mag 11

SGP Kuel H12 stylus for iPad review

iPhone No Comments »

SGP Kuel H12 stylus for iPad is one of the best all-around stylus pens on the market

The SGP Kuel H12 takes all the elements of a classic capacitive stylus and knocks each and every one of them out of the park when it comes to build quality and usability. And it has a lower price than it's pro-level competition. So what's the catch?

A classic stylus in every sense of the word. the SGP Kuel H12 is made with a plated brass body and a silicon coated, high polymer tip designed to almost float across the surface of your iPad. From weight to curves, it feels like a high-quality pen, and even twists to retract and protect its capacitive tip.

The SGP Kuel H12 stylus feels like a premium pen, yet is less expensive than it's competition.

The SGP Kuel H12 stylus feels like a premium pen, yet is less expensive than it's competition.

Available in black, white, and sliver, the SGP Kuel H12 stylus doesn't have any special rubberized grip area, but the combination of its shape and its size make it comfortable to use, even for extended periods. While the tip is soft, it doesn't collapse in all the way like some other styli do, which makes it a little easier to use under pressure. It's also fairly sensitive, so touch input registers quickly and overall accuracy is good as well. While some users have complained the material of the tip wears out too quickly, we haven't had any problems with our review units.

When it comes to hand-written note-taking, the SGP Kuel H12 is Mobile Nations' favorite stylus. The folks back at headquarters have a special fondness for styli and have tested them extensively and when they want to write serious notes, for long periods of time, they reach for the H12.

If you're looking for a stylus for long form note-taking, look no further than the SGP Kuel H12

When it comes to gaming, the smooth tip of the SGP Kuel H12 reduces tapping noise considerably, but the overall design can sometimes cover too much of the screen. For art, it's okay for line work but not as good as a hard-tipped stylus. However, it's much better for brush work and other, softer paint-like applications.

The good

  • Excellent for long-form note-taking
  • Feels like a premium pen
  • Incredibly good value for the price

The bad

  • Good but not great for gaming or art

The conclusion

The SGP Kuel H12 is one of the best stylus on the market for note-taking, and is an excellent all around stylus. It looks and feels like a high quality, premium pen. It's not as great for drawing as the Jot Pro, and not quite a sensitive as the Pogo Pro, but given it's low price point and exceptional quality, it's the best bang for your stylus buck.

$19.95 - Buy now



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mag 10

Accept mobile payments with serious style on the go using PayAnywhere

iPhone No Comments »

PayAnywhere is not a new service. They have been around for a while, and process 10 billion dollars annually for hundreds of thousands of businesses already signed up. Now there are no shortage of options when it comes to processing payments on the go. Square has been around for a while, PayPal has introduced their services, and there are various others as well. While many have found comfort in the Square reader, the app itself is very basic and that can limit its appeal. Whether you are looking for a new service to test out, looking for something that offers added features, or just an app that looks better, you'll want to check out PayAnywhere.

So what makes PayAnywhere different? Well, the app is designed with the business user in mind. Receipts are customized with company information, users can input an inventory of items with set pricing to use, and there are a slew of other features as well. Take a beautiful and easy to use app, and then add in the fact that their processing fee is lower than anyone else out there, and it becomes quite enticing.

PayAnywhere is offering their reader for free when you contact them, and if you are in a larger business they'll send you as many readers as you need.

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mag 09

Adonit Jot Pro stylus for iPad review

iPhone No Comments »

The Adonit Jot Pro stylus for iPad is best in class when it comes to high precision, detailed writing and line work

The Adonit Jot Pro is not your regular iPad or iPhone stylus. Instead of a round, mushy finger-sized capacitive tip, it has a very thin, very hard tip like a mechanical pencil, with a large, round, transparent capacitive disk on the end. It's odd looking and odd feeling at first, especially compared to other pro-level capacitive styli on the market. But does it hold up?

More of a specialty stylus than a general purpose pen, the Adonit Jot Pro is best in class when it comes to certain, specific applications, namely fine, detailed line work, but falls behind the likes of SGP, Ten One Design, and Wacom in others for brush work or other staccato applications.

Adonit Jot Pro review

More than any other stylus, the Jot Pro resembles a traditional mechanical pencil or fine tipped pen. With a disk on top.

