Cult of Mac - Written by John Brownlee on Friday, September 30, 2011 17:16 - 0 Comments

The XStylus Touch Makes Every Other iPad Stylus Look Like A Cheap Bic

I’ve never found a stylus for the iPad that I’ve really liked. Whether an aluminum tube filled with cheap capacitive foam, or something more beefy like Wacom’s official $35 Stylus, I’ve found that more often than not, iPad stylii are maddeningly unpredictable when it comes to registering the tip of the pen and where a pen stroke actually starts.

That’s why I’m blown away by this demo of the XStylus Touch by Hong Kong inventor Elton Leung. He’s noticed that all styluses have an issue with where the pen stroke starts, and he’s designed an incredible stylus that seems to register on the iPad at the exact pixel when it first comes in contact with the display.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vClMkNM2x7o

Watch the video above: Leung really makes his case that current styluses are a bunch of junk compared to the XStylus. Part of the issue simply seems to be weight: most of the styluses out there just aren’t heavy enough.

There’s more to it than that, though. According to Leung, it’s also more pleasant to use. “The bulk weight XStylus Touch is distributed in the triangle formed between your thumb and your index finger in the grip. The combination of weight and grip size minimizes strain to your wrist and forearm, thus allowing you to play, create, and work longer.”

In short, the XStylys Touch is like an exquisite fountain pen compared to a cheap Bic: the competition just doesn’t come close. And it even comes with a wonderful magnetic stylus holder that has been tested to work with over fifty different cases.

I’m really impressed, especially at the price of just $25. The only problem? It’s not off the ground yet. Leung needs to raise $50,000 on indiegogo.com before he can start shipping out XStylus Touches to customers. Right now, with only 17 days to go, he’s only 1/10th of the way there.

If you draw or write on your iPad at all, do us all a favor and go kick Leung a few bucks. This is a project that deserves to get off of the ground.