Thursday, August 1, 2002
Pen/Stylus combinations
Posted by marlof in "ARTICLE" @ 11:00 AM
http://www.styluscentral.com
For as long as I can remember, I've had this addiction to office supplies. I can not pass an office supply store without taking a closer look. This must be the reason why my first PDA, a Philips Velo 1, was bought in an Office Max in Boulder, NV. The pens department in a large office supply store is high up there on my list of favorite places in this world.
Even as a kid, I sometimes saved some money to buy a cool looking pen. And now, I still do the same, although all the pens I buy have to face one requirement: they have to double as a stylus. In my opinion, nothing beats writing on my Pocket PC than writing with a full size pen that is a pleasure to hold.
If you're like me, you love sniffing around at Stylus Central, where they have many pens to choose from. In this review, we'll take a short look at some of their executive style pen/stylus combo's.
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Cross Matrix ($59.99)
The Cross Matrix is a big pen, but it is not very heavy. At one side you can select a red and a blue ballpoint by twisting the cap, and at the other side there's a big stylus point.
But that's not all. If you open up the bigger black part of the pen, and put it in the silver holder the other way round, you get a gell ink rollerball to write with. That one can be replaced with a yellow document marker that is provided with the Cross Matrix package.
I like the way this pen stands out from the crowd. As stated, it's a big pen, but to my hands it was a pleasure to hold. The stylus took some getting used to, as it's big surface feels different from the pointed little styluses. I had no problems using this stylus with the SIP keyboard 'though, and after a while I didn't know any better.
Lamy 2000 4 color ($59.95)
I'm a Lamy fan. They are German, and create high quality pens with a good eye for design. Especially the Lamy 2000 is a bit of a design classic. This pen was designed in 1966, and is made of a combination of Makrolon reinforced by fibreglass and brush finished stainless steel. The pictured pen is a multipen, containing four colors, where one of the colors is replaced with a stylus. The pen feels much lighter than you'd expect when you see it, and is a pleasure to write with. The only thing I liked a bit less is the rattling noise when you move the pen. That is caused by selection mechanism. You just have to hold the pen so you can see the responding color on a band near the top of the pen, and click the top button to get the right selection. This is done by weights, and it's those that you hear rattling inside the pen.
If you want a Lamy pen but can't stand rattling, you'd have to look at a different selection mechanism. For instance you could take a look at the Lamy Twin Pen. A bit more ordinary in terms of design, but due to the twisting selection mechanism rattle free.
Rotring Quatro Executive ($54.99)
And when you speak of German pens, Rotring is not far off. Living up to its Red (Rot) Band (Ring) name, these pens are easily recognizable. And this one looks the executive part all the way. It has a galvanized brass body, and contains a ball point, a mechanical pencil, a ball point hiliter, and a stylus. Although I liked the quality feel of this pen a lot, I found myself wiping fingerprints of the shiny surface all the time. And again, due to the selection mechanism, this pen is not free of rattles. But I don't think you can get more "executive" than with this one.
Conclusion
I have to admit that I liked all three pens, and found myself using them interchangably. One day I'd prefer the big looks of the Cross Matrix, the other day I went retro with the Lamy, and if I wanted to pretend I owned my company, I'd take the Rotring. I found them all a pleasure to use as both a pen and a stylus.
You've read so far and you like the idea of a pen/stylus combo, but you don't want to spend too much money? Do not fear! Stylus Central has something for you too.
Platinum Pen Triple Twister ($9.95)
This Platinum Pen has a twisting mechanism that lets you choose between pen, stylus and mechanical pencil. It is made of plastic, but has a nice rubber grip. You see, there's something for everyone!
For as long as I can remember, I've had this addiction to office supplies. I can not pass an office supply store without taking a closer look. This must be the reason why my first PDA, a Philips Velo 1, was bought in an Office Max in Boulder, NV. The pens department in a large office supply store is high up there on my list of favorite places in this world.
Even as a kid, I sometimes saved some money to buy a cool looking pen. And now, I still do the same, although all the pens I buy have to face one requirement: they have to double as a stylus. In my opinion, nothing beats writing on my Pocket PC than writing with a full size pen that is a pleasure to hold.
If you're like me, you love sniffing around at Stylus Central, where they have many pens to choose from. In this review, we'll take a short look at some of their executive style pen/stylus combo's.
<!>Cross Matrix ($59.99)
The Cross Matrix is a big pen, but it is not very heavy. At one side you can select a red and a blue ballpoint by twisting the cap, and at the other side there's a big stylus point.
But that's not all. If you open up the bigger black part of the pen, and put it in the silver holder the other way round, you get a gell ink rollerball to write with. That one can be replaced with a yellow document marker that is provided with the Cross Matrix package.
I like the way this pen stands out from the crowd. As stated, it's a big pen, but to my hands it was a pleasure to hold. The stylus took some getting used to, as it's big surface feels different from the pointed little styluses. I had no problems using this stylus with the SIP keyboard 'though, and after a while I didn't know any better.
Lamy 2000 4 color ($59.95)
I'm a Lamy fan. They are German, and create high quality pens with a good eye for design. Especially the Lamy 2000 is a bit of a design classic. This pen was designed in 1966, and is made of a combination of Makrolon reinforced by fibreglass and brush finished stainless steel. The pictured pen is a multipen, containing four colors, where one of the colors is replaced with a stylus. The pen feels much lighter than you'd expect when you see it, and is a pleasure to write with. The only thing I liked a bit less is the rattling noise when you move the pen. That is caused by selection mechanism. You just have to hold the pen so you can see the responding color on a band near the top of the pen, and click the top button to get the right selection. This is done by weights, and it's those that you hear rattling inside the pen.
If you want a Lamy pen but can't stand rattling, you'd have to look at a different selection mechanism. For instance you could take a look at the Lamy Twin Pen. A bit more ordinary in terms of design, but due to the twisting selection mechanism rattle free.
Rotring Quatro Executive ($54.99)
And when you speak of German pens, Rotring is not far off. Living up to its Red (Rot) Band (Ring) name, these pens are easily recognizable. And this one looks the executive part all the way. It has a galvanized brass body, and contains a ball point, a mechanical pencil, a ball point hiliter, and a stylus. Although I liked the quality feel of this pen a lot, I found myself wiping fingerprints of the shiny surface all the time. And again, due to the selection mechanism, this pen is not free of rattles. But I don't think you can get more "executive" than with this one.
Conclusion
I have to admit that I liked all three pens, and found myself using them interchangably. One day I'd prefer the big looks of the Cross Matrix, the other day I went retro with the Lamy, and if I wanted to pretend I owned my company, I'd take the Rotring. I found them all a pleasure to use as both a pen and a stylus.
You've read so far and you like the idea of a pen/stylus combo, but you don't want to spend too much money? Do not fear! Stylus Central has something for you too.
Platinum Pen Triple Twister ($9.95)
This Platinum Pen has a twisting mechanism that lets you choose between pen, stylus and mechanical pencil. It is made of plastic, but has a nice rubber grip. You see, there's something for everyone!
