I-Pen Digital Pen Writer Ipen Optical USB Mouse Input Device

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Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 0.8 x 0.6 inches ; 1 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• Note: Gift-wrapping is not available for this item.
• ASIN: B0000AC88K
• Item model number: IPENMOUSE
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,319 in Electronics (See Bestsellers in Electronics)

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  Electronics > Computers & Accessories > Mice & Keyboards > Mice > Basic Mice

• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 2, 2001

Product Description

Product Description
I-pen Mouse is a pen-shaped mouse for PCs that allows natural writing just like using a real pen. Utilizing the latest optical navigation technology, I-pen is lightweight, durable, and accurate. With I-pen Mouse, the user can perform natural handwriting to do more creative work or special tasks that were previously impossible with a mouse. I-pen Mouse is designed to work in "mouse mode" for fast point-and-click action and also in "pen mode" for writing and drawing actions. Two modes can be changed manually with the switch of a button. Because it requires a very small surface to write on, it is ideal for laptop users and perfect for places where limited workspace is available. Applications: Write a note on your presentation just like a paper with Finger WhiteTM. The traditional way of showing a presentation used a laser pointer to mark the point of importance which leaves no marks for later references. Now you can write a note, mark, draw, and keep it until you erase it. Browse your favorite website and write a note when there is something of interest as if you were marking the newspaper. Your notes will be saved even after you've visited other pages until you erase it. Draw and write on your desktop like a drawing board. Leave an important message on your desktop for reminder. You can even save your inputs and e-mail them later. Write a letter using the I-pen Mouse like a pen and the OCR converts your handwriting into typewriting text. Too lazy or slow to type letters? Then grab the I-pen Mouse and simply write like a pen. You can also input your signature.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great product! Somebody should have thought of this sooner., October 8, 2003

By	Stuart R. Ainsworth (Gainesville, GA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bought the I-Pen hoping it would help with my aching wrist from grabbing a mouse all day; I was looking at graphics tablets, but I use dual monitors at work, so that was not an option. I tripped across this little doo-hickey, and thought I'd give it a shot.

First of all, the mouse works great; it can be used on almost any surface (except clear glass or white paper). The pen's a little "full-bodied", which makes it difficult to grab, at times, but other than that, it's a nice tool to have. I can hardly wait until they release the wireless version(s), but the cord dangling off it is not too bad.

Second, their customer support is GREAT!!!!! When my I-Pen arrived, I noticed that the right mouse button was sticking, and I could only get it to work about half of the time. I went to their web page and got a response back within a few hours indicating that my unit was defective, and another one was on the way. The second unit works great, and thus my faith in capitalism was restored :)

As for the carpal tunnel, I'll keep you posted....

UPDATE: Just wanted to let you know about the carpal tunnel issue; this thing has really helped me. I now have writer's cramp, but that's another story (j/k). Seriously, I love this product. I'm still waiting for the wireless version, but I have found that this simple tool has really helped me be more productive for longer periods of time.

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good idea, faulty implementation., August 23, 2006

By	oion (United States) - See all my reviews

[...]

There are very few standalone "digital pen" mice available; people who wish to use the ergonomic pen design often have to cough up additional funds for a digitizer tablet [...] that is bulky. This particular model has been around for several years, apparently, but they have not updated it.

I bought this specifically for ergonomic reasons and because I did not want a bulky tablet component (though I do own a Wacom for special uses). It's a bit chunky; while it was uncomfortable for me to use, it's probably fine for others. It feels light, and while this is could be a good thing if you tend to get finger-fatigued, the cord hanging off the end unfortunately seems to weigh all that much more.

The most important problem for me, however, was that this digital pen-mouse doesn't seem to be calibrated correctly. A 2003 review article elsewhere also pointed out this problem: Assuming the mouse button is supposed to be positioned at the top of the pen where your index finder rests, you cannot write or draw in a straight line across the screen. The cursor will slant upwards from left to right, effectively rendering any drawing potential useless; the other article also commented that the handwriting recognition suffers from this weirdness. You can try to hold the pen at a different rotation, but it's not perfectly round, so it will end up being more uncomfortable.

For average mousing, I suppose people can get used to the quirk, but for uses that require a bit more accuracy, look elsewhere. It's a good idea, and I really hope someone will finally deliver a good pen-mouse that doesn't use ink or special paper or pad.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Husband loves this pen, February 8, 2009

By	B. J. Murray - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Bought for my husband who likes to use the computer to draw. He loves how easy this makes it to color in objects, draw curves, etc.