What’s This?
2013-11-25 05:16:43 UTC
A new stylus, crowdfunded via Kickstarter, promises to improve the experience of writing on a tablet.
Chicago-based company LYNKtec created a stylus called the TruGlide Apex, a product intended to mimic the feeling of writing with a pen on paper. The stylus uses a tip that measures only 2.4 square millimeters while, the company states, most rubber stylus tips measure 50 square millimeters.
See also: Stylus Moves Content From One Screen to Another
In general, stylus sizes do come in a wide range of sizes: a Hand Stylus tip measures four millimeters and the Adonit tip measures only 1.9 millimeters, but only works with certain apps. The TruGlide Apex has a brass barrel with a plastic end cap and runs with one AAAA battery that can last up to 16 hours. It reportedly works with all stylus-friendly apps.
The product’s Kickstarter campaign has already ended and the team managed to raise $ 183,014 — exceeding its initial goal of $ 24,000.
LYNKtec co-founder Bob Martin told Mashable that the success of the Kickstarter campaign means that consumers want something new.
“In 30 days, we were able to be well over 70% funded,” says Martin. “I think a lot of people have gotten tired of other stylus types out there — the passive ones without electronic circuitry. They realize there’s a value in using a stylus for note-taking but they’re frustrated with what they have and they’re out there looking for a new stylus pen.”
LYNKtec began experimenting with a conductive fiber tip in previous TruGlide models. Working with a smaller tip meant that the team needed to find a way to trick tablets into reading the stylus tip as a finger.
As Martin explains, using a finger on a touchscreen normally interrupts the flow of electrons from the screen. Because the Apex’s tip is much smaller than a finger, the engineering team created an electrical field to successfully intercept electrons. The tablet mistakes the stylus for a finger and allows users to take notes.
“Personally, I think the group that will see the most advantages are college kids,” says Martin. “[The] people who are already used to having a tablet with them if they are in a classroom environment and have been taking notes.”
He also thinks the product will help professionals in business meetings. LYNKtec will continue to refine the TruGlide Apex and add features that appeal to groups like digital artists.
“This is going to be a space that is going to take off in the next few years,” says Martin, referring to the development of stylus products. “With Apple being reluctant to put a stylus out themselves, it’s been an opportunity for companies like ourselves to offer something.”
The team hopes to bring TruGlide Apex to market in January 2014.
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Images: LYNKtec
Topics: Gadgets, stylus, Tech, TruGlide Apex
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