The Pen is Mightier Than the....Mouse?

Tablet computer pens are useful for writing notes and drawing, but they're hardly considered replacements for the humble computer mouse. Microsoft, however, may be trying to change that perception. They recently had a patent approved for an potential upgrade to the pen used with their Surface line of tablets. The new pen has a touch-sensitive retention clip that delivers the functionality of a scroll wheel, something previously lacking in tablet computer pens. According to the patent description, the goal of this new feature is to make the Surface pen a proper alternative to a traditional computer mouse. Only time will tell if the pen ever becomes a widely accepted alternative to the mouse.