What I want is a device that feels more natural and precise than my fingers or a stylus. I’m not expecting something as good as my Cintiq, but I do want something better that feels natural. It needs to work with most apps I currently use (Procreate, Sketchbook Pro, and Animation Creator HD), have a decent battery life and be easy to connect. I don’t want to be charging, changing batteries and waiting for a device to sync when I see a wonderful pose. This thing needs to be as accessible as my pen and pad in order for me to actually use it, otherwise there will be too many barriers for me to bother.
It looks like there are 4 pressure sensitive styluses (or styli) of choice available at the moment. Each feature possesses different looks and abilities making no device the same. They are roughly around the same price mark, $80-$100 but all have varying features and limitations. The 4 devices I’m looking at are Andoit Jot Touch, Pogo Connect, JaJa and Pressure Pen. Some of these caught my eye when Kickstarter campaigns began to fund these devices. I was too slow off the mark to fund the initial 2 devices, Jot Touch and Jaja, but I did manage to get in and pitch some money towards the Pressure Pen: an open source hardware pressure pen which connects via the microphone jack on Android and iOS devices.
I put in all the details I could find about the 4 devices in the below table trying to work out the benefits and limitations of each device.
| Ja Ja | Pogo Connect | Jot Touch | PressurePen | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wireless | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Pressure Levels | 1024 | "Hundreds" | 256 | 1000+ |
| Buttons | 2 | 1 | 2 | - |
| Apps Supported (pressure sensitive and full version apps) | 6 | 16 | 13 | unknown |
| Nib Type | Jot style clear disc | Magnetic Replicable Rubber nib | Jot style clear disc | Rubber nib |
| Battery Life | 40-80 hrs | "Months" | 12 Hrs | NA |
| Battery Type | 1x AAA | 1x AAA | Rechargeable - with included USB charger | 1x AAA |
| Cost | $89.99 | $79.95 | $99.99 | $60.00 |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth | Bluetooth 4.0 | Bluetooth 2.0 | Wired headphone Jack |
| Animation App? | 0 | Flipbook | Animation Desk | 0 |
| Extras | works in airplane mode? | Free tracker app and LED light reflects paint colour - device always on | USB Charger | Open Source Hardware - Android support - Cheap option with no case (3D printable) |
I started looking at the benefits of each product. The JaJa and Pressure Pen claim high levels of pressure control of 1000+ pressure levels. This sounded appealing due to my desire for precision. Whereas the Pogo Connect and Jot Touch are limited to hundreds of levels. The different nibs on each device also claim to affect the sense of precision and control. Both the JaJa and Jot Touch have a clear transparent disk claiming greater precision. The Pogo Connect and Pressure Pen both rely on a rubber nib similar to the Wacom Bamboo stylus I currently own. Additional physical buttons began to seem important, simply click to undo or access menus. The JaJa and Jot boast two buttons, whilst the Pogo is limited to one and the Pressure pen has none.
Software support is another major deciding factor. The Jot Touch and Pogo Connect boast 10+ apps both including an animation application. The JaJa is limited to 6 apps currently, but include the essential Sketch Book Pro and Procreate but no animation apps. The pressure pen is still desperately seeking support, with no confirmed app support announced beyond the initial testing application, but due to its openness is likely to come. Unfortunately after contacting Procreate, they've informed they don’t intend on supporting the Pressure Pen.
The other important barrier is battery life. I really don’t want to be scrambling for batteries or a charger in order to draw. The Jot Touch is limited to 12hrs with a rechargeable battery (charger included). The battery life is better with the JaJa boasting 40-80 hrs from a single and accessible AAA battery. Most impressive is the Pogo Connect claiming 'months' of charge off a single AAA thanks to its unique no moving parts design and use of Bluetooth 4.0. The Pogo Connect doesn't even require an on and off button. Simply pull it out, connect and draw. The pressure pen uses an AAA battery too but I've been unable to find out accurate charge details.
All of these come with some unique benefits and perks. The most interesting are with the Pogo Connect, although limited to one button, it does contain an intriguing LED light. This light mirrors the colour you're painting with on screen, digitally recreating the sense of coloured paint on the end of an artist's brush. It also included a downloadable 'Alien' style tracker app to help find the stylus when missing.
Given the variety of models available I thought it was going to be a tough decision to pick and purchase one of these. Ultimately it was a choice of practicality. The Pogo Connect's battery life and not needing to turn it on and off made it the best choice. The fact I can simply pull it out and use it as I need without being concerned by battery life or switching it on removed any limitations in usability. The app support was the best for the Pogo too, giving me the impression of a wider community and ongoing product support.
The deli of devices was varied with each meat tasting slightly different. The best tasting was the Pogo Connect which concentrated on app support and practicalities. The additional features such as the colour sensitive LED light, extra apps and continual support made it stand out. I've placed my order for this juicy morsel and hope it lives up to the expectation of being a delicious addition to my digital workflow. Keep an eye out for my review and some examples soon!
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