APple is spending millions to fix a broke maps project, how about using some of those funds to develop a stylus that can be useful for precision drawing? Now that would be great asset to the user community.
iPad (3rd gen) Wi-Fi, iOS 6
There are plenty of third party styluses available for the iPad. Apple doesn't need to produce one.
Give the Wacom Bamboo stylus a try.
Because Apple is a computer company, not a stylus company. They leave those accessories to third parties.
Note that Apple used to make printers (remember the LaserWriter?). They don't anymore. Why do you suppose that is?
You might have a look at this: http://adonit.net/
First off, the Adonit styluses "look" and "feel" good but don't work well for very long. They have a huge flaw in the design of their tips. You will start to see skipping lines and poor responsiveness starting somewhere between 1 day / 1 month of use.
Best stylus I've four so far is the Go Smart Stylus. Not too dissimilar from the Adonit Jot line up, but a far more workable design. They simply work and they work very well.
I strongly feel that Apple should make a stylus for their own products. Clearly, the product they've made has turned out to be a platform ripe with uses that would be optimized with a proper stylus. 3rd party products have come a long way but something official would make a world of difference. The area of the screen required to register a touch could be reduced in size allowing more precise input devices to be used with their products.
Comparing a stylus to a printer is ridiculous. They don't make cars or coffee makers either. They do however make tablet computing devices which have a slew of art, writing an notes applications, all of which would benefit greatly from an optional, precision input device.
Samsung has done this. And in that their tablet has a stylus is probably the biggest reason and selling point I've heard in why to choose theirs over the iPad. Apple could squash that easily.
Goosekeeper wrote:
First off, the Adonit styluses "look" and "feel" good but don't work well for very long. They have a huge flaw in the design of their tips. You will start to see skipping lines and poor responsiveness starting somewhere between 1 day / 1 month of use.
I've had mine for about 6 months. It's still great.
Lucky you. I've gone thru 5 Jot Pros and 1 Jot Touch. The result is an identical drop in responsiveness and consistency. Not a single one has kept very long. I've tried popular tricks, like using tin foil, and replacement discs. They're all temporary, ultimately ending with the same result.
I'm mot alone. You can see discussions with other frustrated users, experiencing the same exact problems over at Adonit's support site. Here are a few threads:
https://getsatisfaction.com/adonit/topics/jot_sensitivity
Well, of course support sites have complaints from people with problems. That's what they're for. I've never been anywhere near the Adonit site. I'd be willing to bet that most of the other people without problems haven't been there, either. So, it's hardly a representative sample.
I do think the cap comes unscrewed a bit to easily, though. I've almost lost it a couple of times.
Of course it's a representative example. Real people, real Adonit customers having real problems with Adonit's products. Pretty cut and dry. And like you indicated, these are of the few who have visited that site. You will also find blogs and other forums with all kinds of fixes (all temporary) to this same issue, ranging from using different oils or lubricants, using some sort of metallic brake dust and aluminum foil—all in attempt to revive failing Adonit styluses. A product that works well wouldn't require a bunch of insane workarounds.
Glad yours works. Hang onto it.
By definition a representative sample is a random sample of all users. Looking at an Adonit forum will give a skewed sample. Users without problems have no motivation to visit the forum and probably don't even know it exists. Users with problems will search for help and find the forum.
There might be a problem with the longevity of the Adonit stylus but citing Internet finds doesn't really demonstrate that.
I visit that site regularly it maily to discuss another product by another company—their forum. Sure, they have people with problems here and there but I'd say the far, far majority of chatter there consists of either folks discussing ideas to further better the product (new feature ideas) or to give praise.
There is some praise and whatnot on Adonit's forum too, naturally. But there is a considerable number of people, just on that site alone, from all over, who are experiencing the same problem. You can say whatever you want to invalidate that, but it remains the truth.
I said nothing to invalidate that. I simply gave you the definition of a representative sample. Please read posts more carefully.
One of those guys...
I understand what a representative sample is. I don't think one is realistically possible in this case. What is possible is to simply read what others have experienced.
Goosekeeper wrote:
Comparing a stylus to a printer is ridiculous. They don't make cars or coffee makers either. They do however make tablet computing devices which have a slew of art, writing an notes applications, all of which would benefit greatly from an optional, precision input device.
Samsung has done this. And in that their tablet has a stylus is probably the biggest reason and selling point I've heard in why to choose theirs over the iPad. Apple could squash that easily.
I wasn't comparing a stylus to a printer. My point was that as a computer company, Apple doesn't make a lot of computer accessories, much less anything else. About as far as they go is earphones. Samsung, by contrast, makes a lot of stuff including TVs, vacuums, refrigerators, stoves, etc.
This whole thread is really pointless. Apple has never advocated use of a stylus for the iPad, so I believe the chances of them making one are just about zip. If you think they should make one, why not tell them? Blabbing about it here won't get you anywhere.
JimHdk
Using your logic that Apple does not have to develop something to improve the use of their product seems a little weak. By your reasoning, they should have never embarked on developing a Mapping app, because there was a good one already being used by them.
I think that if Apple wants to move their product to more technical users, they should develop products to improve the use. While a stylus is not mapping, it is something that they should try to bring to the market. All the 3 hand products have flaws that make them non usable for precision drawing. Do the Apple engineers use these clunky products to do engineering drawings. I think they would do them on a Mac with a quality stylus.
This comes down to meeting the consumers needs and expectations. So whether there is one customer or ten million that have a need for the product (stylus) Apple should listen. In spite of your "sample community" standing, this is a product that the consumer wants and needs. Personally, I need a reliable stylus to create field drawings. I may need to move my company away from the iPad product to get what I need. I realize that a company like Apple couldnt care less if I move my company, but as identified in this forum, there exits a need that the consumer wants met.
Odpboss
It's been said that the iPad requires a 5MM circle of contact for styluses. which is why they are so blunt. So if the need is there for a more precise stylus, perhaps people need to send Apple feedback, letting them k now your need, and they can then refine the touch interface to make it more precise.
Why can't Apple develop a stylus that functional for precision drawing.
