If there’s a stylus that can be called a flagship device, it’s got to be the Adonit Jot Touch. Unlike any of the previous styli we’ve reviewed in the past, this new one from Adonit is the first we’ve encountered that not only features Bluetooth connectivity, but also a pressure-sensitive tip and two shortcut buttons on the side.

So yeah, just by looking at it alone, you can already tell that this is more than just your average stylus. But is it worth your hard earned money? Read on to find out.

Made for Writing, Best for Doodling

As a stylus (minus the Bluetooth and other added features), it’s perfect. I love its size and feel. There’s also hardly any lag when using to it jot down notes or when doodling. I often even forget it’s a stylus that I’m holding, not an actual pen. It’s that good!

Light to dark in one stroke using Procreate thanks to the Jot Touch's pressure sensitive tip

Add the two shortcut buttons on the side and a pressure-sensitive tip to the mix, and it’s pretty close to perfect. Now you can undo a mistake (or redo one) with a press of a button and make a line go darker/thicker by just adding more pressure to your stroke. You know what that means. That’s less time tapping from one button/setting to another and more time you spend on your doodling. Neat!

And as far as battery life goes, this one’s made to keep on going. Well, not really. It actually automatically turns off once it detects that you’re not using it after some time, extending its battery life significantly. In fact, I’ve been using it on and off for four straight days now without having to charge it. Can’t say the same, though, about the iPad, but that’s mainly because I also watch TV shows on it, NOT because of Bluetooth constantly being on (though it does affect battery life).

Different strokes for different folks

That is, of course, if you can get it to work. The all-important fine print with the Adonit Jot Touch’s two nifty features is that it’s app dependent. That’s not to say though that there’s a shortage of apps supporting the Jot Touch and its added treats. In fact, as of this posting, there are already a dozen apps that work nicely with the Jot Touch’s pressure sensitive feature. Out of that 12, 9 apps also support the two shortcut buttons.

If there are many apps, what’s the big deal, then?

Well, for starters, it’s still not enough. Those nine apps that support both the pressure sensitive tip and shortcut buttons of the Jot Touch aren’t all doodling apps. They’re a mix of scribbling, sketching, painting and animation apps. So depending on which app you prefer, it may or may not support these either or both of these two key features of the Jot Touch.

Speaking of preference, that leads me to my second point. If you’ve already grown accustomed to a particular app, it’ll be a hassle to migrate to a new app just so you can take full advantage of the Jot Touch’s treats. Let’s face it, not all apps are created equally. So if you’ve already found the perfect app that best suits your needs and workflow, it’s really not that easy to let go of it, even if you’ve got a killer stylus on hand that demands for change.

The nifty shortcut buttons of the Adonit Jot Touch

And note, the way that the shortcut buttons and pressure sensitive tip work vary from app to app. Something to keep in mind before making the big purchase.

But once you do get it to work, it’s absolute heaven!

Oh, and we can’t forget its price. This baby’s set to retail close to Php4.5K. So yeah, it’s really a cut above the rest of the stylus pack, both in terms of features and price, proving, once again, that if you want quality, then you gotta pay for it.

Smart Apps for the Smart Stylus

To help you decide whether or not this stylus is the right one for you (and your app), here’s a rundown of the apps smart enough for the Jot Touch:

• Procreate
• Sketchbook Express
• Sketchbook Pro
• ArtRage
• Sketch Club
• Clibe
• DeepSketch
• ArtStudio
• WritePad for iPad (for iPhone)
• Animation Desk
• Soonr Scribble
• PDFpen
• Note Taker HD
• Notes Plus
• ABC

To Buy or Not to Buy

There’s no two ways to go about it. The Adonit Jot Touch is one hell of a stylus. But, with the extra steep price tag, it really all just boils down to the question I posed at the start of this review – is the Adonit Jot Touch worth Php4.5K?

Batman drawn on the iPad 2 using the Adonit Jot Touch via Procreate

The answer will certainly vary from person to person, depending largely on their budget and needs for a stylus. As such, I can’t give a definitive answer.

So let my just put it this way – if you see yourself really benefiting from the Jot Touch’s added features and you can afford it, then I say go for it.

Pros:

• LOVE LOVE LOVE the look, size, feel and responsiveness of the Jot Toch
• Shortcut buttons and pressure sensitivity make doodling a WHOLE lot more fun
• Bluetooth auto-off helps a lot to conserve battery life

Cons:

• E-X-P-E-N-S-I-V-E compared to other stylus options out there
• Relatively limited number of apps supporting the Jot Touch’s key features

Price: Php4,450
Availability: Coming soon to Digital Walker, Digital Hub, Beyond the Box

Allan David

Online, Allan’s got you covered as far as news (and some reviews every now and then) goes. Offline, you’ll see him either sweating it out in the badminton courts or dining out in one of the new restos around town. His favorite noodles: cold soba.

email: allan@technoodling.netwebsite: http://oasis1.wordpress.com