Image courtesy of Adonit
I’ve now spent a couple of weeks with the Jot Pro stylus and like it a lot – enough to get rid of the other styli I’ve collected over the past year and a half or so since the iPad first came out. It offers more precision than the other rounded-rubber-thing tipped styli currently on the market. And it has an ingenious hidden feature: a magnet that lets you attach it temporarily to your iPad 2 to prevent it from rolling way if you need to take a break from writing for a few moments.
The Jot Pro’s tip is metal with a clear plastic disc over it. You can see where you’re writing more easily and it writes very smoothly, feeling almost like you’re using a pen on paper.
My detailed review is now up on YouTube – it’s embedded here after the break.
- BoxWave Capacitive Stylus – a small, plain stylus with a removable tether that can be inserted into the iPad’s microphone jack
- Hard Candy Cases iPad stylus – a pen/stylus combo that looks slick but isn’t great (when you take off one cap, it won’t snap onto the other side for temporary storage and the damn thing will roll away from you faster than you can spit.)
- Just Mobile’s AluPen – a fat and therefore easy-to-grip stylus that’s cute in a grown-up crayon kind of way.
As I mentioned in the video, I plan to sell these (with the exception of the Hard Candy stylus, which I like to keep in my purse) since the Jot Pro beats them all.
I’m using an SGP Ultra Optics anti-glare screen protector on my iPad 2 which works great with all the styli I’ve used, including the Jot Pro. The iPad app shown is Note Taker HD, one of my favorite apps for taking handwritten notes.
Pros for the Jot Pro stylus
- Offers more precision than other styli on the market
- Feels almost like using a ballpoint pen on paper
- Hidden magnet is a great addition
Cons
- None!
Well, the price may put off casual users but it’s a good deal for students and/or businesspeople who take a lot of notes.
Feel free to send me any questions using this contact form. The Jot Pro retails for $29.99 from Adonit.net (affiliate link).
Hi Marianne, loved your review! I got a jot a few days ago but it does not work as well for me. I find I have to push pretty hard before it makes any marks. I am afraid to push it against the screen too hard. Do you find that you have to use a fair amount of force to make it work?
Csaba,
Thanks! I’m glad you liked it!
I don’t have to push hard at all before my iPad recognizes the Jot Pro. Do you have a screen protector on your iPad? Adonit has noted that they have heard of many users having problems with glossy screen protectors installed here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/531383637/jot-capacitive-touch-stylus/posts/115013?page=2
The screen protector I use is matte and I don’t have these problems.
If that’s not it, does your iPad also have trouble registered your finger touches or other styli?
Thanks Marianne. I’ve contacted customer support and they also told me I should not use any pressure. I do not use a screen protector.
Adonit were very nice, and they will send me a new disc. Hope I have more luck then!
Marianne, I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to produce your review. What I found MOST helpful was that you not only shared your experience with the Jot Pro, but you explained the precise environment under which you tested. So often, reviewers fail to provide such details. I’ve been using Notetaker HD for a while, and would have been VERY disappointed at the Jot Pro’s performance without this screen protector. I’d decided not to use a screen protector until now; my Switcheasy cover had been protection enough for more than a year. I did test the Jot Pro in NTHD before installing the screen protector, and I can attest that the protector makes all the difference. I LOVE THIS COMBINATION!
Thanks again!