X41T digitizer/pen questions

[beq]

Some perhaps silly questions on the digitizer screen and pen:

1) Are there any tips/tricks on how to best calibrate the digitizer (in both landscape and portrait modes)? I find that optimizing the accuracy for a certain tilt angle of the pen makes it more inaccurate if you use the pen at other angles. And also different edges/corners of the screen seem to have different bias in accuracy (kinda hard to explain).

2) How do you know when the tip of the digitizer pen is worn out and needs to be swapped out for one of the bundled replacement tips?

3) Will Lenovo/IBM offer different-featured pens, which can still fit in the pen slot? For example, ones with different configurations of side buttons and eraser tips.

4) Can we use any digitizer pen like those from Wacom (even if they might not fit in the pen slot)?

5) How many pressure levels are supported by the X41T digitizer's variable pressure sensitivity? Is this the same for all Tablet PCs so far? IIRC Wacom advertises different number of pressure levels (and even models that sense the tilt angle of some of their pens).

6) Can you change the function in Windows of the two side buttons on the pen (from right-click and erase)?

7) What's the best way to hold the pen? With your thumb resting on the side buttons, or your index finger?

[Yotam]

2) How do you know when the tip of the digitizer pen is worn out and needs to be swapped out for one of the bundled replacement tips?
I think that when your tip is broken or it is scratching the screen, it is (already) the time to replace it.

5) How many pressure levels are supported by the X41T digitizer's variable pressure sensitivity? Is this the same for all Tablet PCs so far? IIRC Wacom advertises different number of pressure levels (and even models that sense the tilt angle of some of their pens).
The X41T pen does have some levels of sensitivity, and you can see it , for example, when drawingwith Ink Art. If you use the pencil, you can see that it reflects to the pressure on the pen (and not the time you wait with the pen at the same place).

7) What's the best way to hold the pen? With your thumb resting on the side buttons, or your index finger?
Hold it as you hold a pen and rest your hand on the screen. I like to hold it when my index finger is on the buttons.

[beq]

Thanks for the answers. I'm just concerned how often we would need to replace the pen tip, because Lenovo/IBM seems to bundle in A LOT of extra replacement tips But I don't know just how the tip gets worn down -- would it really start to scratch the screen as you say?

I realize the X41T supports multiple pressure levels (I'd played with Ink Art too), I was just wondering how many levels exactly...

Hehe that's strange, I've liked to hold the pen with my thumb on the button, but I can see that the index finger would feel natural too. Hmmmm....

[vhui]

4) Can we use any digitizer pen like those from Wacom (even if they might not fit in the pen slot)?

I think most--if not all--Tablet PC's, are only compatible with "Penabled" pens. (I'm not sure. Someone please correct me if this is wrong.)

I bought a "Wacom Cross Executive Pen for Penabled Tablet PCs" and it works great. Feels a bit thicker & heavier (in my opinion, better) than the X41T's included pen. Also, the Wacom pen's top-side actually has a pressure-sensitive eraser (unlike the X41T's included pen which has two buttons but no eraser tip).

[codek]

is there a protective film you can put on these screens?