.KEYWORD stylus
.FLYINGHEAD STYLUS OPTIONS
.TITLE A matter of stylus
.OTHER
.SUMMARY Once again, it’s time to take a survey of all the various styli available. Dan Wolfson has had his hands full, sampling a wide range of styli. He’s picked his favorites and divided them into three categories: replacements, combinations, and oddballs.
.AUTHOR Dan Wolfson
Remember this scene? You just got your first Palm PDA. You turned it on, pulled out the stylus, started tapping away, and thought to yourself, "I’m going to use this scrawny, weightless plastic stick? I’ll have writer’s cramp in ten minutes!" At this point, many Palm device users conclude there must be something better and start looking for a superior writing tool.
The good news is that the qualities you enjoy in your favorite pen or pencil are readily available in a stylus. Thick or thin, heavy or light, plain or fancy, they’re all out there. More styli than you can shake a scrawny plastic stick at, so to speak, with non-scratch tips, better grips, even microchips. Let’s look at three groups of styli: replacements, combinations, and oddballs.
.H1 Replacements
Replacement styli fit in the silo or slot of your Palm device or Visor, and most have reset pins. They also have improvements or extra features, like a colored tip for better visibility, more mass, or a ballpoint pen, to justify their added cost.
.H2 The Chameleon T11V
A good example is the Pilot Pentopia Chameleon series at http://www.pentopia.com/chameleon.htm. The Chameleon T11V is shown in Figure A.
.FIGPAIR A Pentopia’s Chameleon T11V functions as a stylus, ball point pen, and reset pin.
The same size as the factory stylus, it has a unique spring-loaded tip that makes writing more comfortable. Chameleon, in this case, means it changes from a stylus on one end to a refillable ballpoint on the other end. For such a simple tool, this one is a mechanical marvel. What looks like a pocket clip is actually a tiny lug wrench to adjust the stylus tip tension and to unbolt the pen barrel/reset pin. It’s truly a Tim Taylor tool. The Palm V version sports a bright orange tip, and a bright green tip comes on the Palm III version.
.H2 ttools SLIMpoint Stylus/Pen
Another clever replacement is the ttools SLIMpoint Stylus/Pen at http://safe1.access3000.net/Tango3.acgi$/Tango3/newttools/order.taf?_function=list&category=slimline&_start=1. It’s shown in Figure B.
.FIGPAIR B ttools SLIMpoint Stylus/Pen docks with most Palm devices.
Push the plunger button on the top, and a ballpoint pen extrudes from under the stylus tip. An onboard ballpoint is perfect for Palm computing minimalists like me who like to travel light. I stick some Post-It notes on the back of my PalmVx so I can copy information from the screen and actually hand it to those beaming-challenged unfortunates still using paper organizers.
.H2 Custom PDA Stylus
Some of you may prefer the "nail" design of the Custom PDA Stylus from PDA Panache. The Palm V models can be found at http://www.pdapanache.com/catalog/2.cfm and are shown in Figure C.
.FIGPAIR C PDA P55 Custom Deluxe Styli for the Palm V hit the nail on the head.
These have a flat top like a nail, making them easy to pry out of their tight fit in the slot. They’re also noticeably heavier than other replacements. Models are available for the Visor and all Palm devices including the new Palm m100.
.H1 Combinations
Free of the size limits of replacements, combination units are full-size writing tools with stylus tips. They come in some surprisingly fancy packaging, making them excellent gifts.
.H2 The Dr. Grip T104
A two-way combo is a stylus plus a pen or pencil. Dr. Grip makes a nice stylus/pen model in their popular fat cushion design. It’s at http://www.pentopia.com/styluspens.htm and is shown in Figure D.
.FIGPAIR D The Dr. Grip T1041 combines a stylus and pen.
.H2 PREMIERpoint Styus/Pen
Another unique design is the PREMIERpoint Styus/Pen (a.k.a., the Throttle), which looks like an early guided missile with a proboscis monkey’s nose for a tip. It’s at http://safe1.access3000.net/Tango3.acgi$/Tango3/newttools/order.taf?_function=list&category=executive&_start=1 and is pictured in Figure E.
.FIGPAIR E The Throttle is Al Gore’s stylus of choice.
Press the plunger, and a pen tip appears. This eye-catching "love it or hate it" design comes in brushed silver metal and plastic. According to Jim Myers at StylusCentral, Al Gore is handing out the plastic version on the campaign trail, imprinted with "Gore-Lieberman," of course.
.H2 Fisher Space Pen
The world-famous Fisher Space Pen Company now offers a stylus model called the Bullet Pen, in case you need to write something on greasy paper while upside down in sub-zero weather, underwater. It’s pictured in Figure F, and can be found at http://www.styluscentral.com/fisbulspacpe.html.
.FIG F Fisher Space Pen’s Bullet Pen has a stylus on one end.
This is the only stylus pen that comes with its own biography, which you can read at http://www.spacepen.com/usa/history/index.htm.
.H2 Lamy
The sleek Lamy CPI Twin Pen at http://www.pencity.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/Lamy/CP1Twin.htm?E+scstore would look right at home in the uniform pocket of a stealth fighter pilot. It’s pictured in Figure G.
.FIGPAIR G Lamy’s CPI Twin Pen is quite dashing.
.H2 PDA Panache Duo
One of my favorite dual models was the elegant brass PDA Panache Duo at http://www.pdapanache.com/catalog/2.cfm. It’s shown in Figure H.
.FIG H Twist the barrel of the PDA Panache Duo to switch tips.
I say it was my favorite because I loaned mine to my wife, and she won’t give it back. Maybe I can trade her for the Space Pen.
