When the Samsung Galaxy Note hit the scene, the stylus was all-but extinct when it came to most modern mobile devices. Despite this, the Note brought new interest to touch-pens and even Apple seems to recognize there is a market for such a device.

Apple is now said to have filed a patent with the USPTO last week for an active stylus of their own, using the following words to describe their particular pen solution:

The stylus includes an electrode at a tip of the stylus; and powered circuitry coupled to the electrode and configured for capacitively coupling the electrode with a capacitive touch sensor panel. The powered circuitry can further include drive circuitry configured to output a drive voltage at the electrode and/or sense circuitry configured to sense a voltage received at the electrode.

Basically, the idea of Apple’s stylus is to improve sensing on conductive displays without having to be expensive to manufacture the new Apple pen. Not too long ago, Steve Jobs dismissed both the 7-inch tablet and the idea of the iPhone having a stylus. It’s amazing how time changes the way companies work and think.

With its smaller screen, I don’t know how well the iPhone would work with such a stylus, but it would work great with a future iPad or iPad Mini. Conversely, maybe Apple could branch out and have two iPhones, one with a bigger display and stylus? Probably not going to happen, but an interesting thought nonetheless.

Would you like to see Apple roll out a stylus-equipped iPhone or iPad?

[ source ]

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The LeapFrog Leapster Explorer is billed in some circles as a kids tablet, but it’s probably closer in form factor to a handheld gaming system like the old Sega Game Gear. The key difference is that this is a learning game system and it features a touchscreen display, complete with stylus. There are also the conventional gaming face buttons, like the d-pad and the A/B buttons on the front.

The device ships with more than 40 games and activities that will help the kids learn about math and science, all while hanging out with fun characters like the penguins of Madagascar, Disney princesses, Ni Hao Kai-Lan, Spongebob Squarepants and Dora the Explorer.

If you want to get this in time for stuffing under the Christmas tree, you’ll want to order really soon. The LeapFrog Leapster Explorer is on sale for $39.99 on Amazon, which is $30 off the list price of $69.99 and it comes with free super saver shipping.

The post LeapFrog Leapster Explorer Kids Tablet Now Just $40 appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

When it comes to 3rd party stylus offerings for the iPad, most are nothing more than simple pens that offer a finer tip and nothing more. What if you want a pressure sensitive experience that somewhat mimics Wacom technology? If that’s what you want, than consider Pogo Connect.

The Pogo Connect joins Ten One Design’s exciting stylus line-up and offers a new pressure sensitive system that is extremely responsive- or so they claim. This isn’t the first stylus of its kind, though. Jaja Stylus also offers a pressure-sensitive approach, though it uses high-frequency sound to transmit pressure information from the pen to the iPad. In contrast, the Connect utilizes Bluetooth 4.0 for transmission.
Another big difference between the Pogo Connect and the Jaja stylus is that the Jaja was a Kickstarter project that might not surface for a while. The Ten One stylus, on the other hand, will ship on October 31st for $79.95.

Other cool features for the Pogo Connect include the ability to lock out your ‘palm’ when using the pen, so you don’t accidentally leave smudges on your artwork. The patent-pending Crescendo Sensor is the hart of the Connect and allows it to provide hundreds of levels of pressure sensitivity. It also works at all angles, doesn’t require calibration and is a Solid State Device- so no moving parts that can easily be broken.
What about losing or misplacing the pen? As long as its not a super-far distance, no problem. A built-in radio transmitter can be used to track it down using a radar-style viewer that will show you the distance between the pen and your iDevice.

Pogo Connect works with a single AAA battery and supports sixteen apps so far. This includes Brushes, Zen Brush, PDFpen for iPad, FlipBook HD, Procreate, Sketch Club, SketchBook Pro, Art Stuido, Good Notes, Colors, Paper by FiftyThree, Noteshelf, NotePad Pro, NoteBidder, IbisPaint and ArtRage.

What do you think? Worth considering?

[ source ]

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Although there are many different stylus designs out there to choose from for the Apple iPad, we encourage you to check this one out. The jaja is the first ever pressure sensitive stylus for the iPad and it appears to be pretty impressive.