The Adonit Jot Pro looks the most like a traditional, fine tipped pen (except for the disk at the end, of course). It's got a nicely weighted aluminum and steel body that comes in metallic black, silver, red, or blue, and a slightly curved, black rubber grip that's comfortable even for extended use. The body is magnetized so it can stick to the new iPad and iPad 2, and it has a cap to protect the metal tip and plastic disk from damage when it's being carried around.

It's the tip that makes the Adonit Jot Pro really stand out, and it's a decidedly mixed blessing. For precise, detail oriented drawing, drafting, and other forms of line work, it's absolutely best in class. It feels like the right tool for the right job because it feels like the tools traditional artist have been using for those jobs all along. The plastic disk makes it easier to see through than the fatter, rounded nib found in other popular styli, so you can be more accurate with placement. Because it's not mushy like a silicone tip, it doesn't require a lot of pressure to register. Those are all huge advantages for the Jot Pro.

The Adonit Jot Pro includes a cap to protect the tip and is magnetic so it can stick to the new iPad and iPad 2.

But all of that comes with a price. First, the disk is a slightly "scratchier" feel too it when you drag it along the iPad or iPhone display. That takes some getting used to. It's simply not as smooth as a silicone tipped stylus. You might even hate it at first, but chances are it will grow on you if you give it time. Second, it's noisy. While soft tips cushion the sound, the Adonit Jot Pro's hard tip does not. So if you're doing a lot of small actions, you're literally tapping out a drum beat. If you're in a quiet area, that really stands out. Third, the same precision that works so well for line drawing doesn't feel as good for brushwork in painting apps.

The same holds true for note-taking. For those who want incredibly precise script, the Adonit Jot Pro works really, really well. For sticklers who want the most detailed strokes imaginable, the Jot Pro will be perfect. For those who want to just scrawl down a few block letters, you're getting more tapping noise than smooth movement.

While the Jot Pro's hard metal tip works great for line work, it creates an annoying tapping sound when used for gaming.

Interestingly, Adonit had released an SDK (Software Developer Kit) so app developers can make their apps work better with the Jot Pro. For example, the excellent drawing app, Procreate, uses the Adonit SDK. That means, theoretically, Procreate will work better with the Jot than another app, like Paper would. We found the Jot to be excellent for line work in both Procreate and Paper, however, so the Jot-optimized apps should be looked at as more of a bonus -- a good thing working even better.

The good

  • Unique tip design is excellent for detailed line work or writing
  • Transparent disk allows for exceptional accuracy

The bad

  • Tapping sound is noticeable in quiet areas
  • Not as good for brush work

The conclusion

The Adonit Jot Pro is the best stylus you can get for illustration and precision lines. If you want to produce highly detailed, draft-quality work, the Jot Pro is for you. If you want to game, take lots of short notes, or paint, it's not going to be a great choice for you. That's the price of being unique and excelling at one thing rather than trying to be good enough at everything. If you want a more general purpose stylus, look at the Kuel H12 or Pogo Pro. If you want precision penmanship, get the Jot Pro.

$27.95 - Buy now



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mag 09

Touchtype Kickstarter project looks to integrate Apple’s wireless keyboard into an iPad case

iPhone No Comments »

Touchtype-iPad-Case-Keyboard-Out

Touchtype is a new Kickstarter project that looks to integrate Apple's wireless keyboard into a slim fitting case for the iPad.  Inspired by the plethora of sub standard and under sized keyboard cases, the designer set out to integrate a full sized Apple wireless keyboard into the smallest and neatest case he could design.

The Touchtype case stores the Apple Wireless Keyboard underneath the iPad — not on top (like most other keyboard cases). This means you have direct access to your iPad as soon as you open the cover. To use the keyboard, just move aside the elastic restraining loops and slide it out from the pocket. There when you need it, gone when you don't.
The Touchtype can also be used as a more traditional iPad stand and works in a similar way to the original Apple iPad case. You can use the iPad securely in portrait or landscape mode and it is compatible with any current model of iPad. The Touchtype, if funded will be available in  in either a smooth gray polyurethane, a "wild espresso" leather or a luxurious black leather.

If you want to get in early and secure one of these innovative cases, you have various options starting from just $49.

Source: Kickstarter



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