Keep losing your laptop stylus? Dell might finally have the answer
If you spend $110 on Dell's new stylus — the Premier Rechargeable Active Pen — you should have a better chance of finding it when it slips down the back of the couch.
Dell has teamed up with with Bluetooth-based object tracker Tile for the new stylus, which is the first Windows Inking pen that has built-in finding capability. Microsoft has made inking a priority for Windows-based 2-in-1 laptops.
Users need to open the Tile app for iOS and Android and then press "find" to trigger a buzz and LED light alert to help find it in the darkness where is it hiding.
The Dell Premier Rechargeable Active Pen (PN7522W) has a 40-day battery life and is compatible with Dell's 2-in-1 laptops. It can charge to 80 percent in 20 minutes. As long as the pen is within Bluetooth range, users should be able to easily locate it from the Tile app.
That the Tile chip is built into the Dell pen is an extra convenience and adds to its lineup of devices with built-in Tile finding tech, like FitBit smartwatches and headphones from Skullcandy. Tile recently launched a new Scan and Secure feature to address stalking threats enabled by Apple's similar AirTag tracker.
The stylus also has programmable top and side buttons and attaches to Dell's laptops magnetically.
Beyond inking pens, Tile offers a Windows app in the Microsoft Store that makes newer laptops findable from an Android or iOS device, even when the PC is offline for up to 14 days, according to Tile. The app can also be synced with Alexa and Google Home for easier finding.
Dell has the first Tile-enabled stylus but Tile is also working with chip-maker Intel to bring its technology to Lenovo, MSI and Fujitsu Windows laptops.
Other laptops with Tile's finding tech built-in include Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 laptops, and the newer ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 and the latest ThinkPad T Series. Also available this month are MSI's Summit and Prestige Series laptops with Intel 12th generation CPUs. These come pre-installed with the Tile Windows app.