I've been using a NiMh Makita 14.4 for all kinds of stuff for a few years now. I haven't found a dedicated nose, but I haven't looked, either. I might have to do that now...
They are incredibly torquey. And some folks really hate the noise. But I find that with a little practice, they can be pretty easily controlled. I also think they cam out a lot less, which, long-term, makes for easier screw-driving. Once in a while I'll use a drill for a long screw, and forget that I have to push the drill into the screw, and end up camming out and sripping the screw. They can break a screw head off, if you monkey-grip the trigger. If you have any finesse with your trigger finger, I don't think it's really a problem. It's been a year or more since I've broken a screw with the impact. I have broken them with my C12 and T15 though.
I've also found a decent set of hex shank drill bits that will allow the bit to be changed, and I use these pretty regularly with the impact, when I don't have my T15 in arm's reach. I worked at a boatyard over the summer, and found I wasn't the only one with this idea. Couple of guys had the lil 10.8/ 12Vmax impacts, and used them with hex shank bits, because it worked well enough, and because the baby impacts are easier to get into tight spots. Fair point, considering that even the T15 has the battery hanging off of the end of the handle, and the new 10.8 Li batteries don't. The motor housings are roughly the same size, though.
I'm more neanderthal than most, I guess. I don't mind if the screw goes in just below the surface, once in a while. It's just going to get skimmed over anyway... but I don't hang a lot of drywall, either.
