iPen for iPad

[jsh1120]

What the detractors don't understand is that it's counter intuitive to draw thin lines with a thick stylus. The contact point for the stylus is 'below' or 'under' the thick, roundish nib and the user's hand-eye coordination suffers because they can't see the stylus actually drawing the line like a real world analog pencil. A precise, sharp point is an absolute must have for an artist to draw thin, precise lines. I'm forty years old and I've spent my entire life working with pencils/pens. When I draw/write I see the point of the pen 'draw' the line, I don't see the line magically appear from underneath a dull, blunt tip that's as big as my finger. Like I already stated, the experience is counter productive, awkward and a pain in the rear end...

I certainly agree that the capacitive screen of the iPad imposes some handicaps on accomplishing what you're suggesting. On the other hand, I think it's inappropriate to characterize all current styluses as equally "thick, roundish" and "dull blunt tip(s) as big as my finger." I use an "Artist" model from iFaraday, for example, and the diameter of the tip is about 1/6th the size of my smallest finger. And after a bit of use, it's easy to determine just where a line is drawn. And if that isn't sufficient to meet one's requirements, the Jot (despite some weaknesses) enables a user to see a precise "point" of contact.

There are several versions of styluses using the technology cited in this thread already on the market. One was recently reviewed here, in fact. I remain skeptical that the approach provides a significant advance over the best of the current crop of (much less expensive and complicated) styluses, but as a workaround for the limitations of the capacitive iPad screen, it may be an adequate solution for some.

As for Apple creating a "viable solution," I think you're simply underestimating the limits of the technology in the iPad screen. There are devices with truly pressure sensitive screens (i.e. Lenovo X220T tablet.) But the cost in terms of both dollars and weight is significant. To overcome the problems you cite with Apple's hardware requires just the sort of add-ons in the form of specialized pens and a powered receiver that the device discussed here adds to the iPad. And frankly, I don't think Apple believes it would attract more than a tiny fraction of consumers.