Over the last week, iMore has put four of the best pro stylus pens in the world head to head to head to head: the Wacom Bamboo, the Adonit Jot Pro, the SGP Kuel H12, and the Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Pro. We've picked our winner.

Now it's time for you to win!

The always awesome iMore Accessory Store is giving away two (2) of each stylus pens to our equally awesome readers! That's eight (8) stylus pens total! Yeah. How can you win one of your very own?

1. Subscribe to iMore's YouTube channel
2. Leave a comment on the video for the stylus pen (or pens) you want most. (Enter for all four if you like!)
   • Adonit Jot Pro stylus review video
   • Wacom Bamboo Stylus review video
   • SGP Kuel H12 stylus review video
   • Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Pro stylus video
3. And that's it!

We'll pick a couple commenters for each stylus pen video -- check to make sure they've subscribed! -- and then send the winners their prize.

Contest starts now and ends Sunday, May 20, 2012 at 11:59pm PST. Now why are you still reading? Enter already!

iMore compares pro-level iPad stylus pens -- Pogo, Kuel, Jot, and Bamboo -- and tells you which one is best, and which one is best for you

Apple might have said "yuk!" to stylus pens but users are saying "yes!" in ever greater number. Apple might have had a point, back in the days before iPhones and iPads, when pointy old resistive stylus pens had to be used just to get outdated touch screens and inscrutable interfaces to work. But now there's a new generation of stylus pens for the new generation of capacitive touch screens. These stylus pens don't have to be used -- we want to use them. We want to use them for speed and accuracy, for comfort and creativity. We want to use them for take hand-written notes, to draw and paint, and to game. We want to use them to such an extent that, for many users, it's no longer a question of whether we should use a stylus pen -- but which one?

To answer that questions, iMore took a look at four of the most popular, high end stylus pens on the market -- The Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Pro, the SGP Kuel H12, the Adonit Jot Pro, and the Wacom Bamboo. We took a look at the build quality, durability, and capacitive performance of each one, and we tested them using Noteshelf and Penultimate, Procreate and Paper by 53, and Zuma's Revenge and Words with Friends.

And here's what we found...

iPad stylus hardware comparison

How a stylus feels and how it holds up is as important as how it works. If its not comfortable in the hand for long periods of time, you won't keep using it. If it doesn't hold up to heavy use, you won't be able to keep using it. Now the Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Pro, the SGP Kuel H12, the Adonit Jot Pro, and the Wacom Bamboo are all pretty much pro-level stylus pens, which implies better quality, and longer lasting materials. But how do they compare?

Wacom Bamboo stylus

The Wacom Bamboo stylus looks like a standard, straight-barrel pen with feed. It has a milled aluminum body with a satin-textured finish, and comes in black, white, blue, green, pink, and orange. The tip is completely soft to the point of being mushy, and it's the shortest of the stylus pens we tested.

We found the Wacom Bamboo to be the least comfortable of the group. The short length and the sharp feed made for a bad combination. The completely mushy tip was also a disappointment, as it provides almost no push-back without excessive pressure.

Because it's soft and oh, so mushy, there could be some concern about durability. We didn't have any problems at all, however.

• Wacom Bamboo Stylus for iPad review

Adonit Jot Pro stylus

The Adonit Jot Pro feels like a mechanical pencil or drafting pen, complete with a thin, hard metal tip... topped with a round plastic disk. There's a screw cap to protect the tip, and the The body is aluminum and steel, and will stick to the magnets around an iPad 2 or new iPad display. There's a rubber black grip area, and the metal section comes in black, silver, red, or blue.

Immediately familiar to anyone who's done technical drawing or drafting, the Adonit Jot Pro may take some getting used to for everyone else. The hard tip provides immediate pressure feedback but isn't quite as smooth as the other stylus pens. The disk provides excellent visibility for detailed line work, but doesn't feel natural for softer applications, like brushwork. It's also noisy when tapping or swiping, which can be distracting in a quiet setting.

Also, if the disc becomes damaged, the hard tip can cause scratches. As long as you pay attention, however, you can get replacement tips and avoid any problems.

• Adonit Jot Pro stylus for iPad review

SGP Kuel H12 stylus

The SGP Kuel H12 is built like a premium, high-end pen, complete with an elegant feed and a gently curved body and a tip that extends from the body with a twist. The silicon coated, high polymer tip is soft but it has a rigid insert roughly 2/3 of the way down. It comes in black, white, and silver.

Anyone who enjoys a good pen will enjoy using the SGP Kuel H12. From the weight to the material, it just feels right. The tip is soft but not as bad as the Bamboo, and quite smooth. While the width of the body can obscure the screen at times, overall it's very comfortable.

Some people have reported problems with the thinness of the tip, but ours has held up well. Just make sure you twist the pen to withdraw the cap if you intend to put it in a bag, pocket or purse. If you do have a problem with it, there's no way to replace just the tip.

