Cell phones in Amazon trees alert rangers to illegal logging and record wildlife
Why it matters to you
With the use of solar-powered cell phones stashed in jungle canopies, an innovative physicist is the best shot at stopping illegal logging (and other dangers) which threaten Amazonian rainforests.
A newly funded application which makes use of solar-powered cell phones placed high in jungle canopies now helps park rangers — and regular citizens — join the fight in saving Amazonian rainforests. Dubbed the Rainforest Connection, the app uses phones hidden in trees throughout the jungle to detect sounds associated with illegal logging. When the phones pick up trigger sounds, they alert local park rangers who have the app installed on their own smartphones, giving them the ability to react accordingly.
The app is the brainchild of Topher White, a renowned physicist and engineer who became involved in rainforest conservation in 2012 after volunteering in Borneo with a Gibbon protection program. While there, he discovered that local conservationists spent nearly half their budget trying to fight off illegal loggers. The problem was that most of their vigilance relied on satellites to detect illegal activities, and by the time park rangers arrived, it was entirely too late.
More: Eco-friendly wear: Minim’s versatile pants may be the only ones you need
“If you pick it up on a satellite, not only is the damage already done but at that point, the stakes are so much higher,” White told Digital Trends. “The tree’s been cut and they’ve carried out trucks full of logs.”
This means the logging operation invested time and money into its work and feels inclined to fight to keep what they have. On the ranger’s side, a crime’s now been committed, and there’s a greater drive to prosecute or seek other means of affecting consequences. What this leads to are standoffs and other undesirable scenarios.
According to White, somewhere between 50 and 90 percent of all logging performed worldwide is illegal
“If you can actually stop them on their way in by detecting a vehicle or detecting a chainsaw before a lot of damage has been done, the stakes are so much lower for both sides that you can actually talk it down,” White said. “In central Africa and throughout Latin America, both sides are pretty well-armed. The quickness of the alerts and the quickness of the reaction is super important for that same reason which is that you don’t want the stakes to be high. You want it to be much simpler to just turn the truck around and leave than to actually have a showdown.”
According to White, somewhere between 50 and 90 percent of all logging performed worldwide is illegal. That said, recent research found that if rangers show up and stop poachers once or twice, they tend to leave — until the next logging season, at least. In that way, the app remains highly effective at reducing clandestine operations. The units which go up in the trees, called guardian phones, are recycled cells which are typically five to six years old — however, they’re still “powerful machines,” according to White.
Powered by the sun and operating 24 hours a day, the units record all sounds in the forest. Once recorded, the phones process each sound, crunch the data, send it to the cloud, and then analyze it in real-time. White outfit the analytics to detect chainsaws, logging trucks, vehicles, gunshots, certain species of animal, and other relevant noises. The RFCx app received a huge boost earlier this year when outdoor sports giant Mountain Hardware took it under its wing as part of the sports company’s Impact Initiative, which supports various eco-campaigns.
Along with deterring illegal logging, the app also offers a platform for ecologists to study wildlife. Soon, they will be able to access up to 18 months of data across hundreds of locations.
“If you’re a scientist who wants to study a certain bird in the Amazon, in the past you used to have to get a grant and organize it and go down there for a few months and record (everything),” White added. “There’s so much we can discover about the forest without needing people to actually go there.”
“There’s so much we can discover about the forest without needing people to actually go there.”
Furthermore, anyone has the ability to use the app to listen to the sounds of the rainforest in real-time and get alerts about what’s happening. Users simply open the app on a smart device to hear live birds, insects, monkeys, and other natural sounds from wherever they are in the world. This, in itself, adds momentum to conservation efforts, White pointed out, by getting average citizens interested in what’s going on. Being able to listen to those sounds and viscerally connecting with the forest increases people’s sense of personal investment. Lots of citizens would like to get involved, he said, but don’t know how. The app lowers the bar for what it takes to get involved.
“The bar is downloading an app onto your phone,” he acknowledged. “That’s all you have to do. You don’t necessarily have to pay anything, and we’ll send you alerts when something happens and you can learn about the forest that way. That’s all it takes for you to actually make a difference.”
According to White, in the context of a rainforest, audio is actually preferable to video feeds.
“It’s experiential and imaginative in a certain way,” he said. “Video is kind of what we’re used to, but the truth is that video in a rainforest isn’t nearly as interesting as audio. You’re just going to see a bunch of leaves in front of you unless the camera picks up some leopard, which is pretty rare. But [with audio] you can hear all sorts of animals that are out there. You don’t even know what most of them are — we don’t know what most of them are. It sounds like a Star Wars laser battle.”
Google Talk is dead, Hangouts is the new Slack, Project Fi users are screwed and everyone hates Allo
It is impossible to go seven or more days without some messaging news from Google.
Google seems to understand that it needs to pare its messenger story down to a few apps that cover everyone’s needs (so it’s easier for people to ignore them all and use WhatsApp anyway). And, to some extent, that’s what is happening, but everything feels so chaotic and is changing before replacements are ready.
It just feels like Google has gone off the deep end.
