dee.cee.vee wrote:
> Thinking about buying a new tablet. Haven't decided on what I
> want, but I was wondering if there is any benefit to the digitizer
> pen over the stylus.
Technology-wise there's worlds between!!
Touch-screens are rather dumb. They just recognize that that some place
on the screen an event has occurred.
Digitizers, however can make use of the finest movements of a pen on the
screen.
You may know what the professional designer products of Wacom can do.
Most TabletPCs with a digitizer screen use Wacom technology.
I've been using an iPAQ for years and I have been working with my
HP/COMPAQ tc1100 TabletPC for 2 1/2 years now. The difference of pen
input is tremendous.
> Seems to me that it would be a pain because I
> tend to get up for a cup of coffee and leave my stylus in the
> kitchen or somewhere and come back empty handed... but at least I
> can touch the screen or look around and find another stylus
> somewhere ..
This should really be no problem.
As Beverly already said most TabletPCs have a "leash to tie the stylus
to the machine.
I am very fine example for what is called "absent minded professor". I
tend to loose everything (pens, lighters etc. etc.). But in the 2 1/2
years of using my tc1100 I did never loose my stylus.
After a year or so of using it I decided to tie it to the computer with
a string (long enough to work really comfortable). And so it's always
where the computer is.
Apart from that: for safety reasons immediately after buying the
TabletPC I got a second pen on eBay*- just "in case". It's sitting in a
pocket of my computer backpack and would always be available should I
really loose or misplace the "main" pen.
> I have a bazillion of them everywhere for just that
> reason .. Of course ---- I have my favorite stylus, sterling silver
> with an ivory tip that my jeweler made for me !!
And you did not loose that? <g,d&rf>
I'd love to have something like that <!g>.
But even such a fine stylus should not influence your decision!
There are really fine pens for a digitizer board produced by Cross:
http://www.wacom.com/Tabletpc/accessories.cfm
And there is not too much magic about the digitizer. It's just the
magnetic tip.
Couldn't you ask your jeweler to to convert the existing pen?
All in all: Don't go for a touch-screen device.
Go for the beef and get a really working tablet device.
HTH
Rainald