• SGP Kuel H12 stylus for iPad review

Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Pro stylus

The Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Pro eschews the standard pen shape for a long, tapered, forward weighted design. It has a solid aluminum unibody with a black, ergonomic grip. The tip is soft but becomes rigid about 1/3 of the way in. It has small holes punctured in it which Ten One claims increases capacitive performance. It comes in any color you want as long as that color is silver.

While the Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Pro doesn't look or feel like a traditional pen, it's still very comfortable to use. The front weighting means you can let gravity do some of the work for you, and even though the tip is soft, only the topmost part has any give. That makes for excellent performance.

Because of the perforations, the Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Pro might be subject to wear and tear, but our review units have been fine even under heavy use. You can also buy replacements tips, should you experience any problems.

• Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Pro stylus for iPad review

The Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Pro, the SGP Kuel H12, the Adonit Jot Pro, and the Wacom Bamboo are all well constructed and they all use high quality materials. The Wacom Bamboo is the least comfortable based simply on the short length and sharpness of the feed. The Adonit Jot Pro will appeal most to technical writers and artists. The SGP Kuel H12 is fantastic, especially if you like the feel of a real pen. My personal favorite is the Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Pro. Then length and curve make it decidedly un-pen like, but also extremely comfortable. Replacement tips is icing on the cake.

Four way tie, with a slight edge to Adonit Jot Pro and Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Pro for the replaceable tips.

Note-taking stylus comparison

If you're looking for a stylus for long form note-taking, look no further than the SGP Kuel H12

One of the primary uses for stylus pens on the iPad is note-taking. Whether it's simply to scribble down a few words or diagrams, or to write out long form text, a good note-taking stylus has to be comfortable and smooth, and well suited to both print and script.

The Wacom Bamboo is okay for note-taking. The completely soft tip doesn't provide the best feeling, and the capacitive performance isn't the best of the stylus pens we tested, but once you start writing script, you can keep it flowing. Print is a little more hit or miss.

The Adonit Jot Pro is good for very precise, very technical writing. The slightly rougher feel of the disk isn't the best for script, but if you're doing something very detailed or specific the accuracy could make up for it. However, and the hard metal tip creates a tapping sound when writing short strokes or block letters.

The Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Plus is excellent for note taking and is my personal favorite for quick note taking. The front weighting combined with the high level of capacitive performance makes it easy to start writing, and the smooth tip combined with the more solid base means it's easy to keep going. The extra length also allows for a little calligraphic flair, if you so choose.

The SGP Kuel H12 is Mobile Nations' favorite stylus pen for long form note taking. The solid, real pen feel makes it incredibly comfortable to use and the quality of the tip make note taking a breeze. If you want to write a short book with your stylus, the Kuel H12 is the one to consider.

With the caveat that the Adonit Jot Pro might better please precision note-takers, and the Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Pro those who want a little more calligraphic flare, the SGP Kuel H12 wins the note-taking crown.

Art and drawing stylus comparison

The Wacom Bamboo is once again just okay for art and drawing. The short length and the mushy tip give less range and require more pressure to get solid feedback, which hurts the overall experience. Once you get a line going, it's fine, but putting paint on a page takes more effort than it ought to.

The SGP Kuel H12 is better for art and drawing. Its slightly longer and more curved, so it feels better, and the tip requires slightly less pressure than the Bamboo to get a good capacitive connection going. It works well for both line work and for brush work.

The Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Plus, by virtue of its long length, allows for really good lines and brush strokes. Again, the weighted top and the rigidity beneath the tip means it does a lot of the work for you, and it works well at almost any angle. For painting type applications, it's the best stylus we tested.

The Adonit Jot Pro simply excels at line work. Anyone who's ever done technical drawing, drafting, penciling, or inking work will feel instantly at home. The clear plastic disk at the tip lets you easily see exactly where you're working, and the Jot SDK means apps like Procreate can be especially tuned to work brilliantly with the Jot Pro. For anything detailed, the Jot Pro is best in class.

Both the SGP Kuel H12 and Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Plus are great general purpose stylus pens to use for art, and of the ones we tested, were the best for brush work as well. When it comes to any kind of line work, however, the specificity of the Adonit Jot Pro can't be beat.

Gaming stylus comparison

The Adonit Jot Pro remains accurate thanks to its plastic disk, but that same hard disk can be very annoying when tap, tap, tapping away on your iPad during games like Zuma. For Draw Something it wasn't bad, but not as good as the soft tipped stylus pens for so casual a use.

The Wacom Bamboo finishes its streak as the most consistently okay but not great stylus we tested. For gaming, the mushy tip resulted in lower registry of capacitive contact than any of its competitors. The short body was also the least dynamic and least comfortable when used for extended gaming, though the soft tip was nicely quiet.

The SGP Kuel H12 was good for gaming, though the thickness of the body obscured more of the screen than I'd have liked. It had the second best capacitive registration average, however, and was easily comfortable enough to use for even long -- long -- gaming sessions.

The Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Plus was excellent for gaming. Out of all the stylus pens we gamed with, it had the highest accuracy and reliability, almost always hitting what I wanted and causing the iPad's capacitive touch sensors to register that hit successfully. The long length made reaching all areas of the screen quick, and the ergonomic design remained comfortable from beginning to end. This is my go-to gaming stylus.

While the SGP Kuel H12 put up a valiant fight, the Ten One Design's combination of forward weighting, excellent range, and awesome accuracy gave it the winning score.

Cost

The Wacom Bamboo performed the least well in our tests, yet costs the most at $29.95. Conversely, the SGP Kuel H12 was one of the best, yet only costs $19.95. The Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Plus and Adonit Jot Pro are in between.

Prices can vary a lot in the accessory market, and you can find sales that radically change the equation, but in general terms and unless you need something very specific, the SGP Kuel H12 is the best bang for your stylus pen buck.

Conclusion

Based on our results, and though several iMore staffers like it quite a bit, the Wacom Bamboo just doesn't match up to the other pro-level stylus pens on the market, and costs the most as well. Not a good combination.

If you're detail oriented and primarily do a lot of technical writing and drawing, the Adonit Jot Pro the best stylus for you. While it's not great at gaming, it'll do in a pinch, and note-taking works well enough when you get use to it. When our Editor-in-Chief wants to draw, he draws with the Jot Pro.

The SGP Kuel H12 is great, all around stylus pen. If a traditional pen look and feel is what you want, and long form note-taking is what you need, the Kuel H12 is the one to get. It's also a Mobile Nations favorite.

My favorite stylus of the four is the Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Pro. It doesn't feel like a traditional pen, but it consistently produced the best results for me in general, and was the best stylus pen we tested when it came to gaming.

So this is how it plays out -- the Adonit Jot Pro is very good but is more of a specialist tool. You'll know if it's best for you. It then comes down to the SGP Kuel H12 and the Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Pro. The Kuel H12 is cheaper, but the Pogo Sketch Pro has replaceable tips. The Kuel H12 feels more like a premium pen but the non-traditional design of the Pogo Sketch Pro has several advantages. Since they both perform so well yet look so different, you can probably tell at a glance which one you prefer. Many here at Mobile Nations love the Kuel H12. But at the end of the day, due to its excellent design and superior overall performance, the winner of our shootout is...

The Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Pro.

$29.95 - Buy the Wacom Bamboo now

$27.95 - Buy the Adonit Jot Pro now

$19.95 - Buy the SGP Kuel H12 now

$24.95 - Buy Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Pro

The Ten One Design Pogo SketchPro stylus is a fantastic all-around style, with all around best in-class performance

Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Pro, part of the Pogo Sketch line up of stylus pens, is one of the best we've had the pleasure use with the iPad. It's not as cheap or as specialized as some of the competition, however, so does the quality make up for it?

Rather than a traditional pen, the Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Pro is longer and more tapered, yet still comfortable.

Unlike some other iPad stylus pens, the Pogo Sketch Pro doesn't look like a traditional pen. It's longer and far more tapered than most. It's got a solid aluminum unibody and an excellent ergonomic grip. This puts the weighting far more forward than most other stylus pens, and that's a good thing. It lets the weight of the tool do a lot of the work for you.

The tip is special designed and patent pending. While it's a soft Ten One claims this makes the Sketch Pro effective at every angle, and the "most sensitive on the market". Our tests showed the Pogo Sketch Pro had excellent capacitance, and all-around the best we've tried to date. To achieve this level of performance, the tip has holes in it. That does raise some concerns over wear and tear, but you can buy replacement tips from Pogo. Unlike some of the other soft tip stylus pens we tested, the Pogo Pro tip doesn't have a lot of give, so you don't have to push as hard before you get solid feedback.

The unique Pogo Sketch Pro tip provides excellent capacitive performance over a wide range of angles thanks to its unique tip design.

The Pogo Sketch Pro is available in any color you want, provided that color is black and silver. This matches a lot of the Apple aesthetic, especially if you have a black iPhone or iPad, but it's limited compared to other pro-level stylus pens.

For note-taking, the Pogo Sketch Pro is very good. We had no problem writing long form notes. If you're used to a more standard pen shape, you might not like the Pogo Sketch Pro feel as much, but the results are top notch. For art tasks, it's okay. It's not as good as a hard-tipped stylus for line work, or a softer tip for brush work, but the sensitivity makes it good enough for both. For gaming it's great, and the accuracy really pays off. Out of all the pro stylus pens we tried, the Pogo Sketch Pro is our favorite for gaming.

The Pogo Sketch Pro is an excellent all around stylus but is especially good for gaming.

