Thanks for the suggestions, adding the Paperlike to the cart now. I'm actually thinking of getting a bootleg pencil - $120 seems pretty rich for a stylus (and my daughter's generic works great for her)
Skip on the bootleg pencils. I've tried a handful & they're all junk lol. The basic categories are:
1. Non-powered pen
like this one. They either have a little touch nub or disc with a smaller nub, which simulates a finger touch. Pretty basic.
2. Rechargeable pens
like this one. Note that the Bluetooth ones don't actually connected to iOS. And you have to keep them charged up. If you just want a basic no-frills pen to replace your finger for certain drawing activities, like document annotation, just get a $9 non-powered nub version. Some of these active-capacitive models have a little clear plastic disc so you can see where you're drawing better. The
newer ones have gotten a bit better with stuff like palm rejection & supposedly no lag for under $25.
3. Apple-certified pencils. They are typically missing features, like the
Logitech Crayon, which is missing pressure sensitivity & gestures. Like, the Zagg Pro Stylus is nice & has stuff like palm rejection & tilt recognition, but it's missing pressure sensitivity & gestures, and you're still paying $50+ for it. Which isn't bad if that's all you want in a pen, but for a little bit more cash, you can get ALL the features that Apple's pens offer. Adonit has
some really interesting pens, although the Pixel pro is $85 & the Apple Pencil 1.0 is like ten bucks more. Plus the Adonit pens, while they work with a lot of applications, don't work fully-featured with all applications, because
the apps have to support their implementation of palm rejection, pressure sensitivity, tilt support, & the shortcut buttons.
4. Apple Pencil 1.0. Requires charging via a Lighting plug, which the iPad 11 doesn't have (USB-C). They do sell docks. My wife has this setup (with just the basic $329 Walmart iPad) & for what she uses it for, it's great!
5. Apple Pencil 2.0. Charges wirelessly via a magnetic connection on the long side of the iPad. No charging plug cap to lose. Flat on one side so it doesn't roll off the table. This is the refined version of the 1.0 version. I have a rubbery grip on mine (imo the Pencil 1.0 is easier to hold). It has a tap control on the side, but it's annoying to use so I never use it. It's $30 more than the Pencil 1.0 on Amazon, but I'd say it's worth it. You're paying extra for convenience for the most part (charging + flat-side), but you get all of the features (pressure sensitivity, wireless automatic pairing, wireless magnetic charging, no Lightning plug to break or cap to lose or charging dock to buy, flat on one side so it doesn't roll off, gestures, etc.). But at $125 on Amazon, it's also pretty ridiculously expensive for just a pen. If you're not going to use the artistic features like pressure sensitivity, then a cheaper pen will do the trick just fine, although for most of them you'll have to remember to use their charging solution (dock, USB-C, etc.) rather than just letting it stick magnetically to the side of the iPad.
More reading & a video here if you want to deep-dive:
www.parkablogs.com
So to recap, the full feature set is:
1. Flat side so the pen doesn't roll away
2. Magnetic charging docking on the side of the iPad
3. Wireless pairing (it detects it via Bluetooth when connected to the magnetic dock)
4. Palm rejection
5. Tilt recognition (this can vary the line on cheaper pens)
6. Gestures (programmable tap)
7. Pressure sensitivity (push harder = more "ink" comes out)
Some of the third-party ones have some pretty nice features, like the upcoming
Adonit Vocal has a wireless microphone in it, which is super cool for streaming, lectures, presentations, taking verbal notes, etc., although it lacks pressure sensitivity (but it also works on an iPhone!). Then there are others that have pressure sensitivity, like the
Bamboo Sketch, which pairs via Bluetooth, but have to be charged up via a USB port & are only compatible with certain apps (but is missing full functionality in drawing apps like Procreate). So there are tradeoffs. For the money, I sprung for the Pencil 2.0 & got a NimbleGrip pen grip, which is really great:
So, there are a few accessories to consider...a good case, a nice screen protector, a pen & grip, as well as making sure you have chargers everywhere. I also use my iPad as a secondary display everywhere I go, so I have a few of these heavy-duty mobile-arm stands: (comes in white or black)
Like, I have one in my kitchen, so I can pull up recipes & move it around with my depending on where I need it at. When I'm in WFH mode, it's handy to use as a customer heads-up dashboard on my couch or next to my computer. I also use it at the dinner table for family scheduling. You can use Bluetooth mice with iPads now, so it's sort of like a mini computer. I use this fold-up Bluetooth keyboard, on which I can type 90% as fast as a regular keyboard, surprisingly:
Downside is you have to basically glue the metal ring for the mobile-arm onto the back of your iPad (alternatively, you can attach it to the case inside if you want, such as the inside of the case so that it's hidden). Anyway, I've got a handful of accessories for it to extend the usefulness of the device in my life. It's added up to quite a bit of an investment, but it's so instantly useable & I don't have to pull out a laptop or anything so it's really really nice! Ten+ years ago, I bought the first iPad & was disappointed in it, as it was more of a bother to use, especially in my night classes at the time, but the current generation, with the improved hardware, accessories, and app-driven ecosystem, are super fantastic! You're gonna love it! Also Pinterest is ridiculously great on a larger screen lol.
Facebook
Twitter