Gear Review: PDA Panache DS Lite Pro Stylus
Published October 17, 2006
One of the best changes introduced in the DS Lite is the new stylus; it is not a toothpick any more. It is, however, still fairly light.
This is not a complaint so much as an observation. If you are use a Palm Pilot or similar device, you may be comfortable with a metal stylus. There is a big discrepancy in weight between the two pointer-dependent gadgets, so I went on the hunt for a metal stylus.
Luckily a vendor is already making a stylus replacement for the new Nintendo DS.
PDA Panache, "your stylus source," has everything covered. The Nintendo DS Lite Pro Stylus is a chrome plated, solid brass stylus with a rubber tip.
The stylus comes with either a black, or orange EasyView™ tip. This orange tip is nothing major in the overall design, but it is nice cue for your eyes.
Even with the added weight, this stylus will not fall out; it fits snug.
In your hand, the stylus has groves for easy grip. Again, this is nothing big, but it helps in the every day use. And that is important, as you spent a considerable amount of time with the DS' stylus.
Beyond the somewhat expensive price, at $15.95, this is a great product. Even at that price, I would not want to go back to the light plastic stylus that came with the DS Lite.
Ken Edwards is the Gaming Editor at Blogcritics, and calls Breaking Windows home. Ken works part time for Student Publications at BGSU as the Webmaster and System Administrator. He is also a freelance web developer.
- Gear Review: PDA Panache DS Lite Pro Stylus
- Published: October 17, 2006
- Type: Review
- Section: Gaming
- Filed Under: Gaming: Gear
- Writer: Ken Edwards
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I also ordered one, and I'm in Japan, so it cost me $25 with shipping (yowza!). It was worth it though, as it shipped within three or four days, and the thing is as awesome as I'd hoped. Finally, an almost perfect stylus that fits in the slot. My only complaint would be with how it initially was a bit hard to pull out compared to the pack-in stylus and the other third-party in-slot alternatives I've tried (Hori Touchpen Long, Mori Toys Stretch Touchpen), but after a week of breaking it in, I'm fairly used to it. And I'm pretty sure that's just part of the design. They substantially cut down the bulk of the butt end of the stylus, and boy is it comfortable to hold as a result.
Also, they throw in a plastic stylus that looks almost identical to a Bic pen, and that's fantastic too. I've been using something called KanKen DS to practice for the Kanji Kentei (a test of Japanese Kanji that I'm taking tomorrow), and having a stylus that feels like an old, familiar disposable pen works wonders. I'm thinking of ordering more to give to friends.
Anyway, I can't say enough good things about this product for people like me who are picky about the styli they use (this is my fourth third-party stylus, and probably my last, unless I somehow lose this one, in which case I'll almost certainly buy another PDA Panache stylus).