Mon, 10 Dec 2012 STM Tracer Deluxe stylus review
Two-colour pen, touch screen stylus combo from dependable STM
- Manufacturer: STM
- Pros: Good build, weight and design; responsive, two-in-one traditional pen and stylus combined; soft rubberised tip; potentially useful SIM card ejector pin included.
- Cons: Detachable stylus tip could be better secured to the pen; no replacement cartridges included in the package; tiny screwdriver is fiddly to use.
- Price: £24.95
- Star rating:
The late Steve Jobs may not have been a fan but stylus type pens do a decent of job of interacting with your capacitive touch screen smartphone or tablet of choice. The impressive sounding Tracer Deluxe, and yes this is a standard Tracer version, is the latest such stylus in an increasingly crowded marketplace. Manufactured by STM, a maker of quality, durable bags, the Tracer Deluxe combines a traditional pen at one end with a rubber tip at the other. The idea is you simply flip the pen to use either way, one less accessory to carry around with you.
The Tracer Deluxe comes in a choice of black or black and silver and both options are attractive on the eye, with a build and nice weight that suggests it won't fall apart after a few weeks use. As a traditional pen it's a few steps up from your everyday biro and feels comfortable in hand over extended use. The rubberised tip end for your iPad, iPhone and the like is soft yet responsive and appears to accurately interact with any touch screen.
STM have additionally found space to include both black and red cartridges, available with a twist of the barrel and tiny screwdriver and a potentially useful SIM card ejector pin. These sit neatly under the detachable stylus tip, which pops a little too easily for our liking, and would have preferred a more secure, screw type cap.
Although it took us a while to work out how to pull apart the pen without breaking it, the Tracer Deluxe thankfully does allow users to replace the black and red ink cartridges. Where you find replacements is a good question though, as they don't appear to be available on the STM website. For the best part of £25, you might have hoped STM had included spares as part of the deal.
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