As you might agree, all the current iPad stylus designs are nothing much more than sticks and there aren’t any compelling reasons to use one instead of your finger. That is where the jaja comes in.

The jaja stylus comes with a new system developed by Silicon Spark called the “ii” system. This new system allows jaja to communicate the pressure that a user applies on the display. And you won’t need wires, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

The two customisable buttons on the stylus will allow you to select menus, and you will be able to change brushes, colors, fonts or tools and all that can be done without moving far from the drawing space.

For communicating with the iPad, the jaja uses high frequency sounds that are above human hearing but can be detected by the iPad microphone. The makers are promising 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity, and the stylus has a transparent tip and a USB plug for quick recharging.

The jaja will retail for $69.95 once it gets funding from Kickstarter, and at present is available in black. Check out the video and head here to know more about it.

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Microsoft never had any real place in the tablet PC market. The project Microsoft Courier project was their greatest hope, and even that was canceled for some strange reason. From the very beginning it was not clear if the Courier was ever going to reach a real life product, because it is one of many Microsoft’s working prototypes that never end up going anywhere. But everyone’s response to the Courier should have drove them to making that thing a reality.

The Courier looked like it could have revolutionized the personal device market for businesses and students. Although details were scarce, all we knew about the tablet was that it would’ve had two color screens, a built-in camera, wireless internet and a sick UI (at least in the demo video). Users would have used a stylus for writing and drawing, but it could have also operate through touch.

Courier was ”almost the total opposite of what everyone expected from an Apple tablet.” It could have been an expanded iPod Touch with camera, multitouch display, microphone, wireless internet and 3G capacity.

Microsoft spokesperson commented on the decision by saying: “At any given time, we’re looking at new ideas, investigating, testing and incubating them. It’s in our DNA to develop new form factors and natural user interfaces to foster productivity and creativity. The Courier project is an example of this type of effort. It will be evaluated for use in future offerings, but we have no plans to build such a device at this time.”

The real problem with the Courier though was “It was running a modified version of Windows.”

The post The Inside Story On How Microsoft Killed The ‘iPad Killer’ Courier appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

One of the obvious advantages of having a capacitive touchscreen is that you get to swipe around the screen with your finger. Even so, I guess there are times when you want to be a little more precise than what your digits can provide, and it’s during times like those that you might want something like the Style-iT stylus from the folks at Bracketron.

This is a “dual function” stylus in that one end is designed to poke at your iPad (or other capacitive touchscreen device), while the other end is a conventional ballpoint pen. That way, you can scribble on both your virtual notepad and your actual paper one using the same product. I guess a stylus like this can be useful for some of the artists in the audience, since sketching with a pen-like device is much more natural, but it’s probably not useful at all for a game of Fruit Ninja or Angry Birds.

Yes, there are other very similar products already out there in the marketplace, so what is Bracketron doing to separate itself from the crowd? Well, the $25 Style-iT comes in a range of colors that are designed to match the colors of the iPad 2′s Smart Cover range. Huzzah!

The post Bracketron Style-iT stylus color-coordinates with iPad Smart Cover appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Wacom has seen a large adoption of artists using the iPad, so why not expand business with a tool we are very well capable of building. All stylus tips for capacitive screens have really fat nubs at the end, a slight step down from your stubby finger. But the tip on the Wacom Bamboo Stylus is “25 percent narrower (6mm vs. 8mm) in diameter than some of the other most popular solutions on the market today.”

That may give you better accuracy and precision when you’re doodling away on the subway to work. We’ll have to see if iOS can handle such precision. They also outfitted it with satin-textured metal body and balanced weighting.

I have a smaller Wacom Bamboo myself and it’s great. Now if Wacom would come out with an artists app and put Photoshop to shame. The iPad Bamboo Stylus hits stores in mid-May for $29.99.

[Read]

The post Cap-Touch Tablets to get Wacom Bamboo Stylus for Precision Pointing appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

The idea of a digital canvas is nothing new, and with the expanse of drawing and painting apps and programs out there, the iPad and other tablets definitely have the ‘canvas’ side of that equation covered. But, as with a regular canvas, your fingers will only take you so far.

