Stylus with an iPhone?

[Brad Adrian]

As a VERY recent convert from Windows Mobile, there is one thing I miss. I have always loved the handwriting recognition capabilities of PhatWare's Calligrapher. Since I've really honed both my skills and the recognition definitions used by Calligrapher, I'd like to try to use PhatWare's WritetPad for the iPhone.

But, it's really meant to be used with your fingertip and I've grown accustomed to using a stylus whenever I use handwriting recognition. Does anybody know of any tools, techniques or tricks for getting an iPhone to detect a stylus (or a type of stylus that DOES work)?

[Vincent Ferrari]

Since the touch screen is capacitive, you need a special kind of stylus for it. I've heard good things about this one: http://www.tenonedesign.com/stylus.php

It's something you'll get used to, though.

[Islanti]

Since the touch screen is capacitive, you need a special kind of stylus for it. I've heard good things about this one: http://www.tenonedesign.com/stylus.php

It's something you'll get used to, though.I used the Pogo stylus (which Vincent linked above) for a while. It's not bad, but it's not great either. The contact area is very large, something like the size of a marker or highlighter. All the WM devices I used had styli that were more of a ballpoint pen sized tip.

You also have to press down a bit harder to register the stylus with the iPhone than you do with WM.

Give it a try, they're not expensive. I don't think it'll quite be what you're used to on WM though.

[Sven Johannsen]

My wife has tried the Pogo and this one http://www.elitextreme.com/apip3gstpenb.html and much prefers the second. I have tried both and agree, the pogo feels like writing with a cue-tip, very mushy. The other one, which comes labeled MyBat accessories, feels much firmer. You can find it numerous places, but the linked site seems to have a selection of colors if you back up and look through the iphone list. I'm really a WinMo guy so I understand the stylus lust. I have an iPhone as well and need to warn you, you just aren't going to get the same feel/control you have on Windows Mobile. The stylus is just a skinnier finger, not a pen.

Depending on what you are wanting to do with your mobile, you may wind up regretting the switch. For many things I find the iPhone interface brilliant and well thought out. For others there is no end to the frustration. That second typically happens when I am trying to input anything usefull. There are those here that swear the iPhone keyboard is Jobs gift to mankind, but I find it barely effective. Of course I am comparing a couple of weeks use, to years of use with my stylus, calligrapher and real honest to gosh keyboards.

In any case, the iPhone stylii are cheap enough, and since you aren't trying to match a stylus silo, doesn't matter which one you get. Try a couple, but try the elitextreme first.