A stylus?

 

Really?

 

Of all the comments made out loud during the Super Bowl, this one got the most laughs. Other moments came close: Elton John in platform boots, Flava Flav, dogs in sneakers and fetching beers, Madonna almost falling. But the stylus? Peddled by a retro band, no less? Everyone caught a case of the nerd chuckles.

 

Well, you can't fault Samsung for taking a risk. The new Samsung Note does indeed come with a stylus. This throwback to the days of PalmPilots isn't necessary for the Note to function, but it is the centerpiece of the sales pitch for this tablet.

 

I saw a number of mocking tweets after the commercial aired:

 

 

I wanted to join in. But as it turns out, Samsung might actually have a shot at making the stylus cool again. You see, in its first go-round (as I understand it), the stylus simply served as a more effective finger because touchpads were so, well, insensitive. This time around, the stylus works as a literal digital pen, allowing the user to scribble on presentations and photos, create drawings, or simply take notes.

 

Hmmm...that might be cool.

 

What do you think? Can Samsung bring the stylus back?