Wacom Cross Executive Pen

[axel77]

@yokos, very interesting, isn't it?

IMHO WACOM is getting redicolous. I heared that a big chunk of the the costs of the iLiad (beside the eInk display) is in fact the WACOM "tablet" in it. I mean really, is it that expensive to produce? Comparable WACOM tablets cost 200$... I guess main part of it is, because WACOM have a patent on it, and nobody else is allowed to use the same technology... I can only hope the patent will run out in the next years, which will likely also mean a price cut on the tabletPCs and iLiads...

But maybe instead people should focus on alternative technologies. We had a pressure sensitive screen 20 years ago, that located finger pressure position exactly. I bought a cheap "electronic notepad" for 80$ some months ago... which had no gap issues I noticed (okay, this pen *had* a battery in it, but what about it, as long it works...) (in comparison to the iliad, this device required "real" paper to scribble on, but an electronic stored the data to be stored on the computer, the problem with this device was to keep in sync with the paper you have upon it, and the paper it thinks you are scribbling on...)

[axel77]

yay I got a resend verification already today!

@WACOM for redicolous price politics and high (patented) prices
@my post office for beeing incompetent.
@Amazon for handling this issue in a cool and extremely uncomplicated way. IMHO they deserve their market position with this kind of service!

[axel77]

I just got it! The same thing of Adam from Amazon. (Altough instead of 40$ I paid 66€ for it, but after the post office quirks managed to get it a 2nd time to be sent for the 66€ instead of the 106€ it costs now. This time the competent delivery guy got back from holidays .

To the practical: After some panic seconds where I thought, "No, the crap doesn't work with the iLiad", my brain turned on to remove the stylus out of its shelter Now, the pen works *wonderful*! In normal writing position there is *no* gap. And of course it lies nice and comforting in the hand, very different to the "toothpick feeling" of the stylus. When underlining I still hold my hand in a different way, and there is a gap.. *but* the Pen has the "eraser thumb" on the other side, it doesn't erase on the iLiad, and this is good that way, because interesting enough, this thumb end is spot on no matter how I hold the pen. This is *ideal* for underlining text.

So for everybody who uses the Stylus on the iLiad for more than selecting the books from the content browser, I can only advice this pen... as long as you manage to get it for a fair price. I'm very happy to have taken the chance to buy one altough the different reports here...

[Lazycat]

I asked a friend to bring this pen to Hong Kong for me. Though it is a bit expensive, I like it very much!

Highly recommended!

[Dabon]

Quote:
I've just gotten this pen and it's so sensitive that just holding it near the iLiad screen activates the buttons and writing. I'm scribbling all over the page! The only way I can control it is to hold the button in while writing. Are you familiar with this problem and if so do you have a way around it?
Help appreciated.
Thank you,
Michele C

I had the same issue when I first bought this very nice stylus. I did not use a tape, rather what I did, I pressed and held very strongly for 30 seconds or so the button located at the front end of the stylus and this made the trick. My stylus is now fully "controllable" and i do not need to hold the button while writing anymore..
Hope this helps!!

Dabon.

[zerospinboson]

the biggest problem seems to be where to get it, though.. amazon.com and .co.uk both seem to be fresh out.. do they incur an import tax surcharge?

[zerospinboson]

looks like the pen is being EOL'ed?

[Adam B.]

Any Wacom pen should work.

Looks like the Intuos would be a good replacement.

[zerospinboson]

Originally Posted by Adam B.

Any Wacom pen should work.

Looks like the Intuos would be a good replacement.

Originally Posted by Pitchfork, iRex Forums

Graphire, intuous and other newer pens will not work, however the ArtPad and ArtPad II pens work a treat.

are you quite sure, adam? the reports on which will and won't work are sketchy at best, and while i'm inclined to believe you more than pitchfork, i wouldn't really enjoy buying a 40-50€ that turns out not to work with the thing.

[axel77]

From the WACOM website (sorry don't have link) they said different pen/pad systems work with different frequencies. So it does matter, and I would check the compability list... As far as I recall there is one at irex forums....

BTW: Usual solution when after EOL: Ebay! I found 5 pens on it right now...

[zerospinboson]

awesome. the styli iRex are now offering themselves: €13 shipping to (and from) the Netherlands. What a bargain!

[gv3]

Any idea which Wacom pens those are?

[zerospinboson]

i'm guessing they're black versions of some of the pens listed here.
http://direct.wacom.com/stores/5/Tablet_PCs_C72.cfm

That said, Wacom appears to be charging the US$ amount in € (for non-US 'customers'), so I'm not really sure i want to support their racketeering business by buying products from them.

(this is the European shop: http://www.wacom-shop.net/cgi-bin/wa...3/Catalog/1044 )

they charge less for shipping than iRex does, though..

[gv3]

Thanks, we'll see how well it works when it gets here. I ordered from Wacom instead of having iRex ship it across the pond.

[zerospinboson]

I've just received my (sunday-ordered) Cross executive (Capless/Clip) Pen, for €60+shipping, so they're still in stock at Wacom's own store.
And since they're as expensive as the "professional" pen from the iRex website, (and charge less shipping) I'm guessing that buying the Cross pen from Wacom is by far the better choice, as you get a larger/heavier pen, with 3 replacement nibs..
(this probably doesn't apply to Americans, as they can get the US$ version of the same Pen from wacom at less than half the € price)