For the most part, iPad artists have had little more than their stubby digits or fat-tipped styli to interact with these programs. And for some, it’s been a tough transition from the sharp pencils and fine-tipped pens of art’s yesteryear. That’s about to change.

Enter the Nomad capacitive brush, an artist’s tool that has followed the canvas through the realms of sci-fi and electronics, straight into the digital age.

A walnut and carbon handle leads out to a blend of natural and synthetic fibres that will carry your energies through to the screen of your tablet or phone, interacting with apps such as ArtRage and Zen Brush in a surprisingly lifelike manner.

Nomad advises you don’t use their brushes with real paint or ink, and it won’t work with Wacom devices, but any capacitive touch screen is free game, they say.

“I am an architect and an artist. I love to sketch and paint, and like many of you, I found the iPad to be a great digital sketchbook and canvas,” writes Nomad Brush founder Don Lee on the website. “However, I found that drawing with my finger was awkward. After trying out many styluses, I failed to find a suitable one…so I invented the Nomad Brush. Each Nomad Brush is carefully handcrafted and made with exceptionally conductive materials. This allows the brush to be extremely responsive, making brushstrokes immediate and effortless on any capacitive touchscreen device.”

In fact, even David Kassan is on board.

“I was excited to try out the Nomad Brush and a little skeptical at first since it sound a little too good to be true that I could actually use a brush to paint with on the iPad,” writes Kassan, whose video of fingerpainting on the iPad went viral on YouTube last year. “I immediately tried it out and fell in love. It has such a sensitive touch and is super responsive. There is none of the friction and rubbing that you have with a rubber tipped stylus.”

The brushes are currently only available in one size and colour, selling for $24 each here.

[via TUAW]

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Tired of wee Johnny Jr. getting PB&J all over your iPad and asking you how to pronounce all kinds of new words he’s learning from your FML app?

Well, stress no more. This summer, Leapfrog’s new edutainment tablet for kids 4 years old and up will be hitting the stores, allowing Johnny and Betty to have their own tablet computers to learn and draw on. You’ll never have to hand over your iPad or Galaxy Tab again.

The LeapPad Explorer comes complete with a built-in camera, video recorder, microphone and 5″ touch-screen with HD-esque graphics and a tiny stylus to harness children’s creative tendencies. An animation studio, games, videos, e-books, flash cards and a whole library of downloadable apps give kids a multitude of ways to learn, develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. It even has an accelerometer for tilt-friendly games, as well as a durable build for unfriendly youngsters.

The tablet follows the company’s previous, highly successful Leapster Explorer laptop for kids, and will be fully compatible with the same app library. Every common school subject is covered with a multitude of educational, interactive applications disguised as fun that will keep your offspring entertained for hours on end. Don’t believe it’s helping? The tablet will even keep notes, allowing parents to track their children’s progress whenever they feel doubts about its usefulness.

Don’t worry, though; you won’t have to trade own your PlayBook in to get your hands on one. When they arrive this summer, they’ll only set you back about $100. The apps, on the other hand, will cost $7.99 each, so if your tot gets tired of games quickly, you might have to double the price of the toy to give him a fair share of variety.

[GizMag via LeapFrog]

The post LeapPad Tablet for Toddlers Has Video Cam, Accelerometer appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

CherryPal’s claim to fame came when they released the world’s first $99 laptop with a 7-inch screen back in 2009.  The 400 MHz cpu with 256 GB RAM and 2GB of flash memory was by no means a workhorse, but it didn’t need to be.  CherryPal makes devices a couple generations behind the current markets offerings, this is because they target lower income families, educational institutions and “emerging markets.”   The company followed suit in October of 2010 when they announced a $188 tablet.  The CherryPad, an Android 2.1 slate really didn’t get much appreciation, it stole the look of an iPad but had the guts of a cheap Chinese knockoff. It seriously disappointed customers.

With an 800 MHz Samsung ARM11 processor, expandable micro SD slot, WiFi and a 3200 mAh battery, it wasn’t all that bad.  But the CherryPad’s inability to access Android Market, let alone install third-party apps or update to later Android versions is it’s ultimate downfall.

The company behind the CherryPad, CherryPal, doesn’t have the best track record.  They’ve admittedly had issues with fulfillment in the past. Their $99 laptop didn’t ship to many customers.  According to PC Mag, anyone who did not receive a product received a refund so this was quickly addressed.

