@Byzanti You mentioned awhile ago that you had ordered this stylus and were awaiting its delivery. Any updates on how it works? The tip of my PogoSketch is starting to wear out (3 months, about an hour a day) and I was thinking of giving another stylus a shot in the near future. Would be interested if you, or anyone else, had opinions on it...

Yes actually, arrived recently, just been busy and hadn't got round to looking up the thread yet!

I ordered two, the basic stylus which has a normal tip, and the artists one with the extra firm tip.

They certainly require less pressure than the pogo sketch (although saying that, I did get used to it). I like the basic one more. Little pressure, decent feel. The tip is quite shallow though, and I tend to write at a fair angle as one does with a pen, and the metal shaft did impact on the screen a bit. I think that was probably as I was using too much pressure, being too used to the pogo sketch. I think it's ok now, but haven't really used it long enough to be 100% certain.

The artists one with the extra firm tip isn't so good for writing. There's an audible sound as it hits the screen, and it has a bit of a sliding on glass feel about it. However, the tip end is a more rounded shape, which is better for writing at angles.

I imagine the artists one with the normal tip would be a good buy, or indeed the basic stylus.

The quality of both of them, is very basic. A rod with a bit of cloth wrapped around foam on the end. The artists one has a clip which holds on from the outside (so it slides up and down if you make it), which is basic, but works. The basic stylus (they've since been updated to all use the one I just described) has a rubbish clip. Very tight, and when I tried to loosen it a bit it snapped off. Nothing damaged, but needs some glue.

I think I might buy one of the artists ones with a normal tip....

Thanks for the write-up Byzanti.

I'm thinking I'll give the Rx model a try. A bit more expensive, but if the writing is as smooth as the basic model (or better, as advertised) AND it addresses one of my complaints about the PogoSketch (extremely skinny!) then I'll consider it money well spent. I'll include my own impressions once I've had some time with it.

I've always meant to ask this about these different styli: is there anything technological going on, or are they basically just sticks you use to poke the screen of your (name of device here)?

Pretty sure the only 'technology' is that they make sure to use a tip which carries a small current in order for the screen to register the touch. Generally some kind of styrofoam (I think the iFaraday is foam but surrounded by a metal screen for smoothness of touch).

If you tried to use a capped ballpoint pen (i.e. plastic) it wouldn't work... no current.

After playing around with it a bit more, I'm finding that the barrel of the basic stylus is hitting the screen too much too use, mainly when the ipod is flat down on a table. It's ok when either the stylus is used vertical or the ipod is held in your hand, although the short length of the barrel does make it a bit uncomfortable to use for long periods.

I'm also getting more used to the hard tip one. I also now quite like the fact that you can hit away at the ipod without the tip compressing. Feels solid. The normal one by comparison does feel very soft.

Okay, the current thing makes sense, since you'd need it for the capacitive touch screen.

Is the current provided by a battery or some kind of friction generator or conducted from your own skin or is it just a property of the material the tip/stylus is made of?

Just from the material it's made of!