Some people use the word confusing to describe Google’s strategy here, but no matter what words are used it all still feels rushed — something you would expect from amateurs instead of one of the biggest tech companies in the world. It just feels like Google has gone off the deep end.
I’m going to take responsibility for what every blogger or journalist has done wrong here because some of the confusion is our fault. It’s easy (and fun) to write about seemingly random changes and follow with a jab at Google for doing them. But if you break things down you can guess at Google’s strategy.
- Hangouts is now a proper enterprise tool. Or at least it will be. Hangouts Meet and Hangouts Chat sound like, together, a potential Slack replacement for every company that uses Google Docs. Seeing what it will (hopefully) be capable of, I imagine Mobile Nations is going to give it a spin because we are a Google Docs shop.
- Google Talk is dead. It needed to die so the places it lives can be used for Hangouts Chat. Nobody uses the Google Talk app on their phone or tablet, and while having it tied to Gmail is great, having Hangouts Chat there is better for the people who live in Gmail all day. They are the people who will use Hangouts Chat to talk to their demanding boss from Toronto (Ed note: Damnit, Jerry). Or something.
- Allo is Google’s app for people who don’t want to use SMS. And that is a lot of people. I had hoped Google would use Allo and Duo to provide an iMessage-like experience, but instead, it’s the Mountain View version of WhatsApp. It’s also a really good app, but nobody wants to use it because WhatsApp has a gazillion more users. Had Google worked things out and brought Allo to us before WhatsApp exploded, things may be different.
- Duo is Google’s video calling app. It’s a really nice app with a fatal flaw: you can’t set up a group call. A lot of work went into making things easy and delivering the best video feed possible for every level of bandwidth, but Hangouts used to let 15 people get together and look at each other. We are not likely to forget that and will complain instead of using Duo, or at least complain while using it. I know I will. Especially when I use Hangouts Meet for work stuff and can’t use it for anything else unless I get a Google Apps account or am invited to a Hangout by someone with a Gapps account. WTF, Google?
- Android Messages is one thing Google is doing right. Too bad it depends on your carrier to also do it right, and that will take forever and an act of God because your carrier wants your friends to switch to it rather than make its features available to users on another provider. I wish Google was working on some way for people using Android Messages to have a great IM experience with each other without using SMS to do it. But, technically, they have Allo for that.
- Google Voice has been improved so it’s a nicer experience for when you want to send texts from your tablet or use the same number on more than one phone. Unless you use Project Fi. Then you’re screwed. Also, why is there no screw emoji? They have “ear of Maize” so it will have to do. 🌽
- Supersonic exists to give us one more thing to wonder about and for Russell Holly to talk to himself and the Supersonic help chat bot.
Now for the big question: How the hell do you make all these changes without pissing everyone off and confusing the hell out of a person who just bought their first Android phone and wants a replacement for iMessage?
This stuff is hard, and the way Google is doing it makes it seem even harder.
You don’t. That means you probably should be changing everything all at once.
I won’t pretend that I would be a good businessman. I have a hard time deciding what side to get with my steak or what socks to wear. I imagine some really smart people in expensive suits sitting at a giant mahogany table using slides and big words to make these decisions, but then I see them in action and realize it could just as easily be a bunch of folks who tumbled out of a clown car. I have no idea what Google is thinking, and it’s kind of hard to assume they have a comprehensive plan.
Google I/O is coming. It would be a great time for someone to explain something. If they do, we’ll tell you all about it. And if they don’t we’ll keep scratching our heads and guessing at what they have planned.
An Android O deep dive [#acpodcast]
This week, Daniel, Jerry and Russell are joined by Eric Richardson, an Android developer at WillowTree, to talk about Android O.
Android O is still very early — we don’t even know its final name yet — but we do know that there are going to be a lot of important under-the-hood improvements that will make experiences better on phones, tablet and even Chromebooks!
Join us for a deep dive into everything we currently know about Android O!
Podcast MP3 URL: http://traffic.libsyn.com/androidcentral/androidcentral329.mp3
Nokia’s new Android phones will make their way Stateside
Nokia’s 3310 stole the show at Mobile World Congress earlier this year, but it wasn’t the only device the brand announced at the event. It also debuted a trio of Android phones called the Nokia 6, 5 and 3. Now the company has revealed on Twitter that those three will all be available in the US. We’ve known for a while that there’s a global release on the docket, but this confirms that you’ll be able to get your hands on them when the time comes. Nokia also told another Twitter follower that the phone’s projected release date is still sometime between April and June.
The phones were designed by HMD Global, the company’s exclusive licensee for mobile devices. They run the stock version of Android Nougat with no third-party skins or apps to clutter the home screen. Among the three, Nokia 6 is the largest with its 5.5-inch display. It’s also the priciest: one will set you back roughly $247, while the Nokia 5 and 3 will cost you around $200 and $147, respectively. We got the chance to take them for a spin in February — make sure to read our experience with the devices if you’re interested in buying one.