A whole new set of problems seem to have surfaced now with the companies $188 CherryPad.  All customers are getting their products, but no refunds are being issued for sending it back under their RMA program.  After reading the official CherryPal support forum, customers seem to be shipping them back because of defects and other software problems, but are waiting two months or more without any response.   That’s terrible, but it’s not entirely a lost cause.  If CherryPal was a complete fraud of a company, why would they keep their support forum open and allow the complaints to remain public?  They could easily  shut the doors, but it shows that they are trying their damn hardest to maintain their integrity, whatever left of it that is.

Right now on my desk I have the CherryPad with Android 2.1, it’s locked out of Android Market and I can’t install apps from app installer. Its now really what I would call a basic internet appliance. Use the internet, FaceBook, YouTube, play media files, and read ebooks. Which may be fine for some, but for anyone looking at the iPad or Galaxy Tab as measuring sticks, the CherryPad is not for you.

Hardware
The 7-inch resistive-touch widescreen display is different to use with a finger.  You have to move slower, this is not capacitive touch.  Resistive touch needs a bit more concentration and persistence, but is still usable. Try it with a stylus and you’ll be quicker.  I do not like how the plastic sheet over the LCD has many tiny warps in it; temporarily flexing a little more when you press hard (hard to photograph but obvious in natural light). This might be normal, i’ve never seen a screen like this before and although it gets the job done, it makes the CherryPad look cheap.

The screen colors are lacking punch and could use a bit more contrast. At 800 x 480 pixels it does look pixelated.

The aluminum back is clearly a total rip off from the iPad.  Even the dock connector/charging cable is identical to Apples, just reversed.  I see the CherryPad as a great starter slate for a 10 year old kid.  Its fairly durable since the aluminum back provides for a hard shell, and the resistive touch plastic layer on the screen is not glass, so you wouldn’t have to worry about glass breaking; just scratches and dents.

The sound quality is average, with the speaker sounding distorted at the highest level, but still usable.

Software
Lets face it, this thing may be on Android 2.1 forever.  Which I don’t mind so much, but not being able to install applications is a huge pitfall.  So Android Market is out of the question.  The App Installer does not recognize apk files, which means the CherryPad is going to be stuck with the bare essentials that comes loaded on it.

CherryPal CEO Max Seybold told me in a telephone interview that they are “still working to get this fixed.”  We could see an update by the end of this month to address the app installing problem, but that’s not saying an Android update or Android Market is in view.  When I asked about the source code for the CherryPad, Seybold told said “We have nothing to hide, to some degree we are obligated to release it, the problem is that it took just a little bit of time to package it in the way that it makes sense for our customers.  Its more of an internal software packaging effort to pull the different pieces together to maintain it.  It will come by the end of the month along with a new wave of announcements.”

That may bring a sigh of relief to some, others may think back to November or December when they heard the same story.

Regardless, CherryPal is a small company.  They deal primarily with bulk orders for corporate customers and educational institutions, but that doesn’t let them off the hook for the rest of us.

Bottom Line
The CherryPad C515 7-inch Android Tablet is a good entry-level tablet for those who just need to access the internet, watch movies, youtube, and email.  Beyond that, its not going to do anything else.  Seybold said that it will most likely “not offer market access to it because it is really more of a low end device for a particular buying group.”  Meaning educational users and developing countries.  Seybold believes the media positioned the CherryPad wrongly, and compared it with $500-$600 devices. “This is an entry device with clear limitations but really more along the lines of education electronic text book, particular applications.”  But I think they set themselves up for that one, considering how much it looks like iPad.

But there’s good news for anyone dissatisfied with the CherryPad.  ”Were thinking of a buyback program.  People that are unhappy and are able to return the c515 in next to mint condition, no major wear and tear, we can offer them an update.  The low end c515 is in more high demand outside the US than inside. We tried to clearly state that it’s sub-ipad.” said Seybold.

In my eyes, if you’re considering a purchase I would say hold off until it gets the much awaited and promised update. Or you can wait for the next CherryPad and perhaps trade in your old one for a credit.

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