The good

• Excellent sensitivity
• Good ergonomics
• Great gaming stylus
• Replaceable tips

The bad

• Okay but not excellent for art

The conclusion

The Ten One Design Pogo Sketch Pro stylus is simply one of the best iPad stylus pens on the market. While it doesn't feel like a traditional pen the way the less expensive SGP Kuel H12 does, its long, tapered design is really comfortable. We absolutely love it for gaming, and it holds its own in note-taking. For art it's more than serviceable, but for dedicated line work you're still better off with the Adonit Jot Pro. For general use, however, the Pogo Sketch Pro is absolutely one of the best.

$24.95 - Buy now

SGP Kuel H12 stylus for iPad is one of the best all-around stylus pens on the market and is especially good for long form note-taking

The SGP Kuel H12 takes all the elements of a classic capacitive stylus and knocks each and every one of them out of the park when it comes to build quality and usability. And it has a lower price than it's pro-level competition. So what's the catch?

A classic stylus in every sense of the word. the SGP Kuel H12 is made with a plated brass body and a silicon coated, high polymer tip designed to almost float across the surface of your iPad. From weight to curves, it feels like a high-quality pen, and even twists to retract and protect its capacitive tip.

The SGP Kuel H12 stylus feels like a premium pen, yet is less expensive than it's competition.

Available in black, white, and sliver, the SGP Kuel H12 stylus doesn't have any special rubberized grip area, but the combination of its shape and its size make it comfortable to use, even for extended periods. While the tip is soft, it doesn't collapse in all the way like some other styli do, which makes it a little easier to use under pressure. It's also fairly sensitive, so touch input registers quickly and overall accuracy is good as well. While some users have complained the material of the tip wears out too quickly, we haven't had any problems with our review units.

When it comes to hand-written note-taking, the SGP Kuel H12 is Mobile Nations' favorite stylus. The folks back at headquarters have a special fondness for styli and have tested them extensively and when they want to write serious notes, for long periods of time, they reach for the H12.

If you're looking for a stylus for long form note-taking, look no further than the SGP Kuel H12

When it comes to gaming, the smooth tip of the SGP Kuel H12 reduces tapping noise considerably, but the overall design can sometimes cover too much of the screen. For art, it's okay for line work but not as good as a hard-tipped stylus. However, it's much better for brush work and other, softer paint-like applications.

The good

• Excellent for long-form note-taking
• Feels like a premium pen
• Incredibly good value for the price

The bad

• Good but not great for gaming or art

The conclusion

The SGP Kuel H12 is one of the best stylus on the market for note-taking, and is an excellent all around stylus. It looks and feels like a high quality, premium pen. It's not as great for drawing as the Adonit Jot Pro, and not quite a sensitive as the Pogo Sketch Pro, but given it's low price point and exceptional quality, it's the best bang for your stylus buck.

$19.95 - Buy now

The Adonit Jot Pro stylus for iPad is best in class when it comes to high precision, detailed writing and line work

The Adonit Jot Pro is not your regular iPad or iPhone stylus. Instead of a round, mushy finger-sized capacitive tip, it has a very thin, very hard tip like a mechanical pencil, with a large, round, transparent capacitive disk on the end. It's odd looking and odd feeling at first, especially compared to other pro-level capacitive styli on the market. But does it hold up?

More of a specialty stylus than a general purpose pen, the Adonit Jot Pro is best in class when it comes to certain, specific applications, namely fine, detailed line work, but falls behind the likes of SGP, Ten One Design, and Wacom in others for brush work or other staccato applications.

More than any other stylus, the Jot Pro resembles a traditional mechanical pencil or fine tipped pen. With a disk on top.

The Adonit Jot Pro looks the most like a traditional, fine tipped pen (except for the disk at the end, of course). It's got a nicely weighted aluminum and steel body that comes in metallic black, silver, red, or blue, and a slightly curved, black rubber grip that's comfortable even for extended use. The body is magnetized so it can stick to the new iPad and iPad 2, and it has a cap to protect the metal tip and plastic disk from damage when it's being carried around.

It's the tip that makes the Adonit Jot Pro really stand out, and it's a decidedly mixed blessing. For precise, detail oriented drawing, drafting, and other forms of line work, it's absolutely best in class. It feels like the right tool for the right job because it feels like the tools traditional artist have been using for those jobs all along. The plastic disk makes it easier to see through than the fatter, rounded nib found in other popular styli, so you can be more accurate with placement. Because it's not mushy like a silicone tip, it doesn't require a lot of pressure to register. Those are all huge advantages for the Jot Pro.

The Adonit Jot Pro includes a cap to protect the tip and is magnetic so it can stick to the new iPad and iPad 2.

But all of that comes with a price. First, the disk is a slightly "scratchier" feel too it when you drag it along the iPad or iPhone display. That takes some getting used to. It's simply not as smooth as a silicone tipped stylus. You might even hate it at first, but chances are it will grow on you if you give it time. Second, it's noisy. While soft tips cushion the sound, the Adonit Jot Pro's hard tip does not. So if you're doing a lot of small actions, you're literally tapping out a drum beat. If you're in a quiet area, that really stands out. Third, the same precision that works so well for line drawing doesn't feel as good for brushwork in painting apps.

