Zac Zuo

A story about a small, obsessive detail in the AI pen's charging case.

Here’s the story behind a small detail in the @Flowtica Scribe's charging case. You don't often see "rapid iteration" with hardware, but the core principle of obsessing over the little things is universal.

A simple realization sparked this feature: since the Flowtica Scribe is a real pen, users will face that classic moment of "ink anxiety." A spare refill is essential, not just for practical needs, but for peace of mind. During development, dozens of refills were used, which reconnected the team with the simple joy of pen-on-paper writing.

This led to the idea for a small refill holder inside the case. The first design was very simple—just a pass-through stitched sleeve (the left side in pics above). But holding the sample, the quality didn't feel right, and the exposed pen tip wasn't elegant.

The design was then refined with our manufacturing partner to create a version with a fully sealed stitch (the right side in pics above). Holding the final version was a "wow" moment. That premium, finished feel was exactly the experience intended for users.

A good feature should be more than just useful, it needs to be elegant and delightful when you discover it. A useful product isn't always a great product, but an elegant solution is. That's the standard every product team should aim for.

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Juan Secchi

It looks much better and it's cool that you provide a refill; it's more sustainable! Is the refill cartridge specific to the pen or is it universal?

Zac Zuo

@juan That's a great question, Juan!

The refill is based on a standard Cross-style specification, but it's custom-made for us in terms of length.

In the early design phase, we tested a lot of off-the-shelf refills, but they were all too long. Using them would have made the entire pen longer and compromised the ergonomics and feel in the hand—a trade-off we weren't willing to make.

To ensure it lasts, we found a very durable ink, a single 0.5mm ballpoint refill can write for 400 meters. We also include an extra pack of five refills in the box to help ease that "writing anxiety"!

Juan Secchi

@zaczuo ah even cooler then! I really want to test it soon! cheers again on such a cool product

Nika

To be honest, my main concern (before receiving the pen) was: How do I swap inks? :D

Zac Zuo

@busmark_w_nika Haha, you're right. Maybe this is our chance to push the industry for a new refill standard for the AI pen era. :)

Julian Lloyd

This is such a great reminder that small, almost invisible touches can transform the entire perception of quality. You didn’t just solve a problem, you made it feel luxurious

Zac Zuo

@julian_lloyd Glad you like it!🫶