Gizmo

StylusCentral 3-in-1 Pen with Stylus and Laser Pointer

In an era of multifunction devices, it’s not surprising that even the humble pen is transforming into more than just something to jot a grocery list with.

The 3-in-1 Stylus/Pen/Laser Pointer from StylusCentral is a multifunction device in desperate need of a new name. Yes, it has a pen function that is as good as any disposable Bic, but a twist of the tip turns it into a stylus. A plastic nib comes out of the snout so that you can use the implement to write on your handheld computer’s screen. It’s sharp and pointy so it feels quite good on a screen and results in accurate digital pen strokes.

The best function in the device however is the dog remote control, a feature not mentioned in the device’s voluminous name. You may laugh, but this device is the best gadget for implementing obedience in an otherwise disinclined canine. I came by this function by accident. You see for a time my household was host to a rather rambunctious medium-sized dog called Rocky, who was part Dalmatian, part Border Collie and mostly insane. There was also a Pit-bull stubbornness about him. A cement-like skull also suggested that heritage. So when the 3-in-1 Stylus/Pen/Laser showed up, I discovered the laser pointer had an undocumented yet Rocky-compatible feature.

The pen has a little lens on its backend. A nearby button activates a beam of red laser light that carries for hundreds of yards. I couldn’t test its pointing feature in a presentation meeting because I had none scheduled, thanks to a slow summer. However, Rocky the Dog thought the little point of red light that came from the device was a force to be reckoned with.

Curiously, Rocky was disinterested, for the most part, in any commands from our home’s human residents, unless it involved food or belly scratching. However his curiosity in the red dot turned to an obsession. This was enough to remotely control him from one end of the house to the other. Want him to go from the living room to the kitchen? Out comes the 3-in-1 Stylus/Pen/Laser Pointer and the red dot would lead the way. Exit one dog from the living room, snout desperately snuffling on the floor.

The other useful feature was for night-time control. We’d put him in the yard and shine the red dot out the window, swinging it very quickly from one end of the yard to the other. Thirty flicks of the wrist got Rocky to run 30 lengths of the yard. It’s an excellent exercise tool.

The pen gadget is powered by three tiny pill-sized LR41 batteries ($4.95 for a three pack). You’ll get about a month of dog control out of one set.

Dogs, some less fickle cats, corporate executives and small children will love the device. If you own one of the above entities, you should definitely invest in this $10 gadget.

Price: $9.99 U.S.
More info: www.styluscentral.com
Buy it: Stylus Central web site.

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