The same holds true for note-taking. For those who want incredibly precise script, the Adonit Jot Pro works really, really well. For sticklers who want the most detailed strokes imaginable, the Jot Pro will be perfect. For those who want to just scrawl down a few block letters, you're getting more tapping noise than smooth movement.

While the Jot Pro's hard metal tip works great for line work, it creates an annoying tapping sound when used for gaming.

Interestingly, Adonit had released an SDK (Software Developer Kit) so app developers can make their apps work better with the Jot Pro. For example, the excellent drawing app, Procreate, uses the Adonit SDK. That means, theoretically, Procreate will work better with the Jot than another app, like Paper would. We found the Jot to be excellent for line work in both Procreate and Paper, however, so the Jot-optimized apps should be looked at as more of a bonus -- a good thing working even better.

The good

• Unique tip design is excellent for detailed line work or writing
• Transparent disk allows for exceptional accuracy

The bad

• Tapping sound is noticeable in quiet areas
• Not as good for brush work

The conclusion

The Adonit Jot Pro is the best stylus you can get for illustration and precision lines. If you want to produce highly detailed, draft-quality work, the Jot Pro is for you. If you want to game, take lots of short notes, or paint, it's not going to be a great choice for you. That's the price of being unique and excelling at one thing rather than trying to be good enough at everything. If you want a more general purpose stylus, look at the SGP Kuel H12 or Pogo Sketch Pro. If you want precision penmanship, get the Jot Pro.

$27.95 - Buy now

The Wacom Bamboo is a popular pen stylus for iPad and iPhone. It's a longtime favorite of several of iMore's editors and contributors, and comes from one of the most trusted names in digital pen technology. However, the Wacom Bamboo is facing intense competition from several other pro-level capacitive stylus companies. How does it stack up?

The Wacom Bamboo isn't the most sensitive, comfortable, or stylish stylus we tested, but it is durable.

Decidedly middle of the road. The Wacom Bamboo isn't a bad stylus for the iPad or iPhone, but it isn't a great one either, at least not when compared to the higher-end offerings from SGP, Adonit, and Ten One Design.

In terms of style, the Wacom Bamboo looks like a typical pen, complete with feed and straight barrel. It's got a satin-textured and milled aluminum body and comes in a wide range of color options, including black, white, blue, green, pink and orange. You can also get a Duo version that has a real ink pen on the opposite end.

The Wacom Bamboo is well put together and feels like it's built to last. Even the capacitive tip, which on some pens can tear or wear down, holds up remarkably well to extended use.

The Wacom Bamboo is well built and good looking, but isn't inspiring.

Where the Wacom Bamboo suffers a little is comfort during extended use. While some people love straight barrel pens, we prefer more rounded, more ergonomic curves. The Wacom Bamboo is also shot by pro-level stylus standards, and that combined with the sharpness of the feed made it harder to get into a comfortable position and more likely to become uncomfortable over time.

Where the Wacom Bamboo suffers a lot is in its capacitive quality. In our tests it worked okay but not great across the board. The tip was the mushiest we've used and that meant we had to push more, longer before it would start to register. Once it did register, it moved well across the glass, but any time we lifted it we had to go through that sinking, mushy tip push again.

For script writing this wasn't a huge issue because the pen tip remains in contact for extended periods. For print writing, where the pen tip leaves the iPad screen more often, it was considerably more annoying. That was even more true for standard navigation and gaming, where each and every tap and swipe required pushing just a little too much to get it to sink in and register. For drawing apps it was the same story again -- okay but not great performance and too much pressure required any time the tip had to be re-introduced to the iPad screen.

While the Wacom Bamboo's tip moves smoothly, it's too mushy for serious work and the short length may be a deal breaker for some users.

The good

• Large amount of color choices
• Durable

The bad

• Capacitive tip is too mushy
• Pen design is too short and straight, feed is too sharp

The conclusion

The current Wacom Bamboo stylus for iPad and iPhone is serviceable but not inspired. In every way we measured, with the exception of shortness, the Wacom Bamboo has been eclipsed by more comfortable, more capacitive, and generally better performing competitors. If you simply want an okay general purpose stylus to keep with your for occasional hand-writing note-taking, drawing or otherwise creating art, or simply playing games, and you have to have it without any hint of a curve to its barrel, the Wacom Bamboo is a serviceable choice. Otherwise check out the other options first and make sure you don't like something by SGP, Adonit, or Ten One Design better.

$29.95 - Buy now

Steve Jobs put an end to the Newton project, in part because he hated the concept of using a stylus. The original Palm Pilot was a runaway hit -- in part because of the use of the stylus and its handwriting recognition. Now, Palm is dead and Apple is ginormous and Samsung is trying to bring the stylus back with the Galaxy Note line... So, who was right?

