AutoPoint Stylus+

Gadgeteer Hands On Review by Don Damiani

March 23, 1999

The Stylus+ from Autopoint is a stylus/pen/pencil designed for use with any PDA or HPC. As with most similar products, there is a .05 pencil with an eraser behind the cap at the end. The Stylus+ comes in only one color, black, and will be available at OfficeMax stores around the country.

The Stylus+ is very lightweight, and although I like a heavier pen, it feels good in your hand. To get the different tips, you turn the pen so that the little graphical symbols for either the pencil, pen, or the stylus faces up, then click the end cap. A button on the clip retracts the tips. I prefer the pen types that rotate to output the different tips over this type, because in both cases you have to rotate them anyway. And if you don't have the graphical symbol in exactly the right place, it will give you the wrong tip. Many times, I had the pen positioned such that it was in the middle of two symbols, and it would give a different tip each time.

The end cap that covers the eraser was very easy to remove, and it has a .175 inch diameter pink eraser. The pen diameter is .4 inches, which is typical for this type of stylus/pen/pencil device.

Although it scores high on my "click factor" scale, it tends to rattle a lot when the tips are retracted. When the pencil or the pen was used, both were sturdy and smooth. The stylus tip, while better than the "toothpick" that comes with the PalmPilot, was not the best that I've tested. The pen was easy to take apart and put back together, something you'll need to do to replace the ink cartridge or lead.

The Stylus+ is an attractive stylus/pen/pencil, but it seems to be priced a bit higher than most similar styled stylus/pen/pencil combo devices.

Price: $30.00 (suggested retail price) $14.99 thru Office Max

Pros:
Attractive
Lightweight

Cons:
Rattles when tips are retracted.
Cost more than similar pens.