For a device that is aimed at pen input, and which users need to learn to rely on the pen to get the most out of, surprisingly little attention seems to be lavished on the pens that come with tablet PCs. Most are too little, oddly shaped, poorly made, or inconvenient to use. Virtually all of them are light and insubstantial feeling. In some cases I’ve seen users put off from pen input altogether because they simply didn’t like the pen. This general lack of a quality stylus for tablet PCs caused some really enthusiastic responses when Cross announced that they would be making a high-quality stylus (actually, two styli) for the tablet. Speculation abounded on the tablet forums on what they would be like. I managed to get hold of one and I’ve been using it daily, and I can say that it is great.

To start with, the Cross capless pen has dimensions and weight that is similar to a standard high-quality ink pen. In fact, with no more than a casual glance you might not even realize it isn’t a pen. The barrel is pebbled aluminum in the center with a plastic top and bottom (the pen can’t be all metal since that would interfere with the pen’s signal to the tablet) and a standard pocket clip. It features an eraser button on the top and a button on the side. The button is well-placed and sits in a recess so you don’t find yourself accidentally pressing it constantly, as you do on many of the standard styli. The arrowhead shaped stylus tip sticks out slightly beyond the bottom of the pen. The pen comes with a couple extra tips, and the tip comes out fairly easily, which led me to fear that the tip might come out and get lost during normal use. Those fears proved unfounded – I have carried the pen in shirt pockets, pants pockets, and dangling from the ID badge neckstraps and have never had the tip come out. The tip doesn’t have quite the same feel on a tablet as a real pen on paper, but other than that, the feel of using the Cross pen is remarkably like using a pen. After using the Cross pen the pen that came with my tablet feels cheap and toy-like.

Electronically, the pen’s accuracy and resolution is at least as good as any of the default pens available, and in some cases better. Even though the pen that comes with my tablet claims to have the same numbers as the Cross pen, the Cross feels as if it has higher resolution, especially when using pressure-sensitivity. This may simply be because the more ergonomic Cross pen is easier to use efficiently.

Despite all of this goodness, I still have a minor complaint. The seams between the metal and plastic parts don’t fit with the level of precision that you’d expect in a Cross product. It’s not enough to be objectionable or rub unpleasantly on your fingers. It’s just not quite the level of fit and finish that you’d find on a similarly priced Cross ink pen. But this minor issue doesn’t prevent the Cross stylus from being far higher quality than the standard issue styli.

Of course, the other shortcoming is that it means carrying around a separate stylus, since it won’t fit in the stylus bay of my tablet (I haven’t heard of any that it fits). I suppose that if you’re the sort prone to losing even expensive pens you may need to reform your habits or live with the expense. I’ve only misplaced my Cross stylus once, and that sent me into a near panic. Not because of the potential expense of replacing it, but because I couldn’t face the prospect of doing without it until I could replace it.

I’d recommend the Cross stylus to anyone, but if you’re the sort who does a lot of inking or handwriting recognition it’s almost an essential.

--Tucker Hatfield
Technology Editor


Cross Pens Information Page