@QQwill We’re planning on a global release so yes they will be. Get the latest updates by registering at https://t.co/waNGfPppQ8
— Nokia Mobile (@nokiamobile) March 22, 2017
Via: The Verge
Source: Nokia Mobile
California’s new car emission standards defy the White House
The Trump administration may be rethinking car efficiency regulations, but that isn’t stopping California from putting its foot down. The state’s Air Resources Board has finalized car emissions standards for 2022-2025 that the White House still wants to review, creating the potential for a conflict if federal officials rethink the rules. The Board’s Mary Nichols even went so far as to blast car makers for turning to the feds, claiming that they were throwing themselves “on the mercy” of the new US government rather than working with California.
Unless the feds can somehow challenge California’s authority, the state may hold both the White House and car companies over a barrel. The Clean Air Act gives California a waiver to set its own emissions standards, and 12 other states (including New York and Pennsylvania) follow those standards. If a conventional car maker wants a reasonable chance of success in the US, it has to honor California’s guidance — effectively, one state is frequently determining the rules for everyone else.
The approval is likely to please those concerned that automotive standards would slide backward under a federal leadership determined to protect the fossil fuel industry. However, it’s definitely not going to make car companies happy, and might create issues if you’re a driver. The Obama administration’s speed in locking in standards pre-Trump caught automakers off-guard — they think officials gave them too little time to think about the impact. And the new standards are estimated to raise the price of a car by about $1,000 in 2025, which isn’t trivial for most buyers.
Via: Reuters
Source: CARB (1), (2)
China says Apple isn’t cloning a local phone maker
Did it seem ridiculous to you that Beijing officials ordered a ban on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus over a dubious design patent claim? You’re not the only one. A court has reversed the ban (which was suspended during a dispute process) and declared that Apple isn’t violating the patents of Shenzhen Baili Marketing Services, which insisted that the iPhone 6 riffed on the look of its 100c smartphone. Regulators issued the ban without real proof of wrongdoing, according to the ruling, and the iPhone has traits that “completely change the effect” of its design versus its (frankly very generic-looking) rival. Customers haven’t had a problem telling the difference between the iPhone and 100c, the court says.
This is water under the bridge for Apple given that it stopped selling the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus a while back — it wasn’t going to lose much money even if the court upheld the ban. However, the win could serve as a shot across the bow of other Chinese companies that might try a similar move in the future. If they want future claims to stick, they’ll have to show that there’s more than a passing similarity between devices. Otherwise, they may not get much more than a brief burst of publicity.
Source: SCMP, Reuters
The pen is mightier than the finger: The best styli for all your needs
Whether you’re the sort of person who doodles in class, diagrams lectures, or just jots down old-fashioned notes, you’ve probably considered buying a stylus or a tablet that’s already equipped with one. In recent years, styli have become more popular and more varied, meaning they’re not just for art majors anymore. The release of the Apple Pencil also helped push the once ill-fated peripheral back into the spotlight, helping to reinvigorate a market that is now bursting with viable options. To help you make sense of them all, we’ve put together a list of the best pen for every occasion, not to mention the top tablets that come bundled with them. Read on for more details!
More: Universal Stylus Initiative 1.0 is here, but devices won’t be until 2018
Best styli for artists
No artist is exactly the same, and depending on your medium of choice, you may want a specific kind of stylus. Some artistic styli come with interchangeable tips, so you can vary the quality of stylus input, while others are a one-size fits all option or specifically designed to mimic a certain medium.
Apple Pencil ($99)
The Apple Pencil may have debuted towards the end of 2015, but it has already set the standard for styli. Before jumping to specifics, note that the Pencil only works with the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and the latest 9.7-inch version. The Pencil itself is one of the fastest, and most responsive styli we have used, with essentially no latency (if there is some, we didn’t notice).
Thanks to the pressure-sensitive screen in the iPad Pro, the Pencil can produce incredibly fine lines with variations in gradient as you increase pressure. The side of the tip creates wider strokes, which is great for shading, and the tip can also offer a fine point when you need it. It can be slippery at times, but it generally sits pretty well in the hand.
Unfortunately, the Pencil’s other end only features a charging cap that’s easy to lose, rather than an eraser.
Buy one now from:
Apple Amazon B&H
Adobe Ink & Slide ($124)
If you’re really invested in Adobe apps and the Creative Cloud, Adobe’s Ink & Slide stylus and ruler combo may just be the perfect tools for you. The Ink & Slide connect to any iPad 4 or later, iPad Air, or iPad Mini via Bluetooth LE. It’s also synced up with the Creative Cloud, so every drawing you make or preference you set will be stored in the cloud for you to access on your computer or other devices later. The Ink & Slide also work with Adobe’s Illustrator Line and Photoshop Sketch apps.
The Ink stylus has a fine-tip, pressure-sensitive point and feels like a normal pen in your hand. The Ink uses Pixelpoint technology from Adonit for greater accuracy. A status LED on the stylus even shows you what color you chose, so you don’t make any mistakes. The Slide ruler can be used to make perfectly straight lines, circles, and other shapes. Even though it’s a pricier stylus, the Ink & Slide does come with a USB charger and carrying case, and it’s the ideal stylus for serious creatives who are deeply invested in Adobe’s products already.
