Anyone use a stylus?

[Sviatapolk]

I ordered a stylus thinking it would make using iannotate more pleasant. I got the BoxWave Capacitive iPad Stylus with the large rubber tip, but it really sucks. It seems way inaccurate when I try to write with it and it makes a squeaking sound. I have a feeling the squeaky sound is due to the plastic screen cover I put on the device.

Do any of you use a stylus and is there one that you'd recommend?

 

[Jake18oly]

I use a Targus stylus purchased from Best Buy. It has actually exceeded my expectations. I use two apps with it primarily penultimate and writepad for iPad. Penultimate is great for jotting down quick notes and write allows for handwriting to text. As far as noises I have no issues whatsoever. The rubber tip glides smoothly over the screen surface. I don't have a screen protector though so that may be your issue.

 

[epb]

I've got a stylus and I get no squeaking; also no screen protector.

 

[Maryelens]

I have 3 different stylus, and the one from POGO is the best. The others seem to "skip"during use, or take a couple of taps to get a connection with the screen.

 

[kc2ped]

I have a RADtech stylus. I don't particularly like it and rarely use it. The sponge writing tip is flat so you pretty much have to hold it vertically to write with it. You can get it to work holding it angled like a normal pen but you have to hold it in one place for a while before the iPad realizes it is there. The stylus tip doesn't hide as much of the screen as your finger tip does, but since you are holding it vertically your hand hides much more. I think it would be better if the tip was rounded or conical so you can use it at an angle but suspect that there isn't enough surface in contact with the screen for it to recognize the stylus.

 

[joephoto]

I use a pogo sketch for drawing apps like sketchbook pro and brushes. One of the reasons I wanted the iPad to to use it as a mobile sketch book. The pogo sketch works well for drawing, painting and writing but I don't find myself using it for general navigation or anything like that.

 

[Sviatapolk]

So nobody actually has a screen protector? I'm trying to diagnose the squeak.

The stylus doesn't squeak on my palm pre plus phone surface. But I don't want to shell out $20 for the targus stylus if I'm going to have the same issue.

 

[boaterbob]

I bought a 'Stylus Touch Pen with Two Heads' P/N CNT-52 from Cellular Factory.com and it's already in in the trash can. Had to really tap firmly (didn't like doing that) or press quite hard to get it to work - if it actually worked at all - most of the time it didn't. But, for $2.39 w/shipping, I guess I got what I paid for.

 

[DavidNM]

I have a pogo and don't like it. Have to press too hard.

 

[iPad-Sweden]

Nopp, om using an iPad, not à Windows mobile based tablet with tiny buttons.

Just kidding, have made it so far without one, maybe someday.

 

[texaslonghorn]

I have a Chitek Super Nano screen protector and I use homemade styli. The commercial styli I have tried and/or read about don't work for my writing style - they tend to require lots of downward pressure and have a fat bulky tip. I don't get any squeaking. I suspect if you have a stylus with a rubber tip that you are using right on the glass, that is the source of squeaking. If you like the stylus you have, a screen protector will likely eliminate the squeak. The Chitek is too soft for my liking and I will be trying a different type soon.

 

[Sviatapolk]

I have a Chitek Super Nano screen protector and I use homemade styli. The commercial styli I have tried and/or read about don't work for my writing style - they tend to require lots of downward pressure and have a fat bulky tip. I don't get any squeaking. I suspect if you have a stylus with a rubber tip that you are using right on the glass, that is the source of squeaking. If you like the stylus you have, a screen protector will likely eliminate the squeak. The Chitek is too soft for my liking and I will be trying a different type soon.

It squeaks with the screen protector. And right I don't like it because I need to push too hard and the tip is too wide. What do you use for a homemade stylus? Thinking back to my windows mobile pdas from years ago, I don't see why those hard plastic pointy styluses wouldn't work.

 

[texaslonghorn]

A hard plastic pointy stylus won't work because the iPad touch screen is a completely different technology. An iPad stylus must be a capacitive stylus. If you are interested in making your own stylus, check out the DIY topic here in the Forum and that will give you many suggestions. You can also Google it.

 

[Diane B]

I have a Pogo and use it for writing and a bit of use in drawing app. Works fine, no sound but I don't have a protector. Mine, in Smartnote, writes smoothly. In all I set the size for very small/narrow and it writes quite like a ballpoint on paper IMO.

 

[Protegeone]

I use a HTC stylus, which actually works fine and yes, I have a screen protector on my iPad. No squeks so far.

I mainly use it with Penultimate to jot down notes.