SeaPUG - Review - Retro51 Tornado Data Pen / Stylus

Retro51 Tornado Data Pen / Stylus

Reviewed by: Paul Edwards

Introduction to product:: This is another Stylus / Pen.
Installation: 3 EZ steps...: 1. Grab with hand.
2. Place in PDA case (hopefully it has a pen holder).
3. Done!
Features (as listed by manufacturer):
The new Tornado Data pen is the latest in the Tornado Collection. Turn right and get a ballpoint, turn left and get a stylus for your palm held computer.
Additional Features:
It's all metal (except stylus tip) and has a nice weight to it. Textured cap makes rotating the mechanism easy to do with one hand. Easy and smooth to write on paper or use with PDA. Comes in many attractive colors. I switched the pen and stylus tips in the unit to better suit my tastes. I like customizability!
Comments on Features:
"Life is too short to carry an ugly pen!" Their company motto... Cute, huh? I went with blue, because it's my favorite. I have a blue Franklin Covey Performance Sport™ PDA Case (See my review coming soon!), and this complements it nicely. I don't know about the rest of you, but I bought the PDA because I hate writing on paper. I hate the feel of the paper on my skin (finger tips), I hate the sensations I get which are translated through the pen. I simply abhor the experience... However, I do work at Weyerhaeuser, and I do occasionally write checks... I might as well have a nice pen handy when I need it, or better yet, when somebody else needs it! And best of all, it's not just a stupid pen... it's got a day glow precise stylus tip in there too!
Use (ease of / problems with):
I really like this stylus! It's a bit fat, kind of like those big pencils we all used in Kindergarten, so it's easy to hold. It's not very long (4" guesstimated), so it fits in most PDA cases (mine). Unfortunately, I have had a problem with it... Occasionally it gets stuck when switching! I'm not just talking about a little catch; I'm talking about STUCK. The only way to get it unstuck seems to be to tap it, almost violently, against something. Fortunately (an attest to the craftsmanship), the pen is more than able to take the abuse. ** To avoid the problem, however, I simply twist the mechanism quickly, and it seems to miss the catch. ** This is annoying, and I hope Retro51's customer service people get back to me with a solution tomorrow.
I got a reply from the Retro 1951 Customer Service... They said I have a faulty pen and I can send it to them to be fixed / replaced or contact where I purchased it for a possible exchange. I'm going to try the exchange through Franklin Covey.
I got an exchange from the Franklin Covey store, no problemo. This pen works much much better, and it appears that the first one I got was faulty. Most people probably wont get a faulty one.
Bugs/Defects:
None. If you get a faulty one, which is unlikely, just return it for a replacement.
Additional Comments:
This is a really nice pen/stylus, it's definitely worth your $$.
Likes:
Stylish, Functional, METAL!
Dislikes:
Sticky mechanism on some units.
Who should buy:
People who want a nice, no frills, pen/stylus, which happens to pass as stylish.
Who shouldn't:
People who are fine (or too poor/cheap) to buy a nice stylus with a pen for those rare moments we need paper. People who don't currently, and aren't planning to, own a PDA.
Cost:
I got mine at the Franklin Covey store in the South Center Mall.
Retro51 website: Prices Range from $20.00 to $35.00
Quixtar (My) Price: $18.95
Rating:
4.5 Needles (out of 5)
Features (as listed by manufacturer):: The new Tornado Data pen is the latest in the Tornado Collection. Turn right and get a ballpoint, turn left and get a stylus for your palm held computer.
Additional Features:: It's all metal (except stylus tip) and has a nice weight to it. Textured cap makes rotating the mechanism easy to do with one hand. Easy and smooth to write on paper or use with PDA. Comes in many attractive colors. I switched the pen and stylus tips in the unit to better suit my tastes. I like customizability!
Comments on Features:: "Life is too short to carry an ugly pen!" Their company motto... Cute, huh? I went with blue, because it's my favorite. I have a blue Franklin Covey Performance Sport™ PDA Case (See my review coming soon!), and this complements it nicely. I don't know about the rest of you, but I bought the PDA because I hate writing on paper. I hate the feel of the paper on my skin (finger tips), I hate the sensations I get which are translated through the pen. I simply abhor the experience... However, I do work at Weyerhaeuser, and I do occasionally write checks... I might as well have a nice pen handy when I need it, or better yet, when somebody else needs it! And best of all, it's not just a stupid pen... it's got a day glow precise stylus tip in there too!
Use (ease of / problems with):: I really like this stylus! It's a bit fat, kind of like those big pencils we all used in Kindergarten, so it's easy to hold. It's not very long (4" guesstimated), so it fits in most PDA cases (mine). Unfortunately, I have had a problem with it... Occasionally it gets stuck when switching! I'm not just talking about a little catch; I'm talking about STUCK. The only way to get it unstuck seems to be to tap it, almost violently, against something. Fortunately (an attest to the craftsmanship), the pen is more than able to take the abuse. ** To avoid the problem, however, I simply twist the mechanism quickly, and it seems to miss the catch. ** This is annoying, and I hope Retro51's customer service people get back to me with a solution tomorrow.
I got a reply from the Retro 1951 Customer Service... They said I have a faulty pen and I can send it to them to be fixed / replaced or contact where I purchased it for a possible exchange. I'm going to try the exchange through Franklin Covey.
I got an exchange from the Franklin Covey store, no problemo. This pen works much much better, and it appears that the first one I got was faulty. Most people probably wont get a faulty one.
Bugs/Defects:: None. If you get a faulty one, which is unlikely, just return it for a replacement.
Additional Comments:: This is a really nice pen/stylus, it's definitely worth your $$.
Likes:: Stylish, Functional, METAL!
Dislikes:: Sticky mechanism on some units.
Who should buy:: People who want a nice, no frills, pen/stylus, which happens to pass as stylish.
Who shouldn't:: People who are fine (or too poor/cheap) to buy a nice stylus with a pen for those rare moments we need paper. People who don't currently, and aren't planning to, own a PDA.
Cost:: I got mine at the Franklin Covey store in the South Center Mall.
Retro51 website: Prices Range from $20.00 to $35.00
Quixtar (My) Price: $18.95
Rating:: 4.5 Needles (out of 5)

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