New Apple Pencil alternative with "Where is?"
The accessory specialist ESR has launched the Geo Digital Pencil, a competitor to Apple's iPad stylus. It can also be tracked.
ESR Pencil with "Where is?": Strongly oriented towards Apple.
(Image: ESR)
Anyone looking for a fairly well-equipped competitor to the Apple Pencil will now find it from Apple peripherals provider ESR. With the Geo Digital Pencil, ESR has launched a stylus version that is very similar to the original Apple Pencil and even offers tracking via the “Where is?” location network, a feature that is otherwise only available on the significantly more expensive Apple Pencil Pro.
Broad compatibility, but not all functions
The Geo Digital Pencil is connected to the iPad via Bluetooth. It works with the iPad Pro with 11, 12.9 and 13 inches (ca. 33 cm) up to the M4, with the iPad Air from generation 3, the iPad from generation 7 and the iPad Mini from generation 5, although not all functions are available depending on the generation. With a suitable iPad, it should be possible to detect the position of the stylus and use shortcuts, among other things. For example, you can double-tap to check the battery status or switch to the app switcher. However, pressure sensitivity, hover and other Apple Pencil-exclusive functions are missing.
Charging is not done via induction on the iPad, but via a USB-C port. This is built directly into the side of the pencil, so you can't lose a cap, as was once the case with early Apple models. According to ESR, a full charge is possible within 30 minutes. The Geo Digital Pencil still comes with a (currentless) magnetic function, so you can still attach it to a suitable iPad.
Listed in the “Where is?” app
The “Where is?” integration of the ESR Pencil brings it into the “Where is?” app, where it can be found under “Devices”. You can play a sound, report the device as lost and view the last known position, i.e., where the Bluetooth contact was lost.
The ESR Geo Digital Pencil is currently only available from Amazon's US store. There you have to pay 30 US dollars – plus delivery charges, which cost a further 8.50 dollars. Import sales tax may also have to be paid. It remains unclear how high-quality the tracking of the pencil is, i.e., whether it offers a similar drawing experience to the Apple version. Only tests will show this. The new pen is available for immediate delivery in the USA, while shipping to Germany takes between one and three weeks.
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