Buy one now from:
Adobe Amazon
FiftyThree Pencil, digital stylus for iPad ($60+)
Pencil is one of the best all-around artistic styli when used in conjunction with the company’s app Paper. Using the preset tools available in the app — available for iOS — you can produce remarkable watercolor paintings, fine line drawings, pen and ink sketches, as well as dynamic comic-book like images with the marker function.
FiftyThree specifically designed Pencil to feel solid and comfortable in your hand. It’s shaped like a carpenter’s pencil and even comes in real walnut wood. Pencil even touts a built-in eraser on the end, so you can just flip it around when you want to erase. You can also use Pencil to smudge lines and create a nice blurred effect.
Although Pencil works best with Paper, it is also fully compatible with popular drawing and painting app Procreate, as well as Noteshelf and Squiggle. It connects to your iPad via Bluetooth, and once you’ve paired it, you’ll never have to do so again. When it runs out of battery, you can just remove the tip and pop the USB into any standard USB port.
Buy one now from:
Amazon Target
Sensu Artist Brush & Stylus ($40)
Sensu’s Artist Brush and Stylus combo offer the best of both worlds with its real paintbrush tip and built-in stylus tip. The brush tip acts just like a real paintbrush, which makes it perfect for painting, but it certainly won’t work if you want to execute a fine line drawing. Luckily, once you switch over to the rubber stylus tip, you’ll be able to draw more precise lines. However, the Sensu isn’t pressure-sensitive and it may suffer from delayed reaction times now and then.
It comes in an aluminum finish and looks just like a normal paintbrush. The brush bristles are actually made of synthetic brush hair that was developed in Japan. The stylus tip is made of rubber. Luckily, it works on most Android, Windows, and iOS tablets, so you won’t be limited in your choice of tablet.
Buy one now from:
Amazon
Studio Neat Cosmonaut ($25)
The Cosmonaut stylus may look huge a bulky, but it’s actually the ultimate stylus for white board and marker artists. This stylus won’t give you the thinnest line you’ve ever seen, but it will give you a nice, solid line. The Cosmonaut is easy to grip and it certainly isn’t delicate, so it can take a knocking in your bag without suffering any ill effects.
It’s a short, squat, round rubber stylus with no other defining features. It really looks like a fat, black crayon. The Cosmonaut seems like the perfect stylus for those of you who like to diagram lectures and take notes in a visual style. It works with both Android, iOS, and presumably Windows tablets. The Cosmonauts’ creators say it should also work on any touchscreen.
Buy one now from:
Studio Neat
Adonit Mark ($13+)
Adonit has been offering affordable, but well-built styli for quite a while and the Mark is no different. At $13, it lets anyone with a smartphone, tablet, or laptop have access to a solid, all-purpose stylus. The best thing about the Mark is how the stylus feels in the hand — it’s made of anodized aluminum and is smooth, but has a good grip. It’s also has a triangular shape, so it doesn’t roll, which also feels natural.
It’s a decent, cheap alternative for drawing, but we wouldn’t recommend it for note-taking as it’s not precise, being that it is tipped with a mesh. Even when drawing, don’t expect to get accurate strokes while you’re working on the finer details.
Buy one now from:
Amazon B&H
Nomad Flex ($30)
If you’re looking for a paintbrush instead of just a stylus, then the Nomad Flex may be the tool you need for your iPad. The brush is made of aluminum and has synthetic bristles, which make it feel more akin to a real paintbrush. The Flex will work perfectly with apps such as Paper or Procreate, but in an app like Penultimate, a traditional stylus would be more appropriate. Nomad’s offering includes a plastic carrying case inside the box, too, so you can safeguard the brush from unwanted abuse.
How does it compare to the Sensu brush? Well, the bristles on the Sensu are a bit stiffer than the ones on the Flex — the bristles on the former are also more round. The Flex is going to feel thinner and lighter than the Sensu, and the Flex’s bristles will feel mushier by comparison. Another great thing about the Flex is that it is compatible with iPads, as well as Android tablets and Microsoft’s Surface lineup. The brush also comes in a variety of colors, including charcoal, pink, silver, blue, and red.
Buy one now from:
Amazon Nomadbrush
Best styli for notetakers
There are almost as many styli for note taking as there are for drawing. Although there are scads of fine-tipped styli for taking notes, these are two of the best we’ve found for precise writing on tablets.
Adonit Switch ($24+)
While the Adonit Switch may have a low price tag, it certainly doesn’t mean it lacks in style or usefulness. That’s right, the Switch doubles as a stylus and an actual pen. Roll the striped grip-end, and you’ll find a ball-point pen sliding out. Rotate to take off the cap on the other side, and voilà, you have a precision stylus.
The precision stylus has a disk at the end, allowing for more precise marks on your tablet. It feels and weighs about the same as a normal pen, and can easily be mistaken for one. It can be used to draw, but you’re better off sticking with writing notes with the Adonit Switch. The ball-point pen writes fairly well and adds an immensely useful function if you happen to always carry a stylus around.
