(1) A pen-shaped instrument that is used to "draw" images or select from menus. Styli (the plural of stylus, pronounced "sty-lye") come with handheld devices that have touch screens, such as PDAs and video games. Some desktop computers also offer touch screens and styli.

(2) The needle part of a phonograph cartridge, which typically contains a diamond tip. The stylus rides in the grooves of the phonograph record, picking up the vibrations carved into the vinyl, and is attached to a cantilever arm with a magnet or coils at the other end (see phono cartridge). A wide variety of cartridge styles has been used over the years, and there is a huge number of replacement styli available on the market. For more information, visit Jerry Raskin's Needle Doctor at www.needledoctor.com.