Solving
Stylus Problems with TrueTip®
Finger and Pen Cap Styli
By Karl Robb
Copyright(c) 2003-2004 TrueTip, LLC
Introduction
The standard
stick stylus was not designed for the convenience of the user
but for the company that invented the stick stylus. The stylus
as we know it is an afterthought. With its slick matte black finish
and a capillary-like circumference, holding a stylus in one's
hand is like trying to grasp a toothpick. Comfort and convenience
are lacking in most stylus designs. Healthcare workers, Police,
Lineman, Cashiers, Truckers, and a variety of other types of workers
spend hours upon hours everyday on their handheld computer, GPS
unit, point of sale (POS) touch screen, touch tablet, cell phone,
or smart phone. The standard stick stylus just wasn't meant for
this kind of use.
Still, a pen
stylus of any kind demands that the user be at least a few inches
away from the screen. To control a stylus of any length more than
2-3 inches takes motor control. Anyone with tremors or palsy,
whether it is due to too much caffeine, a neurological disorder,
or motor dysfunction, making precise contact on the screen can
be a challenge. Control and accuracy are vital to precise entry.
Occupational
therapists have reported to TrueTip, LLC that they are experiencing
hand cramping, carpal tunnel, and overall discomfort from using
the standard stylus for long periods of time. The human hand can
comfortably grasp a pen with a wider circumference for longer
periods of time because it is broader and more comfortable to
grasp.
A good design
should mean more than just looking attractive. Design should also
be utilitarian and have function. Without function, good form
is just art. Art can be appreciated even more when the art goes
beyond aesthetics and has a defined purpose or function.
Solving
A Real Problem For POS
In talks with
touch screen dealers and manufacturers it is not uncommon to get
POS systems sent in for repair in which the user has subsequently
embedded a pen, screwdriver, or some other household device through
the membrane of the touch screen. Users are notorious for getting
ink emblazoned on the touch surface. Touch screen systems are
considerable investments that take severe abuse. TrueTip has witnessed
the following:
· Cashiers
using all parts of a ballpoint pen, including the ink tip
· The edge of a credit card
· Pencils, forks, knives, coins, and a tooth brush used
as styli
While these alternate uses of utensils are truly imaginative and
may be temporarily useful, ultimately, they will most likely wreak
havoc on your machine.
My Customers
Don't Ask For It So Why Do I Need It?
A useful product
may look simple but be taken for granted. Even when needed in
the very worst way, when we require a paper clip, bobby pin, or
safety pin, how often do we really look at the need? Did someone
think of the need first as a solution to a problem or did the
makers have to educate the consumer that there was a need for
these products? Companies innovate and design new products for
their clients because they see a void that needs to be filled.
TrueTip identified
a niche market with a wide audience. Touch technology permeates
our daily lives from the over 30 million handheld computers to
the millions of touch screens, billion plus cell phones, and the
growing smart phone market. Innovation shouldn't be implemented
after your clients are clamoring for a change. The provider must
embrace a proactive stance. Executing new and improved solutions
for productivity are what technology should be about. If there
is a better way wouldn't you expect the innovation to be placed
into action?
Finger
Computing Versus Pen Computing
The term,
pen computing is a misnomer in that usually your stylus is merely
a stick and not a pen. Granted, if you use a TrueTip pen cap stylus
on your pen or you purchased a more pricey multi-function transitional
pen stylus combo, you truly are using a pen; if so, you are in
the minority of handheld users.
Have you ever
noticed that the stylus often gets in the way of what you are
viewing on the screen? It can be very frustrating. Part of the
problem is the length of the stylus as well as the overall diameter
of the stylus' point. TrueTip designed around this problem.
If you have
ever tried to use your PDA or GPS unit while walking or moving
in a vehicle, you may have noticed that at times, gaining control
of your stylus is a challenge. A similar problem was taken into
account and solved when we noticed the struggle of trying to use
a stylus in a cramped airline seat or even a car seat. With the
TrueTip finger stylus, you no longer are forced to use your elbow
or shoulder.
As buttons
continue to shrink and fingers remain the same size, TrueTip styli
should appear to be the logical solution. Whether you are using
a GPS unit, cell phone, smart phone, handheld computer, digital
camera, or a combination of devices.
True Tip's
patented finger stylus will stretch to fit over a glove. There
is no other stylus that can make that claim. Fitting over a glove
is an important innovation to a healthcare worker, someone working
out in the cold, or in dangerous heavy industry.
Proof Is
In The Pudding
How do you
argue with results, when customers tell us that we are increasing
their productivity by as much 30% or that they are able to use
their handheld computer for a longer period of time without the
stress and strain on their hand? TrueTip is making a difference
in the way people interact with technology. Thousands of people
from around the world are discovering the benefits of using our
styli.
These apparently
simple devices were designed and manufactured with the end-user
in mind. From the physically challenged to the cell phone user,
TrueTip, LLC is filling a need. We are all drawn to good design
and innovation. Think about the everyday staple or paperclip.
Objects on every desk were at one time new and unknown inventions.
A good tool is invaluable.
We encourage
anyone who believes in building a better mousetrap and promoting
the Free Enterprise System to share this story with friends, business
associates, retailers, distributors, and technology companies.
For more information
about TrueTip, LLC, please visit www.truetip.com.
Send us mail at info@truetip.com.
TrueTip,
LLC
4182 Lord Culpeper Lane
Fairfax, VA 22030
866-838-1400 toll free
703-359-1400 phone
703-277-9667 fax
info@truetip.com