Just as the iPad is reaching the stratosphere in usage, the stylus is making a comeback.

We ran a quick poll and the initial results were intriguing enough we wanted to get a better sense of just what was going on across all platforms and all of our mobile communities. So here's a short survey. Does the stylus inhibit or amplify your touch screen experience? Let us know!

Take the Survey!

Leanna really got into using a stylus when she did her iPad note-taking roundup. Rene uses them to draw with Procreate and Paper. I figured out I could a stylus to just kill at Draw Something.

Have you had a must-have stylus moment? Are you using a Stylus for writing, drawing, gaming, or just for getting around on your iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad? If so, tell me what for in the poll and give me the details in the comments! And if you had a stylus "aha!" moment, jump into the forums and share!

SGP Kuel H10 is a compact, convenient, capacitive stylus for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. It's made from a special silicon with high polymer abrasion-resistant coating, which SGP says allows for smooth touch and incredible control. In my experience it's the multitouch sensors in iOS devices themselves that are the limiting factor when it comes to any stylus, but SGP has certainly made a pen to be proud of.

In order to put the Kuel H10 to the test, I did what any self-respecting technology blogger would do -- I used it to see if it could help me dominate at the game Draw Something. (What, like you wouldn't?) It came in really handy, getting my hand out the way so I could see what I was drawing and giving me far greater control than finger painting alone would allow. I could generally get precise lines and smooth curves. Because the tip that allows for the capacitive touch is spongy, you do have to press harder than you would with a finger but it's produced better results than other stylus' I've tried. In fact, it's currently my favorite stylus to use.

With a stylus, you hand doesn't block the screen and you have much better control for games like Draw Something

The Kuel H10 is smaller than many of the other styli on the market, but the outside has a good grip and it never caused any issues. It also has a cap to protect the silicon cap and its polymer abrasion-resistant coating, with a handy strap that attached to the 3.5mm headset jack. That keeps your stylus connected to your phone and makes it harder to loose. (Though I do worry that it might hit, grind against, or otherwise cause a problem with the screen.) Also, the cap on my review unit has loosened over time, so I worry it might slip out and get lost anyway if I'm not careful. There's also a small metal edge on the top of the 3.5mm plug that I wish wasn't there.

The SGP Kuel H10 stylus has a cap to protect the capacitive tip and string that plugs into the 3.5mm headset jack to also keep it close at hand

The good

• Cap protects stylus tip and attaches to phone to keep it handy
• Compact design makes it convenient to carry
• Easy to grip and comfortable to use

The bad

• Cap can loosen, leading to lost stylus
• 3.5mm plug has an unnecessarily rough tip

The conclusion

I love the SGP Kuel H10 stylus and recommend it. This is my absolute favorite stylus to date. That may change as we test more of them here at iMore, and as next-generation Bluetooth 4.0 styli come out that allow for pressure sensitivity. For now, however, the small size, beautiful finish, and convenient way it connects to my iPhone makes the SGP Kuel H10 a winner. (And not just because it's helping me dominate at Draw Something, though that's certainly a bonus!)

12.99 - Buy now

Ten One Design has just announced that it is working on a pressure sensitive Bluetooth 4.0 stylus for the next generationiPad 3. Ten One has a great reputation when it comes to accessories and this one looks to take that to the next level. The new stylus which is currently in development uses technology that has never been used before in an iPad stylus.

Using the latest Bluetooth 4.0 standards’ enables Ten One Design to create a stylus that is pressure sensitive. This basically means that it can represent a much truer pen like experience where a line is thicker or darker depending on the pressure made with the sylus. As the iPad screen is capacitive, it can’t distinguish how hard the screen has been pressed; just that it has been pressed. Ten One Design believes with the use of Bluetooth 4.0 this can now be made a reality.

You may have been hearing good things about Bluetooth 4.0. It's a fast wireless connection, and is fully supported by the CoreBluetooth framework in iOS5. Bluetooth 4.0 devices don't need to pair with your iPhone or iPad, they just connect and work. Also, the battery life is dramatically better - think months or a year on a single coin battery. We've developed the first pressure-sensitive stylus for iPad that uses Bluetooth 4.0.

The pen will offer full pressure sensitivity, palm rejection capability, lights, buttons and no need for Bluetooth pairing. There is already an SDK available which will allow app developers to immediate integrate support for the stylus in their apps. The pen will only work with iOS devices that have Bluetooth 4.0. Currently that is only the iPhone 4S however it is almost certain that the iPad 3 will have it too.

The pen still needs to garner FCC approval but Ten One Design is hanging back on full production until it believes that there is enough developer support for the product. If this works as advertised, that shouldn’t take very long!

Source: Ten One Design

The folks at Adonit have been working hard on their new product, the Jot Touch, a pressure sensitive stylus with a built-in antenna and a free SDK kit for drawing app developers. Adonit was showcasing the Jot Touch at Macworld, so I had a chance to check it out.

