Ever since I've gotten my Amazon Kindle, I've had an aversion to actually touching its screen, especially since I'm prone to get my hands dirty, and I'm practically paranoid about getting some type of gunk on the screen that I'll never be able to get off, or, worse yet, scratching or cracking the screen. So, a stylus was a must for me, and I'm now on my third. The problem hasn't been the styluses themselves, it's been the tips. The first stylus simply quit working after about six months because it lost its capacitative capabilities; no matter what I did, the Kindle wouldn't register when I used the stylus. The second stylus lasted about a year until the rubber tip tore. I'm now on my third stylus, the amPen capacitative stylus and it's lasted three months so far without a problem, and it's been a noticeable improvement on its two predecessors for various reasons since day one.
The amPen stylus is black (it also comes in pink at a slightly higher price, and what seems to be an identical model is available in silver as well, also at a slightly higher price). The stylus is 4 inches long and 1/4 inch in diameter. It's very lightweight, under an ounce. It's got a clip on the front, like a standard ball point pen, to attach to a shirt pocket. In addition, the amPen stylus has a removable looped string that's about 2.25 inches long on the end opposite the tip. The string attaches to a small black plastic plug that can fit in an earphone or microphone jack on a smartphone or tablet to house the stylus when it isn’t in use. Although I don't use that plug-in feature, in testing the stylus, I found it very easy to plug and unplug it in an earphone jack. I keep my Kindle in a storage case when not in use, and the stylus is compact enough to fit in the case easily.
When I got the amPen stylus, I got a pleasant surprise as well. Although the Amazon page says that the stylus does not have a removable tip, that's incorrect. The stylus comes with a small page of instructions that indicates clearly that the stylus tip does unscrew and can be replaced. Reviewers who report that the tip came off in use might not have known that the tip can screw on or off fairly easily. It was very easy for me to unscrew the tip and screw it back on. The instructions also gave the ASIN number (B00DY6KZ2A) for replacement tips. Considering my track record with my previous styluses, I quickly placed an order for a replacement kit that contains five stylus tips. If you do order replacement tips, make sure you order the right ones for the stylus you bought; amPen sells several replacement tip kits for various styluses of slightly different sizes, and the tips might not be compatible with other styluses.
The ultimate test of the stylus is how well it works, of course, and the amPen stylus is the smoothest working of any of the three I’ve had. It fits in my hand easily (it’s slightly narrower than a standard ball point pen), although people with very large hands might want a longer stylus. It glides very easily across the surface of the Kindle when I’m trying to turn pages or highlight something. It certainly moves more easily from side to side that did the other styluses I had when I’m using it on the Kindle, It also registers on the Kindle when I use slight pressure, unlike the last stylus that I had to push down more (leading to the tip eventually tearing). All in all, it’s very easy to use.
They say practice makes perfect, and, in my case, it took three tries to get the right stylus, but I’m quite happy with the amPen. It’s less expensive than the other two I bought and, with the supply of replacement tips if needed, certainly rates to last considerably longer. Those who use the plug to attach it to their smartphone or tablet will find the amPen stylus almost impossible to lose. For me at least, the amPen stylus isn’t likely to go out of style anytime soon.
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Customer reviews
The rubber tip popped off after exactly one use. I did not realize it had popped off, and as a result made a small scratch on my iPhone screen. The rubber tip does not appear to be able to be re-attached, and I will now have to go through a costly screen repair. I was able to get a refund for the stylus, but I doubt I'll be able to convince Amazon that this product is responsible for the scratched screen. I recommend avoiding this product, and investing in a higher quality item.
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