If you have an iPad, a stylus is a nice accessory to have for apps that let you write or draw on the iPad such as Note Taker HD, Adobe Ideas and Penultimate, or for an app that lets you draw on a PDF file such as GoodReader. A stylus is far more natural than drawing with your finger. I have reviewed four styluses in the past: the BoxWave Capacitive iPad Stylus and the Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Stylus (both reviewed on 12/12/10) and the Kensington Virtuoso Touch Screen Stylus and the BoxWave Capacitive Styra (both reviewed on 3/30/11). Of those four, the Kensington Virtuoso is my current favorite; I like the weight, the length, and the fact that it also includes a regular pen for when you need that. Click here to get the Kensington Virtuoso on Amazon (currently $19.27).
A few days ago, Serenity Caldwell of Macworld reviewed 12 different styluses in this comprehensive post plus a video that goes along with the post. Caldwell likes to draw cartoons, so she was mostly interested in a pen for that task whereas I am most interested in a pen that I can use to take notes (which I suspect will be true for most iPhone J.D. readers). Caldwell likes the Pogo Sketch better than the Kensington Virtuoso because she prefers the foam tip of the Pogo Sketch to the silicone tip used by the Virtuoso and many other models. In this picture, the Pogo Sketch is on the right:
Also, Caldwell thinks that the Virtuoso is too long “for navigation, sketching, or detailed line work.” That may be true for drawing cartoons, but for taking notes I prefer using something the size of a regular pen. Caldwell’s favorite of the bunch is the Wacom Bamboo Stylus for iPad, and she also posted a separate review of that model. I haven’t tried the Wacom model yet, but Caldwell’s review makes it sound pretty good.
Yesterday, New York attorney Patrick DiDomenico posted his own review of five different styluses on the iPad4Legal site. Like me, he thought the Kensington Virtuoso was the best of the bunch. Having said that, and like me, he also did not review the Wacom Bamboo Stylus for iPad (which goes on sale on May 13, 2011).
Click here to get the Kensington Virtuoso on Amazon ($19.27).
Click here to get the Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Stylus on Amazon ($6.85)
Click here to get GoodReader for iPad ($4.99): 
Click here to get Note Taker HD for iPad ($4.99):
Click here to get Penultimate for iPad ($1.99):
Click here to get Adobe Ideas for iPhone or iPad ($5.99):