Wu Wei

I bought a "stylus refill" from www.cross.com. It replaces the ink cartridge with one tipped in a stylus and allows any pen taking a standard refill to be used as a stylus.

I've tested this on the x50v and it definitely is much better than the regular stylus. It is much easier to write with the thicker, normal pen and I can write faster with better recognition.

It also avoids the problem of getting the stylus out of the PDA, something that was poorly designed in the x50v IMO.

The tip is somewhat different from the built-in stylus, sharper. I think it is safe though, especially with a screen protector on.

darus67

Cool.
Now all we need is for the case manufacturers to put a pen loop on the side of the Axim cases.
I'm forever misplacing my pen.

mikeyp

we need fountian pens with stylus now

__________________
Clie SJ22 (2 weeks only) --> Clie SJ33 --> Axim X30 --> Clie TJ25 (not long) --> Palm TX --> Palmone Lifedrive --> Palm T|T3 --> Treo 650 (PDA ONLY) --> iPaq HX2495b --> Clie NX70v
Also: NEC MobilePro 780, Clie T615c, HP 95LX

[x] indicates a post from my Clie NX70v

Xanlexian

I actually find that removing the ink tank/ball-point assembly, and using a microtorch to melt down the tip -- round it off, sand with a really fine grip sandpaper, dremmel-buff the tip to a smooth finish -- will turn ANY "cheap" Bic pen into a really decent stylus. I've also found that adding sections of those long threaded 'bolt' things you can find at a hardware store work great for adding weight and balance. Plus, when you lose them, you're out of something like $0.08 and 10 minutes of labor.

This is what I use. My X50v stylus never gets used.

I've also found that molding different tips word quite well also. I'll try to post a picture later this evening of my "half-tip stylus" -- that keeps the ball-point pen intact.

__________________
"Congratulations, Boots. Your robot is now self-aware. You're a daddy now." -- Dr. Rho Bowman

Nan

I use one of those multipen things...ballpoint, pencil, stylus. It works ok, but it would be nice to have an attachment to my
Rhino case as I keep leaving it at home, in my briefcase or purse etc. A fountain pen/sylus combination would be marvelous..another excuse to purchase a fountain pen!

__________________
"An idiot with a computer is a faster, better idiot"
Rich Julius

Xanlexian

Here are the pictures of my latest stylus ---








This is, by far, my favorite design!

__________________
"Congratulations, Boots. Your robot is now self-aware. You're a daddy now." -- Dr. Rho Bowman

Xanlexian

I should also note that I did *NOT* make this individual one that I'm using. A friend of mine did this one for his PDA, lost his PDA, gave me the stylus.

But this is the design that I've been making for myself out of Bic pens. To keep the ball-point portion intact, you must use a 'click'-type pen. The kind where you press the plunger and the ball-point mechinism comes out.

__________________
"Congratulations, Boots. Your robot is now self-aware. You're a daddy now." -- Dr. Rho Bowman

Tblove

Originally Posted by Xanlexian

I should also note that I did *NOT* make this individual one that I'm using. A friend of mine did this one for his PDA, lost his PDA, gave me the stylus. But this is the design that I've been making for myself out of Bic pens. To keep the ball-point portion intact, you must use a 'click'-type pen. The kind where you press the plunger and the ball-point mechinism comes out.

Thanks for the tips(no pun intended)This will give me someting to play around with.

Quboid

Just be careful - I have a combined stylus/pen/laser/torch and it's great, but there's been a number of times when I've used the wrong nib. At first I wondered why blue lines were appearing, I thought I had some hand writing recognition on!

Thankfully it mostly wiped off and I'm using a new screen protector now anyway

Xanlexian

Originally Posted by Quboid

Just be careful - I have a combined stylus/pen/laser/torch and it's great, but there's been a number of times when I've used the wrong nib. At first I wondered why blue lines were appearing, I thought I had some hand writing recognition on! Thankfully it mostly wiped off and I'm using a new screen protector now anyway

That reminds me of a funny story -- the Target store up the road from me has those "do-it-yourself" checkout lanes. On the screen of one of the terminals, someone signed, "Jane Billingsworth" in blue marker on the credit card machine where there signature line appears. You're supossed to use the "stylus" next to the machine.

__________________
"Congratulations, Boots. Your robot is now self-aware. You're a daddy now." -- Dr. Rho Bowman

Xanlexian

Originally Posted by Tblove

Thanks for the tips(no pun intended)This will give me someting to play around with.

Quite welcome! I *LOVE* finding new and useful applications for everyday things around the house. I've got a ton of stuff that isn't being used for its intended purpose.

I mentioned in another thread where someone was asking about 'corner protectors' -- and I've done this with my Clie -- use silicon tubing (like the stuff for aquariums -- I happen to use the larger, more flexible kind that I use for my pool in various applications with the pumps and whatnot)

Cut off a small piece of the tubing, then slice it open with an 'X-Acto' blade. Mold it to your corner, and whalah! Corner protectors. Keeping them in place is another matter. Rubber bands work quite well.

__________________
"Congratulations, Boots. Your robot is now self-aware. You're a daddy now." -- Dr. Rho Bowman

lvgdgts

Originally Posted by Xanlexian

Here are the pictures of my latest stylus --- This is, by far, my favorite design!

Styluscentral.com has a very similar design to this--one is plastic and one is metal. They're both cheap and work great. It is a click pen ballpoint design and with the ballpoint retracted you have the styous tip. They are fast, functional and have a nice art-deco type style.

Xanlexian

The design looks a **LOT** like this one:

http://styluscentral.com/ttoolclas.html

I can get these things in 10 packs (or 12 packs?) at Wal-Mart for something like $7. And it really takes no time at all to mold a tip -- provided you've got a microtorch.


And for OklahomaMama and mikeyp, there is this one that is also a fountain pen: http://styluscentral.com/roindafopenw.html

I realllllly like that fountain pen!

__________________
"Congratulations, Boots. Your robot is now self-aware. You're a daddy now." -- Dr. Rho Bowman

Tblove

Originally Posted by Xanlexian

Quite welcome! I *LOVE* finding new and useful applications for everyday things around the house. I've got a ton of stuff that isn't being used for its intended purpose. I mentioned in another thread where someone was asking about 'corner protectors' -- and I've done this with my Clie -- use silicon tubing (like the stuff for aquariums -- I happen to use the larger, more flexible kind that I use for my pool in various applications with the pumps and whatnot) Cut off a small piece of the tubing, then slice it open with an 'X-Acto' blade. Mold it to your corner, and whalah! Corner protectors. Keeping them in place is another matter. Rubber bands work quite well.

Like you,I like homebrew projects.I'm always looking on ways to improve things.My next project is making a gps antenna out of some copper wire and a cottage cheese container.

Xanlexian

Originally Posted by Tblove

Like you,I like homebrew projects.I'm always looking on ways to improve things.My next project is making a gps antenna out of some copper wire and a cottage cheese container.

Tomorrow or sometime when it is daylight out -- I'll snap a pic or so of my car in "wardriving mode". I've got an attenuated spool of wire in the back window, with a RJ-11 jack on it. I've dismantled my USB WiFi adapter and put another RJ-11 jack there as well. When I wardrive, I pull the wire out (it is standard speaker wire), run one of the leads out of the passenger window and another out of the driver's window about 2 feet behind the car, plug everything in, and drive around!!

Being a ham radio operator and understanding wavelengths, groundplanes, etc... comes in quite handy!

__________________
"Congratulations, Boots. Your robot is now self-aware. You're a daddy now." -- Dr. Rho Bowman