If you’re any kind of journalist, you text a lot by smartphone.  Unfortunately, thumbs are a very 
poor way to text - and the styluses sold by the phone company are both poor and expensive, 
while Wal-Mart’s inexpensive ones are poor.  While you occasionally run across giveaway 
combination ballpoint/styluses, they really don’t work well for texting - and the pen filler is hard 
if not impossible to replace.
   Fortunately, Cross (of mid-price ballpoint fame) makes a combination ballpoint/stylus - and it 
is absolutely great.  The pen extends and retracts by Cross’ familiar twist mechanism.  The stylus 
is always exposed on the other end of the pen (photo below).  Retail is between $13 and $30, 
depending on where you see it; at big-box office supply places, about $30.  It’s available in a 
choice of finishes - and doesn’t look cheap.
   The filler is easily replaceable - as typical of Cross ballpoints - with the filler sold widely in 
the office-supply stores.
   It’s great for texting.  The stylus end is small enough - unlike the phone-company and Wally 
World ones with too-big tips.  And it’s firm - easy to text without errors.

Stylus end of Cross’ combination stylus/ballpoint.