Buy one now from:
Amazon B&H
Adonit Jot Script 2 Evernote Edition ($80+)
Fans of Evernote will love Adonit’s Jot Script 2 Evernote Edition, not only because it allows for fast note-taking, but it also comes with six months of Evernote Premium. With Premium, you can see your notes offline, upload as many as you want, attach PDFs, scan business cards, search for offline documents, and more. It’s a great tool for students or anyone who likes to take notes, and with the Jot Script 2, you’ll never need to carry around all those heavy paper notebooks from class to class.
Like most Adonit styli, the Jot Script 2 has palm rejection and features Pixelpoint technology — which ensures smooth, fast accurate strokes. Its tip is less than 2-millimeters thick, so you know you’ll be able to write just as you would with a ballpoint pen. Adonit says it works for 20 hours, so you won’t have to charge it too often either. The stylus works with any app, though, Adonit boasts partnerships with many app makers that take full advantage of its abilities.
Buy one now from:
Amazon Adonit
Adonit Jot Pro ($23+)
Adonit probably offers the most precise and fine stylus tips of any manufacturer. Although the Jot Script is well-liked for its extra fine tip, it only works with iOS devices, which limits its reach. The benefit if the Adonit Jot Pro, is that it works on most touchscreen devices, including both iPads and Android tablets. It will probably also work on Windows tablets, too, but we haven’t tested that theory.
The Jot Pro has a very fine point, which makes it perfect for taking notes. When precision is the order of the day, it doesn’t get much better than this. The Jot Pro looks and feels like a regular ballpoint pen, with the addition of a small plastic disc on the tip to protect the screen. It even comes in several different colors, including a nice turquoise and bright red.
Buy one now from:
Amazon
Adonit Pixel ($72+)
Adonit is one of the best styli manufacturers in existence, one that recently added the Adonit Pixel to its already impressive lineup. While it’s true that the Apple Pencil is one of the most accurate styli that you can get, it’s only compatible with the iPad Pro. In contrast, the Pixel stylus is compatible with iPhone 5 and higher, third and fourth-gen iPads, all iPad Minis, the iPad Air, and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Unfortunately, however, it’s not compatible with the 9.7-inch iPad Pro.
Like Adonit’s other wears, the Pixel has a 1.9-millimeter tip instead of a disc, allowing for easy drawing and sketching. The stylus’ tip has improved drag performance as well, to make it feel like you’re writing on paper. A USB dongle also allows you to charge the stylus via your computer, while a host of programmable buttons let you perform a variety of customized actions on the fly. If you’re looking for a blue-ribbon stylus that touts solid functionality across the board, you can’t go wrong with the Pixel.
Buy one now from:
Amazon Adonit
Musemee Notier V2 ($12-$13)
If you’re looking for an affordable alternative to some of the premium offerings on our roundup, then look no further than the Musemee Notier V2. The stylus touts a fine disc tip, one that is both durable and replaceable. The V2 has also undergone a set of rigorous bend tests, and features an ergonomic design that is flexible enough that you can hold the pen at any angle, much like you would a traditional pen. One of its best features is its compatibility, however, which allows you to use the stylus with a multitude of iOS and Android devices. It works with all touch-capacitive displays, meaning it’s compatible with iPads, iPhones, Samsung devices, HTC devices, Motorola devices, and a host of others.
Buy one now from:
Amazon Musemee
Best tablets for styli
As laptop-tablet hybrids grow increasingly popular — just take a look at the numbers for both the iPad Pro and Microsoft’s Surface lineup — so does the use of styli as an accessory. On that note, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Tab S3 at Mobile World Congress 2017, and you won’t be disappointed drawing on the device’s 10-inch, HDR-ready AMOLED. The device as big as the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, so the screen size makes it a great canvas to work with. Samsung also offers the S Pen as an accessory, which offers decent performance when it comes to taking notes.
However, Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4 also comes with a stylus, and it delivers on performance. The Surface Pen is four times as pressure sensitive as the Surface Pro 3’s stylus. It also comes with an eraser, can handle fine lines easily, and boasts a variety of special features. You can activate Cortana with the pen, for example, or open a note with the press of a button. It looks and feels like a regular pen, too, and though it may not be the best for drawing, it certainly works.
Our last recommendation, the iPad Pro, needs no introduction. The tablet’s massive display is a beauty to draw on, and the Apple Pencil is the perfect accessory for it, due to its pressure-sensitive screen. The new 9.7-inch Pro is just a smaller — albeit, capable — alternative for budding artists.
Buy one now:
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 iPad Pro 12.9-inch iPad Pro 9.7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
The pen is mightier than the finger: The best styli for all your needs
Whether you’re the sort of person who doodles in class, diagrams lectures, or just jots down old-fashioned notes, you’ve probably considered buying a stylus or a tablet that’s already equipped with one. In recent years, styli have become more popular and more varied, meaning they’re not just for art majors anymore. The release of the Apple Pencil also helped push the once ill-fated peripheral back into the spotlight, helping to reinvigorate a market that is now bursting with viable options. To help you make sense of them all, we’ve put together a list of the best pen for every occasion, not to mention the top tablets that come bundled with them. Read on for more details!
