I have resisted regularly using a stylus for any of my phones or tablets, because I’m not a fan of the overly large soft-touch wide-tipped capacitive styli now available. If I were to use a stylus, I’d want it to be pen-like and more refined — with a fine, hard tip. The new Just Mobile AluPen Digital fits the bill.
Measuring approximately 5.5″ x 0.5″ in diameter, the AluPen Digital weighs 1.1 ounces with the single included AAA battery installed. The stylus is composed of matte silver aluminum and matte black plastic, and it feels like a quality writing instrument in hand.
The Just Mobile AluPen Digital stylus is made to work with most (if not all) capacitive touchscreens, such as the ones found on your iPhone, iPad, Samsung Galaxy products, or Sony Xperia products. Can you remember when all phones and tablets had to use a stylus because touching with your finger didn’t accomplish anything? We have come a long way, and I love that it is possible to do everything needed on a touchscreen with my fingerprint, but there are times when I wish for a more precision point on an implement I can hold.
Setting up the AluPen Digital is a matter of unscrewing the styluses barrel in a counter-clockwise manner and inserting the AAA battery.
Once you’ve screwed the barrel of the pen back together, you turn the barrel clockwise to expose the “capacitance-enhanced 1.8mm polyacetal (POM) tip”; it really does feel like a ultra-fine ballpoint pen when you write with it. The stylus’ battery will auto-sleep after 3 minutes if you leave the tip exposed and aren’t using it.
AluPen Digital uses charge amplifying circuitry to deliver unparalleled accuracy with all drawing and note-taking apps – no Bluetooth pairing or proprietary apps required. Simply twist AluPen Digital’s sleek aluminium body to reveal the nib and you’re ready to write or sketch with unparalleled precision.
I don’t use a stylus when I am doing most stuff on my Xperia Z Ultra, but I do enjoy my newfound ability to take handwritten notes, draw on photos, and I think my drawings are even better in Draw Something … or at least, there is much less erasing due to misplaced lines going on …
I’m not suggesting that you stop using your finger every time you want to tap on your iPhone’s screen, but I am telling you that if you miss the sensation of using a stylus on your phone, or if you like the actual act of writing out a shopping list, or if you simply wish that you could draw better doodles without fat-fingering all over your tablet’s screen, then you will not find a better stylus to do all of this with than the AluPen Digital.
The Just Mobile AluPen Digital retails for $49.95, and it is available directly from the manufacturer.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample
What I Like: A true pointed stylus, just like we used to use in the good old days!; The twist-top pen action of the stylus makes it safe to store in your bag or pocket; The ability to touch a screen without getting it all greasy; Precise lines for drawing and writing
What Needs Improvement: The Just Mobile AluPen Digital is not cheap