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Lots of people buy iPads under the mistaken assumption that they can scribble notes on them, much like they would on a legal pad.
However, because the tablet employs a capacative touch screen, you can’t just grab your old plastic PalmPilot stylus and start writing. You need a special pen, one with a conductive tip that mimics your fingertip.
Many moons ago I wrote about the Pogo Sketch and Pogo Stylus, both of which work well enough but feel thin and lightweight. If you’re looking for something a little more substantial, a little more business-class, check out the Brvsh Tablet Stylus.
Available in either a chrome or gunmetal finish, the Brvsh has the solid heft and feel of an executive’s pen. It features a clicking tip-retraction button up top, a pocket clip on the side, and a triangular barrel that keeps it from rolling (and makes for a more comfortable grip, IMHO).
Unlike the Pogo products, which have rounded, bristly tips, the Brvsh employs, well, a brush. In fact, using this stylus feels like using a paintbrush–which, I must admit, seems a little weird at first. You don’t get the same solid, tactile feedback that comes from putting a pen to paper (or even a plastic stylus to PalmPilot screen).
Instead, the Brvsh feels mushy, and therefore doesn’t work terribly well for taking notes. However, it’s an ideal choice for creating art. I tried it with a handful of iPad painting apps and found it very comfortable and natural. (It did, however, make me long for a pressure-sensitive screen, which the iPad lacks.) I’m not saying you can’t take notes with the Brvsh, only that it seems better-suited to drawing, painting, and the like.
The Brvsh sells for $26.95, plus about $4.50 for shipping. That’s about twice the price of a Pogo Stylus, but probably worth it if you’re in the market for an art-friendly, heavy-duty pen for your iPad.
Bonus item: Remember Tales2Go, the excellent app that streams kids’ audiobooks to your iPhone? A one-year subscription normally costs $24.99, but for the next couple days you can score one for just $12. That’s a buck a month! Too good to pass up. Note: the deal is for new subscribers only.