More: Universal Stylus Initiative 1.0 is here, but devices won’t be until 2018
Best styli for artists
No artist is exactly the same, and depending on your medium of choice, you may want a specific kind of stylus. Some artistic styli come with interchangeable tips, so you can vary the quality of stylus input, while others are a one-size fits all option or specifically designed to mimic a certain medium.
Apple Pencil ($99)
The Apple Pencil may have debuted towards the end of 2015, but it has already set the standard for styli. Before jumping to specifics, note that the Pencil only works with the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and the latest 9.7-inch version. The Pencil itself is one of the fastest, and most responsive styli we have used, with essentially no latency (if there is some, we didn’t notice).
Thanks to the pressure-sensitive screen in the iPad Pro, the Pencil can produce incredibly fine lines with variations in gradient as you increase pressure. The side of the tip creates wider strokes, which is great for shading, and the tip can also offer a fine point when you need it. It can be slippery at times, but it generally sits pretty well in the hand.
Unfortunately, the Pencil’s other end only features a charging cap that’s easy to lose, rather than an eraser.
Buy one now from:
Apple Amazon B&H
Adobe Ink & Slide ($124)
If you’re really invested in Adobe apps and the Creative Cloud, Adobe’s Ink & Slide stylus and ruler combo may just be the perfect tools for you. The Ink & Slide connect to any iPad 4 or later, iPad Air, or iPad Mini via Bluetooth LE. It’s also synced up with the Creative Cloud, so every drawing you make or preference you set will be stored in the cloud for you to access on your computer or other devices later. The Ink & Slide also work with Adobe’s Illustrator Line and Photoshop Sketch apps.
The Ink stylus has a fine-tip, pressure-sensitive point and feels like a normal pen in your hand. The Ink uses Pixelpoint technology from Adonit for greater accuracy. A status LED on the stylus even shows you what color you chose, so you don’t make any mistakes. The Slide ruler can be used to make perfectly straight lines, circles, and other shapes. Even though it’s a pricier stylus, the Ink & Slide does come with a USB charger and carrying case, and it’s the ideal stylus for serious creatives who are deeply invested in Adobe’s products already.
Buy one now from:
Adobe Amazon
FiftyThree Pencil, digital stylus for iPad ($60+)
Pencil is one of the best all-around artistic styli when used in conjunction with the company’s app Paper. Using the preset tools available in the app — available for iOS — you can produce remarkable watercolor paintings, fine line drawings, pen and ink sketches, as well as dynamic comic-book like images with the marker function.
FiftyThree specifically designed Pencil to feel solid and comfortable in your hand. It’s shaped like a carpenter’s pencil and even comes in real walnut wood. Pencil even touts a built-in eraser on the end, so you can just flip it around when you want to erase. You can also use Pencil to smudge lines and create a nice blurred effect.
Although Pencil works best with Paper, it is also fully compatible with popular drawing and painting app Procreate, as well as Noteshelf and Squiggle. It connects to your iPad via Bluetooth, and once you’ve paired it, you’ll never have to do so again. When it runs out of battery, you can just remove the tip and pop the USB into any standard USB port.
Buy one now from:
Amazon Target
Sensu Artist Brush & Stylus ($40)
Sensu’s Artist Brush and Stylus combo offer the best of both worlds with its real paintbrush tip and built-in stylus tip. The brush tip acts just like a real paintbrush, which makes it perfect for painting, but it certainly won’t work if you want to execute a fine line drawing. Luckily, once you switch over to the rubber stylus tip, you’ll be able to draw more precise lines. However, the Sensu isn’t pressure-sensitive and it may suffer from delayed reaction times now and then.
It comes in an aluminum finish and looks just like a normal paintbrush. The brush bristles are actually made of synthetic brush hair that was developed in Japan. The stylus tip is made of rubber. Luckily, it works on most Android, Windows, and iOS tablets, so you won’t be limited in your choice of tablet.
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Amazon
Studio Neat Cosmonaut ($25)
The Cosmonaut stylus may look huge a bulky, but it’s actually the ultimate stylus for white board and marker artists. This stylus won’t give you the thinnest line you’ve ever seen, but it will give you a nice, solid line. The Cosmonaut is easy to grip and it certainly isn’t delicate, so it can take a knocking in your bag without suffering any ill effects.
It’s a short, squat, round rubber stylus with no other defining features. It really looks like a fat, black crayon. The Cosmonaut seems like the perfect stylus for those of you who like to diagram lectures and take notes in a visual style. It works with both Android, iOS, and presumably Windows tablets. The Cosmonauts’ creators say it should also work on any touchscreen.
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Studio Neat
Adonit Mark ($13+)
Adonit has been offering affordable, but well-built styli for quite a while and the Mark is no different. At $13, it lets anyone with a smartphone, tablet, or laptop have access to a solid, all-purpose stylus. The best thing about the Mark is how the stylus feels in the hand — it’s made of anodized aluminum and is smooth, but has a good grip. It’s also has a triangular shape, so it doesn’t roll, which also feels natural.