I will admit that the style of the Jot stylus lineup with the clear, flat nib has always seemed a bit awkward to me, but it only took a few minutes of use before I understood why this is a superior design. Because of the clear nib, I was able to see exactly where my markings would appear even if I was using a very fine line setting in the drawing app. This, combined with the Jot Touch's pressure sensitivity, will make this stylus a fantastic choice for artists.

The Jot Touch is set to release in late March or early April.

Rene and I are at Macworld 2012 and had the pleasure of talking to Penultimate developer Ben Zotto. You, the iMore nation, asked us to ask Ben his thoughts on styli for the iPad, so we did! Check out the video above for Ben's insights on the personal decision of choosing a stylus.

Here's a list of the ones he mentioned:

• Pogo Sketch Pro - $24.95 - Amazon link
• Pogo Sketch Plus - $14.95 - Ten One Design link
• Wacom Bamboo - $25.43 - Amazon link
• Cosmonaut - $25 - Studio Neat link

What's your favorite stylus to use with Penultimate?

Ten One Design has just announced their latest and greatest capacitive stylus for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch -- the Pogo Sketch Plus. What makes this newer, better version so newer and better?

This sleek capacitive touchscreen stylus features new patent pending Pro Tip technology that consists of patterned structures within the tip itself, which provides greater sensitivity while providing an even smaller tip diameter for superior precision. Typing, navigating and drawing have never been easier! For added portability, Pogo Sketch Plus also has a useful pocket clip to secure in place for on-the-go travel.

Both size and consistency of contact have been challenging on capacitive screens like the iPhone and iPad. It will be interesting to see how this new approach works.

Source: Ten One Design

The Cregle iPen promises to become the first ever active stylus available for the iPad. The project has just received Kickstarter funding blowing its required $35,000 goal with pledges totalling a massive $162,000. The iPen is totally different to any iPad stylus available today.

The Cregle iPen transforms the iPad into a content creation device, not just a content consumption device. iPen is the first active digitizer stylus that allows you to write with precision directly on the iPad. Unlike the passive digitizer used in the typical iPad stylus, iPen writes like a real pen with accurate positioning and palm rejection features that passive products simply cannot achieve. With the Cregle iPen’s active digitizer, the attached receiver picks up the iPen’s signal and its precise position as it hovers above the screen. This crucial advantage allows iPen to actively transmit 60 samples per second to pinpoint the pen’s exact location.

The iPen has now received funding and should go into production early next year. In order to use the iPen, apps will need to include code to support it. Some apps have already decided to support iPen such as PDF-Notes, Procreate, Ghost Writer notes and a few others. We expect this to increase dramatically especially as the iPen will be under Apple’s own MFi (Made for iPad) program. The iPen should retail for around $89 when it eventually hits store shelves.

Cregle is also working on iPen 2 which promises to support pressure sensitive features. This would allow a user to alter the thickness of lines by pressing harder or softer on the screen with the iPen; now that would be a huge development should it prove possible.

Source: Kickstarter

The LunaTik Touch Pen is currently seeking Kickstarter funding and before you assume that it is just another stylus, it does offer something quite unique. The stylus is actually a rollerball pen but with a click of a button, the ink point disappears and it becomes a capacitive stylus for your iPad.

Paper and pen will never be replaced. However, more and more people are embracing their iPads and tablets to take notes and capture ideas in a new hybrid analog-digital workflow. These users continuously switch between paper and touch screen during the day. This means they require both a traditional ink pen and a digital stylus.

Source: Kickstarter

Remember last year’s summer vacation? Are we there yet Dad? How much further Dad? Well hopefully when this app launches, those days will be gone. Simply pass your beloved iPad into the back of the car and you won’t hear another word until you get there. Crayola has long been a favorite with the younger generation, add in the iPad and this app is a winner for the children!

The ColorStudio HD app allows young artists to color and interact with special “live” animated coloring book pages that move and react as they color, combining custom-produced pictures, animations, music, sound effects, and high quality special effects. For example, in one setting fish swim, doors open to reveal surprises, and mermaids serenade the young artist. The iMarker digital stylus brings the app to life.

The only fear I have is when the little ones misplace the iMarker; I can see permanent marker pens and crayons being used instead, leaving your iPad in a bit of a mess!

[Press Release]

In the video below the infamous Walt Mosspuppet shows us how to make a cheap and cheerful stylus for our iPad’s. All you need is an old pen, a candy wrapper and some sticky tape and your all set. A bit of Friday fun, but this does actually seem to work.

[Thanks Mosspuppet]

This is an official entry by chrisoldroyd in TiPb’s next top blogger contest. Think you have what it takes to join Team TiPb? Bring it!

Here we have the Pogo Sketch stylus [$14.95], the small, lightweight and stylish choice for those who want to write on their iPhone or iPad.

