The new Logitech Pen works great for Chromebooks, if you can get one
If you look at the Chromebook market, it’s chock-full of options with reversible touchscreen displays, many of which include support for stylus input. But as we know, not all stylii are the same, as there are different types that can be used. This has been a battle for years, but the USI standard is one that is being more widely adopted on a regular basis.
Logitech just announced a new USI stylus, dubbed the Logitech Pen, which was designed with touchscreen Chromebooks in mind. There’s a charging port on the end, along with a “comfortable silicone grip” built-in. The Pen itself features a triangular design, which aims to reduce the strain that comes with trying to write for long periods of time that can end up causing discomfort. It also supports up to 4,096 different levels of pressure sensitivity and will last for 15 days on a single charge.
No-pair functionality makes it easy for students to jump in and work, and up to 15 days of regular school use off a full charge lets them keep working. If a student forgets to recharge, they can still get 30 minutes of use with just a 30-second charge. When it’s time to recharge, they can just use the same USB-C cable that comes standard with their Chromebook device.
Perhaps the most useful feature of the Logitech Pen is that you don’t even need to go through any special pairing process to get it working. Take the Pen out of the box, make sure it’s juiced up, and start writing away. Logitech is even offering an optional Pen Loop that will keep your stylus attached to your Chromebook or Chrome OS tablet, without needing to worry about leaving it behind.
As for pricing and availability, the Logitech Pen comes in at a modest $65. But the devil is in the details, as Logitech states this is coming to “education resellers” later this month. Unfortunately, this likely means that you won’t be able to pick one up for yourself from your local big-box electronics store.