It’s a decent, cheap alternative for drawing, but we wouldn’t recommend it for note-taking as it’s not precise, being that it is tipped with a mesh. Even when drawing, don’t expect to get accurate strokes while you’re working on the finer details.
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Amazon B&H
Nomad Flex ($30)
If you’re looking for a paintbrush instead of just a stylus, then the Nomad Flex may be the tool you need for your iPad. The brush is made of aluminum and has synthetic bristles, which make it feel more akin to a real paintbrush. The Flex will work perfectly with apps such as Paper or Procreate, but in an app like Penultimate, a traditional stylus would be more appropriate. Nomad’s offering includes a plastic carrying case inside the box, too, so you can safeguard the brush from unwanted abuse.
How does it compare to the Sensu brush? Well, the bristles on the Sensu are a bit stiffer than the ones on the Flex — the bristles on the former are also more round. The Flex is going to feel thinner and lighter than the Sensu, and the Flex’s bristles will feel mushier by comparison. Another great thing about the Flex is that it is compatible with iPads, as well as Android tablets and Microsoft’s Surface lineup. The brush also comes in a variety of colors, including charcoal, pink, silver, blue, and red.
Buy one now from:
Amazon Nomadbrush
Best styli for notetakers
There are almost as many styli for note taking as there are for drawing. Although there are scads of fine-tipped styli for taking notes, these are two of the best we’ve found for precise writing on tablets.
Adonit Switch ($24+)
While the Adonit Switch may have a low price tag, it certainly doesn’t mean it lacks in style or usefulness. That’s right, the Switch doubles as a stylus and an actual pen. Roll the striped grip-end, and you’ll find a ball-point pen sliding out. Rotate to take off the cap on the other side, and voilà, you have a precision stylus.
The precision stylus has a disk at the end, allowing for more precise marks on your tablet. It feels and weighs about the same as a normal pen, and can easily be mistaken for one. It can be used to draw, but you’re better off sticking with writing notes with the Adonit Switch. The ball-point pen writes fairly well and adds an immensely useful function if you happen to always carry a stylus around.
Buy one now from:
Amazon B&H
Adonit Jot Script 2 Evernote Edition ($80+)
Fans of Evernote will love Adonit’s Jot Script 2 Evernote Edition, not only because it allows for fast note-taking, but it also comes with six months of Evernote Premium. With Premium, you can see your notes offline, upload as many as you want, attach PDFs, scan business cards, search for offline documents, and more. It’s a great tool for students or anyone who likes to take notes, and with the Jot Script 2, you’ll never need to carry around all those heavy paper notebooks from class to class.
Like most Adonit styli, the Jot Script 2 has palm rejection and features Pixelpoint technology — which ensures smooth, fast accurate strokes. Its tip is less than 2-millimeters thick, so you know you’ll be able to write just as you would with a ballpoint pen. Adonit says it works for 20 hours, so you won’t have to charge it too often either. The stylus works with any app, though, Adonit boasts partnerships with many app makers that take full advantage of its abilities.
Buy one now from:
Amazon Adonit
Adonit Jot Pro ($23+)
Adonit probably offers the most precise and fine stylus tips of any manufacturer. Although the Jot Script is well-liked for its extra fine tip, it only works with iOS devices, which limits its reach. The benefit if the Adonit Jot Pro, is that it works on most touchscreen devices, including both iPads and Android tablets. It will probably also work on Windows tablets, too, but we haven’t tested that theory.
The Jot Pro has a very fine point, which makes it perfect for taking notes. When precision is the order of the day, it doesn’t get much better than this. The Jot Pro looks and feels like a regular ballpoint pen, with the addition of a small plastic disc on the tip to protect the screen. It even comes in several different colors, including a nice turquoise and bright red.
Buy one now from:
Amazon
Adonit Pixel ($72+)
Adonit is one of the best styli manufacturers in existence, one that recently added the Adonit Pixel to its already impressive lineup. While it’s true that the Apple Pencil is one of the most accurate styli that you can get, it’s only compatible with the iPad Pro. In contrast, the Pixel stylus is compatible with iPhone 5 and higher, third and fourth-gen iPads, all iPad Minis, the iPad Air, and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Unfortunately, however, it’s not compatible with the 9.7-inch iPad Pro.
Like Adonit’s other wears, the Pixel has a 1.9-millimeter tip instead of a disc, allowing for easy drawing and sketching. The stylus’ tip has improved drag performance as well, to make it feel like you’re writing on paper. A USB dongle also allows you to charge the stylus via your computer, while a host of programmable buttons let you perform a variety of customized actions on the fly. If you’re looking for a blue-ribbon stylus that touts solid functionality across the board, you can’t go wrong with the Pixel.
Buy one now from:
Amazon Adonit
Musemee Notier V2 ($12-$13)
If you’re looking for an affordable alternative to some of the premium offerings on our roundup, then look no further than the Musemee Notier V2. The stylus touts a fine disc tip, one that is both durable and replaceable. The V2 has also undergone a set of rigorous bend tests, and features an ergonomic design that is flexible enough that you can hold the pen at any angle, much like you would a traditional pen. One of its best features is its compatibility, however, which allows you to use the stylus with a multitude of iOS and Android devices. It works with all touch-capacitive displays, meaning it’s compatible with iPads, iPhones, Samsung devices, HTC devices, Motorola devices, and a host of others.