The Pogo Sketch comes in sliver or pink and is made of a aluminum alloy that makes it look sleek and feel sturdy in your hand. The capacitive foam tip gives a nice soft feel when its used, though I do find you have to press a bit harder than when using your finger. The tip is thin which is also good for those who want to do detail work or get around pudgy fingers to begin with. There's a handy clip on the back so it will fit over your shirt, book bag, or hang off your pouch case. It also has a loop on the top so if you want to hang it from your neck -- or anyplace else -- you can just place a cord around it and go. They really did think of everything.

Some (including Steve Jobs) may ask: why use a stylus at all when you always have your fingers handy. Well I live in a cold climate and I hate having to take off my gloves to use my iPhone or iPad. I also would rather use a stylus when I am doing anything which leaves my fingers dirty like eating or yard work. Also, drawing with a stylus is fun.

I keep my Pogo Sketch with me in my purse, so if ever I need it is always at hand. It works really well with the iPhone and iPad and is a good deal at $14.99. It's especially great for a gift because it is very useful for any iPhone, iPad user. If you pick one up please let me know if you enjoy it as much as I do!

Pros

-Lightweight -Sturdy -Affordable

Cons

• The clip is made of plastic
• needs a bit more pressure than your finger

The Pogo Sketch from Ten 1, $14.99 [Store Link]

Live from Macworld 2010, Rene and Leanna talk with Peter Skinner of Ten One Designs about their Pogo Sketch stylus for the iPhone... and iPad!

Watch along after the break and let us know what you think! (Especially if you came from PalmOS or Windows Mobile!)

AppleInsider brings word of two interesting Apple patents, one involving user interfaces that changed depending on the user's situation, the other -- wait for it -- for an iPhone/iTablet stylus.

The stylus patent, credited to John G. Elias, co-founder of multitouch maestros, FingerWorks, involves:

"A metallic or otherwise conductive disk may be attached to one end of the stylus. The disk may be sized so as to guarantee sufficient electrical interaction with at least one sensory element of the touch sensor panel."

The dynamic multi-model seeks to give the iPhone UI some context sensitivity:

For example, using the device in the car or in the gym could show a different design on the screen. Devices could also be controlled in different fashions when they are docked and less portable, and a different design and input method might make more sense.

Next to your bed at night, in the car when navigating, linked to your home stereo for a party -- the possibilities are endlessly intriguing.

As always, just because Apple applies for a patent on something doesn't mean we'll ever see it in a consumer product. Still, would you benefit from a stylus? From context-sensitive user interfaces? Let us know!

Our fearless leader/editor was able to meet some great vendors at Macworld 2009 this year and got a sampling of their products. I am rounding them up in a series of posts, so, let's take a look at what we have this time!

I love the "finger as a stylus" mantra of the iPhone, I really do. However, there are times when having a stylus would make life a lot easier. Fortunately, Ten One Design has come to the rescue with the Pogo Stylus for $14.95!

The stylus is made of lightweight metal and the tip, used to "touch" the screen is made of... some alien substance. The manufacture calls it a "trade secret". In any event, it works. So why would you want a stylus for your iPhone? Well, I can think of a couple reasons:

• First, it is really cold right now in the Midwest, like 7 degrees cold. I don't really want to take off my glove outside to check the weather. Now I don't have to!
• Second, I have a couple drawing apps that, as you may know, your finger gets in the way of. This stylus really makes drawing a LOT easier.

Don't forget to checkout the photos and video below!

Pros:

• Works with any iPhone or iPod Touch!
• Lightweight
• Works as advertised
• You can by stylus packs!
• Different colors

Cons:

• Comes with a clip for iPhone 3G only. You have to buy the $4.95 add-on for the clip to fit all devices
• Over time I can envision the tip of the stylus breaking off, though this is just speculation

TiPB's Rating:

Patent-mania running wild from Apple is nothing new, though these recent filings do seem a tad focused on enabling new form factors, don't they? To go along with the iFlip and iPhone Nano, and the iSlider, comes a little something that just might allow for an iStylus:

Another interesting possibility raised is the use of both capacitance (finger tip) and resistance (fingernail) to provide secondary functionality in future touch screens. [...] Apple suggests the addition of pressure sensitivity to provide additional functionality. For example, touching an item in a list with your fingertip would select it, while pressing it with your fingernail (or otherwise shielded finger or stylus) could bring up a pop-up menu (see picture above).

It's suggested that the patent could make things like text selection and -- wait for it -- cut and paste much easier to multi-touch, with the resistance input being akin to a right-button action on a mouse. Of course, we all know how much Steve Jobs loves buttons, never mind his audible YUCK! at the concept of a stylus.

However, resistance touch could be a blessing to those with long nails, who have complained that they have trouble getting the fleshy part of their finger to properly make contact with the current capacitance sensors. No matter how outdated (--cough--Treo 600--cough--) the technology is.

But never mind what I think, are you hankering to get your iStylus on? And if so, why so?

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