Stylus for iPad air

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  NeoBeum on 14/07/2016 - 02:07

  Purely for stylus function - as in, a little stick that has a capacitive tip…

  http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Universal-Capacitive-Touch-Screen…

  If you want something more functional that's not too expensive that doesn't have the fat bulbous thing at the end here's a $20 equivalent
  http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/ASUS-Acer-Amazon-Huawei-Lenovo-De…

  I have their 3 in 1 Laser Stylus. They sent me one of those pens that I linked for free too. They're not too bad. The swivel function is nice to hide the tip so it doesn't break in your bag. They may also send you spare tips, and spare adhesive glide pads for the tips too. They had sent 7 spare tips, and about 50 little stickers to stick on the end… God knows why…

  If you're going to actually draw, then get Wacom pens, because of all the additions you can buy for it.

  But, if you only really need something to push buttons, those cheapy things do the trick. You could probably even find one that gets bundled with a iPad Air Sleeve.

  EDIT: Also, that ebay store "base327111" is actually the manufacturer's store. Dagi's eBay store. I only found that out when I got the parcel. They send super fast. I got my pens within a week. While another set of stylus' I ordered earlier are still being delivered now.

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  bengal tiger on 14/07/2016 - 02:24

  I still have a Wacom Bamboo Stylus (renamed as the Bamboo Solo) from many years ago which still works well to date. They're more popular in the northern hemisphere, for sale in most electronic retail stores but they're more difficult to find in-store in Australia.

  Main considerations for buying any stylus for a device would be (IMO, from lowest to highest priority):

  1. Aesthetics and design - does it look good, does the colour match the device, does it clip on or fit in/on your device cover?

  2. Weight and heft - personal preference on whether you like the lighter ones that feel like holding a pencil or heavier ones like Wacom Bamboo that feel like proper writing pens (eg Mont Blanc pens).

  3. Quality of the nib (soft rubber ends that make contact with your device surface) - cheaper ones will harden or crack quicker and become less responsive on touch screens.

  You can figure out yourself (1) from looking at the stylus, but unfortunately (2) only after opening the package and holding it, and (3) from purchasing it and using for a few weeks/months.

  The advantage of the Wacom Bamboo stylus is that their nibs are replaceable in either soft or firm. It's hard for me to estimate how long each will last as I go through phases of using a stylus but a rough guess would be each Bamboo nib should last somewhere around 3-9 months of constant daily use.

  For choice, JB Hi-Fi has the best in-store range to choose from. I've tried a few other brands like Targus and others that have since been discontinued, in my experience they differ in weight but their nibs are pretty similar to Bamboo and they generally won't last any more than 12 months of daily use.

  Back to your original question, which is a good stylus? If you plan to use a stylus in the long run then I'd recommend going with Wacom Bamboo. They're reliable, have a good build quality and will last you many years so long as you have access to replacement nibs.

  • 

    Shania Oz on 14/07/2016 - 13:27

    thank you ordered Bamboo Solo

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  lupiter on 14/07/2016 - 08:45

  What do you want to do with the stylus? I would say there are three categories:

  1. Finger replacement because you're wearing gloves. Just get the cheap one from the dollar shop, or the cheapest one from eBay.

  2. Handwriting. You need a fine point accuracy, but nothing else fancy. Consider the Adonit line.

  3. Drawing/painting. The iPad Pro + Pencil is better for this, but the best compromise for iPad Air, in my opinion, is the Wacom Intuos Creative Stylus 1 (NOT the 2). However for other suggestions I recommend the Procreate User's Forum.

  I believe the Wacom Bamboo as recommended by @bengal_tiger is a good mix between 1 & 3.

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  jee on 29/07/2016 - 12:24

  +1

  belkin stylus are on clearance at many harvey norman stores.
  for 5$, it's a good buy and is a duo and not solo.