Buy one now from:
Amazon Musemee
Best tablets for styli
As laptop-tablet hybrids grow increasingly popular — just take a look at the numbers for both the iPad Pro and Microsoft’s Surface lineup — so does the use of styli as an accessory. On that note, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Tab S3 at Mobile World Congress 2017, and you won’t be disappointed drawing on the device’s 10-inch, HDR-ready AMOLED. The device as big as the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, so the screen size makes it a great canvas to work with. Samsung also offers the S Pen as an accessory, which offers decent performance when it comes to taking notes.
However, Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4 also comes with a stylus, and it delivers on performance. The Surface Pen is four times as pressure sensitive as the Surface Pro 3’s stylus. It also comes with an eraser, can handle fine lines easily, and boasts a variety of special features. You can activate Cortana with the pen, for example, or open a note with the press of a button. It looks and feels like a regular pen, too, and though it may not be the best for drawing, it certainly works.
Our last recommendation, the iPad Pro, needs no introduction. The tablet’s massive display is a beauty to draw on, and the Apple Pencil is the perfect accessory for it, due to its pressure-sensitive screen. The new 9.7-inch Pro is just a smaller — albeit, capable — alternative for budding artists.
Buy one now:
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 iPad Pro 12.9-inch iPad Pro 9.7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
CityConnect is creating a ‘Pokemon Go’-style augmented reality app for cyclists
Why it matters to you
Encouraging people to ride a bike or obey bicycle traffic laws can be difficult. An augmented reality app could make it fun.
Riding a bicycle isn’t for everyone. Yet, there is no denying that it is a greener way to commute and a great way to get some exercise. Still, many people don’t find it enjoyable enough to keep riding. CityConnect and the University of Bradford’s Digital Media Working Academy are developing a way to fix that.
By creating an augmented reality app for cyclists, the aim is to enhance the cycling experience with elements of game playing. Safety is a key aspect of the prototype. Players are rewarded for following traffic laws and acting responsibly. If a cyclist rides recklessly, points are deducted. Additionally, the app features explorable points of interest.
More: This GPS-powered cycling vest can trigger turn signals automatically as you follow a route
For this first phase, testing will focus on the Cycle Superhighway that links the cities of Bradford and Leeds. This pathway provides cyclists with a segregated, traffic-free environment. Throughout development, the Working Academy is involved with the local Yorkshire community, including schools and cycling groups, to test the app and its features.
There has been some concern over cyclists engaging with a screen during their commute. However, safety is the app’s biggest focus.
“We are working with a simple but secure strap that attaches the phone to the handlebars,” said Simon Couth, Head of the Working Academy. “Safety is an integral aspect of the app with warnings and safe cycle guidance a part of the gameplay. It’s much like people using a screen sat-nav as they drive.”
A finished prototype of the app is scheduled to showcase during the Cycle City Active City conference on May 11 and 12. The conference is hosted by Bradford Council and supported by CityConnect.
“Creating an augmented reality app for cyclists that puts safety and fun at the heart, is the sort of innovative challenge that the University is really keen to take on,” said Couth.
CityConnect is creating a ‘Pokemon Go’-style augmented reality app for cyclists
Why it matters to you
Encouraging people to ride a bike or obey bicycle traffic laws can be difficult. An augmented reality app could make it fun.
Riding a bicycle isn’t for everyone. Yet, there is no denying that it is a greener way to commute and a great way to get some exercise. Still, many people don’t find it enjoyable enough to keep riding. CityConnect and the University of Bradford’s Digital Media Working Academy are developing a way to fix that.
By creating an augmented reality app for cyclists, the aim is to enhance the cycling experience with elements of game playing. Safety is a key aspect of the prototype. Players are rewarded for following traffic laws and acting responsibly. If a cyclist rides recklessly, points are deducted. Additionally, the app features explorable points of interest.
More: This GPS-powered cycling vest can trigger turn signals automatically as you follow a route
For this first phase, testing will focus on the Cycle Superhighway that links the cities of Bradford and Leeds. This pathway provides cyclists with a segregated, traffic-free environment. Throughout development, the Working Academy is involved with the local Yorkshire community, including schools and cycling groups, to test the app and its features.
There has been some concern over cyclists engaging with a screen during their commute. However, safety is the app’s biggest focus.
“We are working with a simple but secure strap that attaches the phone to the handlebars,” said Simon Couth, Head of the Working Academy. “Safety is an integral aspect of the app with warnings and safe cycle guidance a part of the gameplay. It’s much like people using a screen sat-nav as they drive.”
A finished prototype of the app is scheduled to showcase during the Cycle City Active City conference on May 11 and 12. The conference is hosted by Bradford Council and supported by CityConnect.
“Creating an augmented reality app for cyclists that puts safety and fun at the heart, is the sort of innovative challenge that the University is really keen to take on,” said Couth.
AIVAnet 