Sometimes it takes a while before a product goes from trade-show floor to in-store shopping and the Adonit Jot series of stylus’ for your iPad fits that bill. I saw the Jot back at CES in Las Vegas in January 2012 and was impressed. Now, the full range is available in Australia and EFTM has checked out each and every one of them for you.
Back in 2012 I described the Jot stylus as “the bees knees of pens for iPad” – and that sill stands today. The reason I call it a pen is because you really feel like this is a pen in your hand not one of those dodgy “fake fingers” you’ll find on sale in most retailers as a “stylus”
The point of these accessories is to allow you to emulate the normal “human input” method we’ve been using for all our lives. The problem with the traditional stylus is that it doesn’t have a “tip” like a pen – it’s got a tip more like your pinky finger.
Adonit have a whole range of options from simple yet effective right up to high-tech. They work on all good tablets and touch-screen laptops including Windows and Android – and there is little doubt that’s a growing market!
Adonit Jot
Jot Classic
Adonit Jot Classic
Like all the “Jot” pens, the cap on this stylus also screws onto the other end once you remove it so you’ll never misplace the cap. The Classic is a good solid metal feel, and that cap serves to protect the fine tip which is crucial to the entire range when it’s not in use.
Available in Green, Purple, Turquoise and Red.
RRP: $24.99
Jot Mini
Adonit Jot Mini
If you do find carrying a full size “pen” a chore – which is how the “Classic” feels – perhaps the mini will suit you more. It’s everything the classic is, just smaller – and with a built in pocket clip.
RRP: $29.99
Jot Pro
Adonit Jot Pro
Here’s where things get serious. The Jot Pro has a sound dampening tip – which tries to simulate better the normal pen-to-paper contact giving you a s smooth stroke across the screen. There is a noticeable difference to the sister pen the classic making it well worth the extra $15.
Additionally the Pro also has a rubber grip making extended use a bit more comfortable.
And get this for thinking – relying on the magnets built into the iPad for features like SmartCover, the Jot Pro will actually attach to your iPad as you move about.
RRP: $39.95
Jot Flip
Adonit Jot Flip
Next up, the Jot Flip – imagine the Pro, but on the top end of the stylus isn’t just a place to store the cap that normally covers your fine stylus tip – it’s also a twist-out pen for every-day writing on that old-school paper people keep putting in front of you.
While very useful, and not unique, the pen-tip is actually so fine it really doesn’t feel natural to use it. It works as instructed and comes in handy on occasion it’s just not what I would rely on for as my daily writer.
RRP: $44.99
Jot Touch 4
Adonit Jot Touch
Here’s where things really pick up a gear. The Formula One of iPad Stylus’. Adonit’s Jot Touch.
Take the best of all the other Jot models, the aluminium body, the rubberised grip, the fine point of contact with your screen, and add technology. Batteries, Buttons, a little light.. and Bluetooth 4.0.
With Bluetooth on board the pen can “talk” to your iPad, delivering over 2,000 levels of pressure sensitivity for almost natural looking lines on-screen.
Palm rejection
On selected apps which interact and understand the Jot Touch specifically, you can rest your palm on the iPad screen and still write almost as normal like you would with pen and paper. It does only work in selected apps, however in those apps – such as high-end drawing apps, you really do need that feature so it’s a no-brainer for artists and designers.
This feature does rely entirely on Bluetooth 4.0 so you will need an iPad with Retina or iPad mini to get it working.
Some of the iOS apps that currently support Palm Rejection with the Jot Touch 4.0 are:
-
Good Notes
-
PDF Pen
-
Zen Brush
-
Pro Create
More coming and more listed at the Adonit website
Pressure sensitivity
With the pen communicating to your device it can help determine just how hard you are pushing allowing an adjustment to the brush stroke on-screen. It’s not a feature that is easy to replicate, and again has limited availability – but, it’s a great feature nonetheless
Bluetooth 4.0
With Bluetooth 4.0 you have constant communication between your pen and the paper – or in this case stylus and iPad. This means battery use. Fortunately Bluetooth 4.0 is super efficient with power use so charging is rare.
What’s super cool about this Bluetooth connectivity is that you don’t need to jump into your settings and pair the device, you simply need to flick a switch within the compatible iOS apps.
Shortcut Buttons
Up front on your grip you have several buttons which allow you to set features in individual (compatible) apps. I found this very handy in drawing apps for things like Undo or new-layer functions.
USB Charger
Adonit Jot Touch USB Charger
Most of all, with a battery operated device you need to have suitable charging options. There is no AAA or AA battery in this stylus, instead there is a very nifty USB charger. The USB slides into the side of your PC, and pointing out is a small silver stand – looking very much like a USB Thumb drive. The Adonit Jot Touch simply stands in the charger and is held in place with magnets to charge away – it’s a fantastic feature.
RRP: $119.99
Overall, these are all great stylus options. Each of them have their place in the market, but in reality for the user looking for a genuine option for writing/drawing on the iPad you can’t go past the Pro or Touch.
Pro will take you miles ahead of those crappy rubber tipped stylus’, while the Touch will blow your mind and change your perceptions of what a Stylus can be for an iPad.
