When I attended the SharePoint Connections conference in Las Vegas last November, the conference materials included a pen that had a ballpoint pen on one end and a highlighter on the other. When I got home, I placed it on my nightstand and started using it in my morning reading–I typically spend the first 30-45 minutes of my day reading and studying scripture and personal development books. It was nice to have both of these writing utensils in one stick.

The highlighter end didn’t last very long, so I went out in search of a replacement. I was looking for a better quality version of the same thing, but something else caught my eye–the Bic Duo. I thought I would give it a try, but initially expected that I wouldn’t like it very well. I very quickly fell in love with it though. It’s extremely convenient and I find myself carrying it with me and using it for more than just my morning studies.

The Bic Duo is a standard ballpoint pen, with a twist–literally. When you twist the shaft, a highlighter protrudes over the ballpoint tip. Simply twist it back the other way to retract it.

If you frequently mark up the printed material that you read, you will find it quite wrthwhile to invest in a Bic Duo. They are a little more expensive than I expected, but well worth it. If you buy your Bic Duo from Amazon, they will run you $20.09 for 6 (which is $3.45 each). They seem to be in the $3.50-$4.00 range if you buy them individually at your local Wal-Mart or Office Depot. Amazon also caries a 24-pack of highlighter refills for $22.01.

If you try one, let me know what you think in the comments!