From left to right: Pilot Pentopia Dual Ended, Rotring Trio Pen, Apple Newton eMate 300, ttools Throttle, The Everywhere Stylus, standard Psion Revo stylus

ttools Throttle
List price $9.98

The Throttle is a dark grey or black plastic-barrelled stylus which also includes a pen. Apparently, it will clip into the stylus slot of a Palm Connected Organiser, but as I don't have one of these I couldn't test the claim. The Throttle is light, and not much heavier than the Revo's built-in stylus.

The stylus is fairly comfortable to work with, and the type of plastic used is slighly rough so it provides a good grip. The tip is made of the same plastic. According to ttools, though, it won't scratch the screen, despite the seam on the plastic running through the stylus tip.

The pen, extended and retracted by pressing the red button, is a standard black ballpoint which is not dissimilar to a Bic pen, and perfectly adequate for standard writing. It takes Zebra refills, which I've never heard of, but apparently can be bought in most stationery stores. The clicking action is smooth and, unlike the Slimline Throttle, the pen tip is hidden completely inside the pen.

The Throttle isn't a bad pen/stylus combination, particularly if you are on a budget. It might have more appeal to Palm Connected Organiser owners, though.

Pilot Pentopia Dual Ended (T3220)
List price $14.99

The Pentopia pen/stylus combination comes from the Pilot pen company, so you would expect quality, and it is well-constructed and smart. On one end is a stylus tip, and on the other is a quality black pen, which can be swapped around by changing the end that the pen cap is on.

StylusCentral.com's Web site recommends this stylus for point-and-tap users, and I couldn't agree more. The stylus tip is large and strangely rubbery, and thus is awkward to drag across the screen because of its grip. On my Revo, an attempt to write with it left marks on the screen as if I had used an eraser! Luckily, they rubbed off easily. The Pentopia's stylus is, however, pleasant for just tapping, though it feels unusually soft in use. The weight of the pen/stylus and the ribbed grip on the stylus end give it a good balanced feel in the hand. The barrel isn't much wider than a Bic ballpoint, and the same width as some other pens.

The pen end was my personal favourite out of all three styli with pens which I tested. It writes a thin line continuously without needing to start the ink flowing. The quality of the pen is probably since the Pilot company who produce it are primarily make pens.

My Pentopia used to have 'Pilot Pentopia' written on the cap, but the paint wore off within one day of use. This isn't a critical problem, and it may even be intentional, but I was a little concerned when I noticed how easily the paint came off. I like the Pentopia, particularly for the pen nib and the balanced feel. If you want a smart pen/stylus combination and don't do much dragging on screen, the Pentopia is well worth a look.

Due to the large number of photographs, this review has been split up into two pages. Continue reading...