PocketPcPower.net

Styli up to the test (Part 2)!

This time I'm taking a look at 3 new Styli from StylusPlus.com. (http://www.stylusplus.com/)

S+ 4-Ways Original without pencil. Price: $16.99

S+ 4-Ways Wood with pencil. Price: $16.99

S+ 2-Ways Metal. Price: $7.99

S+ 4-Ways Wood with pencil:

This pen includes a .5mm pencil tip, black, red and stylus tip. It has to be my favorite of all Styli reviewed here (and maybe even from all styli tested). If you think this stylus might look familiar this may be because it is a rebranded Quatro with a wood grip. You will enjoy the same features and design as the popular stylus but with a more upscale look thanks to its beautiful Rosewood finish. This amazing finish doesn't add a dime to this fantastic stylus price, as a matter of fact the price is lower than the original Quatro.





The stylus tip is strong and accurate and should provide plenty control of your Pocket PC or PDA. The mechanism is simply amazing. You will experience the smoothness of the Quatro design. After using it only once, you will never go back to your PPC factory stylus. The pen also includes an eraser that can be used in emergency situations (nothing too strong here). Unlike the Quatro the S+ 4Ways Wood doesn't come with an outliner but the option can be added for a mere $.99. You can also select a different color stylus tip (even though I don't really see the point as the marking on the pen matches the color of the stylus).



Pros:

Amazing wood finish.

Great balance.

Mechanism is one of the best out there.

Price (you can't go wrong for less than $17).

Cons:

A little long.

The eraser tip that won't last long, especially with me (I do have the bad habit of chewing on pen tips).

S+ 4-Ways Original without pencil:

The S+ 4-Ways Original comes with a blue, black, red pen tip and an orange stylus tip. The pen feels light in the hand yet sturdy. The design is simple but effective. The anodized black grip provides plenty of comfort for long writing sessions (for some reason I totally missed it at first and thought it was rubber; it is indeed metal but does feel like a nice thin rubber grip minus the wear that could occur after some usage). The stylus tip is similar to the S+ 4-Ways wood and can also be replaced for a different color model. You also have the option to add an outliner tip (or more) for an additional $.99 per outliner.

The mechanism works great here too though it might not be as smooth as the S+ wood. The return spring seems stronger and can quickly retract any of the exposed tips. The gold finish adds to the personal touch of this stylus (I'm usually not a big fan of gold finishes but this one is very well placed and discrete enough to score good points on my scale). The model is available with or without a .5mm pencil hence the eraser hidden under the top cover. Here again, nothing too strong and it should be used for emergency erasing only.
This stylus looked to me like an upscale yet more rugged pen that can withstand lots of abuse.

Pros:

Good balance.

Tasteful gold finish and anodized grip.

Sturdy mechanism feel.

Price (here again, less than $17, can't go wrong).

Cons:

Not as smooth as expected.

Here again, eraser tip that won't last very long

S+ 2-Ways Metal:

The S+ 2-Ways Metal includes a black ball point pen and orange stylus tip. This stylus fits very well in the hand and is comfortable. Priced at $7.99 this pen was slightly shorter yet wider than the other two styli reviewed. The grip also provides adequate comfort. The weight is balanced toward the top of the pen providing better control. One strong point of this pen is, well of course it's price, but also the very sturdy top (filled metal end). I should be able to chew on this for hours before seeing any sign of wear (at least on the pen itself, my poor teeth might not feel the same). The twist mechanism isn't the best around and can be a little noisy at time but for less than $8.00 there really isn't much to complain about.

Pros:

Excellent feel.

Sturdy design and filled metal end.

Very attractive price.

Cons:

Mechanism not as good as more expensive models.

Conclusion:
Whichever model you choose I believe that you will be satisfied but the variety of options the StylusPlus has made available as well as their customer relations. Orders will be promptly fulfilled and the quality of their products won't disappoint you.
Finally, I'd like to thank Heinrich Baysinger for sending me these units for the review.

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