.H2 Rotring Quatro Executive
A three-way combination is typically a stylus plus a pen and pencil, so a four-way would include a black ballpoint, a blue ballpoint, a 0.05mm mechanical pencil, and a stylus in one. That’s just what you’ll find in the Rotring Quatro Executive at http://www.styluscentral.com/rotquatex.html. It’s shown in Figure I.
.FIGPAIR I The Rotring Quatro Executive uses gravity to select the proper tip.
The Rotring is truly a marvel of German engineering, using gravity to work its magic. Hold this pen horizontally and rotate the barrel. Whichever of the four icons is facing up when you press the plunger indicates the tip that will emerge. And to save your shirts from ink or graphite, the metal clip retracts the tip when you put this unit in your pocket. Wunderbar!
.H2 Delta Dolcevita Fine Duo Pen
Now, if you’re really looking for a status symbol, the most expensive model I found is the Delta Dolcevita Fine Duo Pen priced at a whopping $165, meaning this pen/stylus combo costs more than a Handspring Visor or a Palm m100. Go figure! You can find it at http://www.styluscentral.com/deldolfinduo.html, and it’s pictured in Figure J.
.FIGPAIR J Make a statement with the Delta Dolcevita Fine Duo Pen.
.H1 Oddballs
Here are a few not-quite-a-stylus items that are worth a mention.
.H2 The PenCap Stylus
The PenCap Stylus from Concept Kitchen is available at http://www.conceptkitchen.com. It’s a weird looking plastic cap that pushes on the end of your pen, giving you an "off-center cramp relief tip," according to the Web site. It comes in a four-pack for ten dollars and is pictured in Figure K.
.FIGPAIR K The PenCap Stylus fits on the end of a regular pen.
.H2 Fingertip Stylus
Then there’s the Fingertip Stylus, also from Concept Kitchen. You can guess this one. It’s a cage that fits over your finger with a stylus tip on the end, as you can see in Figure L.
.FIGPAIR L The Fingertip Stylus turns your finger into a stylus.
.H1 Final thoughts
Choosing your stylus is definitely a hands-on decision (pun optional), so you should test different models to learn what feels good to you. Be sure to try different weights, sizes, and styles before you decide. Some people like a thick barrel or an ergonomic grip. Others prefer the extra heft of a metal pen versus a lighter plastic one. Some tips glide smoothly on your screen, others jerk or catch. And believe it or not, some styli are noisier than others when tapping, so to avoid getting the evil eye from librarians, try some test taps. Softer tips are quieter, by the way.
Some office supply stores have a variety of models, so you can test and compare. Shopping online, you’ll find an abundance of choices. StylusCentral.com (at http://www.styluscentral.com) claims to have the widest selection. Also check out PDA Panache (http://www.pdapanache.com) for a variety of styli and an excellent FAQ section on what makes a good stylus. A search for "Palm stylus" on a site like http://www.google.com or http://www.altavista.com will keep you busy for hours. Whatever model you choose, I think you’ll enjoy the increased comfort of a better stylus. Your writing hand will thank you.
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.H1 Product availability and resources
For more information on StylusCentral.com, visit http://www.styluscentral.com.
For more information on PDA Panache, visit http://www.pdapanache.com.
For more information on the Pilot Pentopia Chameleon series, visit http://www.pentopia.com/chameleon.htm.
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For more information on ttools’ SLIMpoint Stylus/Pen, visit http://safe1.access3000.net/Tango3.acgi$/Tango3/newttools/order.taf?_function=list&category=slimline&_start=1.
For more information on the Custom PDA Stylus from PDA Panache, visit http://www.pdapanache.com/catalog/2.cfm.
For more information on the Dr. Grip T104, visit http://www.pentopia.com/styluspens.htm.
For more information on the PREMIERpoint Styus/Pen, visit http://safe1.access3000.net/Tango3.acgi$/Tango3/newttools/order.taf?_function=list&category=executive&_start=1.
For more information on Fisher Space Pen Company’s Bullet Pen, visit http://www.styluscentral.com/fisbulspacpe.html.
For the history of Fisher Space Pens, visit http://www.spacepen.com/usa/history/index.htm.
For more information on the Lamy CPI Twin Pen, visit http://www.pencity.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/Lamy/CP1Twin.htm?E+scstore.
For more information on the PDA Panache Duo, visit http://www.pdapanache.com/catalog/2.cfm.
For more information on the Rotring Quatro Executive, visit http://www.styluscentral.com/rotquatex.html.
For more information on the Delta Dolcevita Fine Duo Pen, visit http://www.styluscentral.com/deldolfinduo.html.
For more information on the PenCap Stylus and Fingertip Stylus from Concept Kitchen, visit http://www.conceptkitchen.com.
For more information on the Google search engine, visit http://www.google.com.
For more information on the AltaVista search engine, visit http://www.altavista.com.
For Denise Watkins’ review of Stylus Plus in the May 2000 issue of PalmPower, visit http://www.palmpower.com/issues/issue200005/stylus001.html.
For Claire Pieterek’s stylus product shootout in the September 1998 issue of PalmPower, visit http://www.palmpower.com/issues/issue199809/stylus001.html.
For more information about Palm computers, visit http://www.palm.com.
.H1 Bulk reprints
Bulk reprints of this article (in quantities of 100 or more) are available for a fee from Reprint Services, a ZATZ business partner. Contact them at reprints@zatz.com or by calling 1-800-217-7874.
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.BIO
.DISCUSS http://powerboards.zatz.com/cgi-bin/webx?50@@.ee6eae2
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