FriXion pen to rub away the writing on your page in case you make a mistake. Getting a word to completely erase takes about 10-15 seconds of lightly rubbing the area with the “eraser” end of the pen. The best part of all, no eraser dust!

Writing over the previously erased area was another major concern. After nuking the notebook and going over the page that had the heaviest amount of ink on it, you can see a faint “ghosting” effect that the writing still has on the page. It is hardly distinguishable unless you’re closely examining the page up close. Writing over it using the FriXion pen works perfectly and is not distracting at all.

Unique Features and Design of the Rocketbook Wave

The sizing of the Rocketbook is not your conventional A-series or B-Series paper dimensions. The larger, "Standard size" is the same width as the common "Letter" paper size while being 1.5 inches shorter. The "Executive" size is closest to the A5 size that tends to be popular with journal writers and note takers, illustrating the variety of notebook sizes available.

The 8mm dot grid format of the Rocketbook Wave is larger than a typical Leuchtturm1917 5mm dot grid. The larger grid spacing does take some getting used to, but is a useful format for both visual sketches, note-taking, list-making and long-form writing.

As you would see in the video demonstration, the Wave erases completely in the microwave, but I did have to modify the process slightly, moving the mug of water to a different spot on the notebook so that the area that was under the mug would get hot enough to erase the remaining written area. After all was said and done, it took about 3 minutes to clear the book entirely.

For folks who prefer keeping their writing on acid-free paper with pH neutral, archival ink, the Rocketbook’s designed lack of permanence will not be appealing. The notebook’s purpose is to serve as the medium for the creative outlet of writing, sketching, drawing and manifesting raw ideas. If the work is worthy of sharing, you can easily communicate your ideas using the integrated mobile technology. If you need to “go back to the drawing board,” the ink can be erased instead of having to wad up countless sheets of paper for the round file.

Use the Rocketbook Wave for first drafts, sketches, prototypes, wireframes, outlines, lists, and class / meeting notes. Anything worth keeping can be easily saved without having to take up space. Everything else that hits the cutting room floor can be easily erased quicker than it takes to make a cup of ramen noodles.

How would the Rocketbook help enhance your workflow and productivity? We’d love to get a book into your hands to try out. You can purchase them at Goldspot Pens here or enter our giveaway for the chance at winning one below.