The original DS Phat when released came with a thumb piece which was essentially a sorry excuse for a stylus, but apparently it is not quite dead and buried yet as evident by the Thylus. The Thylus is essentially a new take on an old idea, where you strap on this nipple-like device onto your thumb to work your way through touch-intensive games such as Cooking Mama and Nintendogs on the DS. I personally feel it is effective for certain genres only, as software like Elite Beat Agents require a more precise control that can only be provided by a proper stylus.

What makes the Thylus different from its spiritual predecessor would be the availability of its very own docking station. The docking station can be attached to the back of your device, and it won’t get in the way or portability. The only problem would be the residue left behind by the docking station when you switch devices. I strongly recommend you sticking the docking station onto a protective case instead of the device itself.

Bear in mind the Thylus is not a Nintendo DS specific product, which means it works with other devices that use touchscreen functionality such as PDAs, GPS navigation systems, and smartphones. You can pick up the Thylus for $6 each. Does anyone have any real world experience with the Thylus? Is it easy to write down memos on your Palm, or do you require a long learning curve before being proficient at it?

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