I wear my Palm IIIc so that I always have it with me, but occasionally I have need of a normal ballpoint pen. The only way to be certain that I always have one with me is to attach it to my Palm device. Any of these three stylus-pens fulfill that requirement.
SLIMpoint Stylus Pen
The SLIMpoint stylus pen is designed to replace the stylus that came with your Palm device. On one end is the stylus pointer that you use on your PDA screen, on the other end is a spring-loaded plunger. Press the plunger and a ballpoint pen pops out on the stylus point end.
Installation is easy. Just remove the stick stylus from the stylus port and insert the SLIMpoint in its place with the little side button facing out. The side button has a small o-ring on it. This button and o-ring lock the stylus into the notch on the stylus port.
I have only one complaint about this pen. After using the SLIMpoint for a few weeks, I lost the plunger top. It still works but without it, it's not as cool.
PDApoint Stylus Pen
If you do not like working with a slim device, then an upgrade to the PDApoint may be in order. The PDApoint stylus pen is a comfortable plastic pen and PDA stylus in one.
The stylus point is part of the pen and does not retract. When you click on the plunger, a traditional ball point pen pops out beyond the stylus. If you unscrew the plunger, you find a PDA reset pin. I have found this to be much easier to use than the multipoint combo pens I have tried.
The PDApoint is designed to fit into the stylus port of the your PDA. Just remove the stylus stick that came with your PDA, and slide the clip of the PDApoint into the port. A small o-ring located on the ball at the end of the clip locks the pen into place. It works well in a pocket as well.
Of the three pens I am reviewing here, this is the least expensive and yet is probably the most sensible. It makes using your PDA a much more comfortable experience and keeps a pen with you whenever you have your PDA with you.
PREMIERpoint Stylus Pen
The PREMIERpoint stylus pen is a step up in style. It is shaped like the PDApoint but features a brushed chrome weighted shell. This is a high quality pen that any executive should be proud to carry.
Like the PDApoint, it also slides into the stylus port. Unfortunately, it does not lock into the stylus port. The PREMIERpoint was designed for carrying in your pocket. They recommend that you only use this stylus pen while the PDA is in the docking station.
All of these pens are designed to use Parker refills. This makes it easy to find a proper refill and gives you nice, smooth lines.
After using all three pens for several weeks each, I finally settled on my preference. I currently use the PREMIERpoint on a regular basis. I can not imagine any change that someone could make to create a better device. I highly recommend any of these pens but the PREMIERpoint is my favorite.
These pens are available on the ttools Web site. They are also available at most retail office supply stores and the computer super stores under the Fellowes brand. They will also do custom colors and logos on the pens if you want to give them away at trade shows.
SLIMpoint Stylus Pen [$12.99]
PDApoint Stylus Pen [$6.99]
PREMIERpoint Stylus Pen [$24.99]
ttools, LLC
P.O.Box 603222
Providence, RI 02906
401-831-3831
877-488-6657
Photos courtesy of ttools.
Privacy Screen
The problem with a PDA is that when you are looking something up, someone else can see it. The folks at ttools came up with a patented technology called SOLOvision that solves the problem.
SOLOvision is a holographic sheet that covers the PDA display. When you look at the screen at an angle, all you see are chains. When you look at it directly, the chains disappear.
The display connects to your PDA screen using static electricity, like the protection sheets you can buy. SOLOvision acts as a screen protector as well. The plastic is thicker than those protection sheets, making the SOLOvision easier to apply.
During my evaluation period, I found it more effective when I had the screen backlight turned down. If I turned the backlight up to full brightness, the chains were ineffective. I do not think it would be a problem for everyone; the Palm IIIc is brighter than the current generation of Palm devices.
If you regularly use your Palm device where people are looking over your shoulder, you should try SOLOvision. It will confuse the onlookers and keep your data private.
There is a downside to this device. Putting an extra layer of plastic between you and the screen cuts visibility. This is not a problem in normal office light but I found that daylight use of the Palm, difficult at any time, was near impossible through the SOLOvision.
The folks at ttools are making SOLOvision sheets for most popular PDAs (including Pocket PCs). Check the Web site to see if they have a model for the device you use.
SOLOvision [$19.99]
ttools, LLC
P.O.Box 603222
Providence, RI 02906
401-831-3831
877-488-6657
Photos courtesy of ttools.
Is Half a Keyboard Enough?
In order to make the Palm device small enough to be carried everywhere, they had to lose the keyboard. If you practice enough, you can get reasonable speed with Graffiti, but never as fast as a keyboard. The add-on keyboard solutions for the Palm either provide a very small keyboard or a strange fold-up keyboard. And then there is the half-keyboard from Matias.
The half-keyboard has full travel keys that are easy to use and in the right places. The problem is there is only half a keyboard. The other half is accessed by using the space bar as a shift key.
It connects to the Palm device via the sync connector on the bottom of the Palm device. You can get a short cable, like the one pictured, or a long one that lets you hide the cable under your clothes, with the keyboard strapped to one arm and the Palm device strapped to the other arm. A little too strange, even for me. The other reviews I have seen say it makes you look like a Borg. Although I think we all will eventually wear computers, I do not think this is it.
In most cases, you would use the combo on a desk or table top. This would work well for taking notes at the office or school. Just think, now you can write that great novel almost anywhere.
If you are really good, you can even grasp both objects stacked one atop the other. I found it a little too awkward, but I can see how others could do it.
The real question is how long it takes you to become an effective typist. It is not instantaneous because you (and your fingers) are accustomed to a normal keyboard. But the manufacturer’s study shows that most people achieve half of their normal typing speed in just five hours of use. By the 30th hour they are almost at full speed. You are actually faster than "Graffiti" within the first hour. My own experience agrees with these numbers.
There are lots of different versions of the keyboard to connect with different devices. There is even a version for the normal personal computer. In theory, using a half-keyboard could make you more effective in Windows. One hand could be used for keying while the other stays on the mouse.
I have seen stories of people using these keyboards in their cars while they are driving. They had them connected to PCs that they were using as MP3 players.
I did not notice any change in my battery life while using the half-keyboard. I have used other devices that drained the battery when connected to the Palm.
The half-keyboard that I tried (for the Palm IIIc) came with a nice leather carrying case. The case turns out to be a Palm carrying case, so I guess you can say that the keyboard is the same size as a Palm device.
Check out the Matias Web site for their other products. They offer a nice metal PDA case and an interesting full-sized keyboard for left-handed people that has the numeric and cursor keys on the left instead of the right.
Half-Keyboard [$99.00]
Wearable half-keyboard [$299.00]
Matias Corporation
129 Rowntree Dairy Road
Unit #20
Vaughan, Ontario, L4L 6E1
Canada
1-905-265-8844
1-888-ONE-HAND
Photos courtesy of Matias Corporation.
