Computers

Stubby Plug-in Stylus for Mobile Devices

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Cheap stylus for tablet devices

If you have often mislaid the stylus for your mobile device and wished for a secure and somewhat unobtrusive way of keeping one at hand, here’s a gadget you might like.

Like all styluses, if provides more precision than a fingertip, and it protects the screen a bit from smudging. The stylus is aluminum, has a rubber tip and is 1 5/8″ long, the tether is 1″ long, and the plug is 3/4″ long.

The plug goes into a 3.5mm audio jack, such as is found on many (most?) mobile devices. (Its Amazon page enumerates a score (20) of devices it is compatible with.) It easily pops out of its jack when needed. Using it doesn’t feel as satisfactory as a regular-length (4.5″) stylus. It lacks heft and it forces one’s hand to move farther to do things like “selecting” a block of text, because it is so close to the screen. But I can live with it. And I’m not forced to use it just because I have it plugged in: I can use my ordinary stylus — if I can find it. If I can’t, I have an emergency backup.

Don’t be deterred by the 2- to 3-week delivery time listed. Mine arrived in three days. I have Prime, but non-Prime buyers probably shouldn’t have to wait more than a week.

-- Roger Knights 04/27/18

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