Registered: Nov 1999
Location:
Posts: 145

Nice alliteration. This old topic again! Many people, including those at Handspring have difficulty scratching their screen with the standard stylus. So much the better!

I've seen posts where new users say that the stylus looks totally smooth. However upon arrival, I closely inspected mine, and after thinking it was perfect, still managed to do a number on the digitizer! I felt so stupid, being "informed" by the BB posts, but still damaging the device!

It's simple. There's a barely noticeable ring a few millimeters from the tip of the stylus which should NORMALLY not come into contact with the screen when held vertically, or a few degrees from perpendicular. I believe this ridge can vary in size but will always be there as it appears part of the molding process.

To scratch the screen, simply hold the stylus practically horizontal, on the same plane as the handheld, as if you are left hander trying to get at the scroll bar on the right and are trying not to block the screen with your hand at the same time. The ridge will now etch your last Giraffe game or personalized monogramme permanently into the silkscreen.

Solutions: (mix and match)
- become ambidextrous
- get a longer stylus
- install LeftHack
- hold your stylus mostly vertically and content yourself looking at the screen at an angle
- install CalcBtn DA launcher or anything else that can launch Graffiti help in one tap, avoiding the Freddy Krueger screen stroke originated by Robertl1
- just plain stop holding your stylus that way I hold a chopstick when I eat Chinese noodles.
- take advantage and engrave your name and number in Graffiti in case of loss

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Durham, NC
Posts: 78

FWIW, I concur with this analysis.

Freddy Kreuger Scratch. I like that. But I wasn't doing anything related to Grafiti help. Is there a special gesture to pull that up? I was doing the shutdown stroke (bottom of screen to top of screen swipe turns off Visor).

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 29

robertl1 said:

But I wasn't doing anything related to Grafiti help. Is there a special gesture to pull that up? I was doing the shutdown stroke (bottom of screen to top of screen swipe turns off Visor).[/B][/QUOTE]

The upstroke (from Graffiti area) can be set to do different functions. Go to Prefs, Buttons, Pen, and choose from what's offered.