I've recently been testing out two styluses that have tips different from all of the other styluses on the market. Yesterday I reviewed the Wacom Bamboo Stylus, a product that is unique for its smaller tip which allows for more precise drawing on the iPad screen. Today I'm reviewing a stylus released by BoxWave just a few weeks ago called the EverTouch Capacitive Stylus that has a unique fabric mesh tip. BoxWave sent me a free review unit of this $15 stylus, and it works great.
The stylus itself is 5" long, a good length for a stylus and about .25" longer than the Bamboo Stylus I reviewed yesterday. The aluminum barrel of the stylus is hollow, which makes the stylus slightly lighter than some other great styluses such as the Bamboo Stylus and the Kensington Virtuoso Touch Screen Stylus (which I reviewed on 3/30/11). I prefer a slightly heavier stylus, so I don't like the fact that the EverTouch has a lighter, cheaper feel to it.
I have the silver model, but it also comes in black, orange, red and blue.
The marquee feature of this stylus is the tip, so let's talk about that. Unlike most other styluses which have a rubber tip, the EverTouch has a tip constructed of soft but durable tightly woven conductive fibers. Boxwave calls it FiberMeshTM and says it is a "breakthrough in stylus technology" that "is precisely engineered with an extremely soft yet durable conductive woven fiber." It feels almost like a Q-tip. This results in a tip that is much smoother than a rubber tip, making the stylus glide across the iPad screen. It is clear that a lot of thought went into this design, and I really like the way that it feels on the screen.
For writing or drawing, a rubber tip seems to me somewhat more precise — especially the Wacom Bamboo with its smaller tip. But there is something very appealing about the way that the EverTouch glides across the screen with much less drag than a stylus with a rubber tip. After you use an EverTouch for a while and then go back to a regular stylus with a rubber tip, you can really feel the difference in friction.
I mentioned yesterday that while the Bamboo Stylus is fantastic for drawing, the small tip is awkward for other tasks on the iPad such as flicking through screens or pages. On these tasks, the EverTouch excels because it feels so good against the iPad screen. And if you are taking notes with the EverTouch, although it seems less precise, the reduced drag does seem to reduce hand fatigue somewhat if you are writing for a long time.
BoxWave claims that another advantage of the woven fiber tip will last much longer than any stylus with a rubber tip. I can't comment much on that after just a few weeks, but the tip certainly seems much more durable than soft rubber that can tear or wear down with use.
The EverTouch has a clip on the end and comes with three lanyards. First, there is a 2" lanyard that attaches to the headphone jack of the iPad (or iPhone). Second, there is a 12" lanyard with an elastic coil that also attaches to the headphone jack. Because of the elastic coil, you could actually use the stylus while it is still attached to your headphone jack, although that seems a little awkward to me. Third, there is a 2" lanyard with a ring that can attach to something like a key chain.
I've never really understood the appeal of these sorts of stylus attachments. Are you really going to let a stylus just dangle from your iPad? I'd rather just use a standard pen-style clip to put a stylus in a pocket of my shirt or a briefcase. Having said that, I've seen other lawyers use attachments like this with a stylus, so I suppose there is some demand for it.
If you are looking for an alternative to a stylus with a standard rubber tip, the EverTouch is definitely worth checking out because of the unique and appealing way that the fabric mesh glides across the screen.
Click here to get the BoxWave EverTouch Capactive Stylus on Amazon ($15.00)
