Apple Pencil is a game-changer (play, plan, connect, Walmart)

[lair8]

The apple pencil accessory for the iPad. Initially, I was skeptical of it, but I bought it out of curiosity and ended up loving it.

It's not just a large stylus pen. It feels like an actual writing instrument; it's fluid and responsive; the pressure sensitivity a nice touch to make it feel realistic too; it's comfortable enough to use for extended periods of time.

This is not for everyone. If you're just using it to open or close apps, or occasionally write a few notes here, it's not worth it. You need a reason to use it.

But if you're an enthusiast pursuing a passion, it's worth it. Examples: A student using it for college. An artist. A writer.

Me, I've always been a person that just writes whatever ideas come to mind. Poems, lists, songs. My aspirations. What I'm grateful for. Floorplans for my future house. I make all sort of random concept sketches for inventions or software that I may someday make. Even if 99% of my ideas don't come into fruition, there's that 1% that does.

Does this replace the traditional notebook and pen setup? Depends on who you ask. But to me it feels just as good and can exist side-by-side with it, depending on what you're in the mood for.

[Peregrine]

Samsung did it first, and better. The ones that are actual pencil tips and not the fat stylus thing... yea, they work really well. And you can sync them online so you can get your notes anywhere. Cool.

[RMESMH]

Originally Posted by Johnny ma

I reckon that makes it easier for people to use those smaller screens and all.....


It sounds like the difference between not being able to use it and being able to

Nah.

I have both a 12.9" iPad Pro and an 11" iPad Pro, and I am able to write legible (at least to me ) notes with my finger on both.

I did get a Speck case a bit over a week ago(?) for my 11" ($49.99 on sale for $24.99) and the pen charging spot is firm, very protected, and was begging for an Apple Pencil.

I ordered a used one in rated excellent condition on eBay for $69 on the 26th, and it is supposed to arrive sometime between today and January 3rd.

[usayit]

Originally Posted by Peregrine

Samsung did it first, and better. The ones that are actual pencil tips and not the fat stylus thing... yea, they work really well. And you can sync them online so you can get your notes anywhere. Cool.

Yup.... Samsung partnered up with Wacom was a great move.

[Peregrine]

Originally Posted by RMESMH

Nah.

I have both a 12.9" iPad Pro and an 11" iPad Pro, and I am able to write legible (at least to me ) notes with my finger on both

Tell me you've never used on of these 'real' pencils without telling me. Sure you can write with a finger but writing with one of these pencils is really next level...just like writing on paper.

[RMESMH]

Originally Posted by Peregrine

Tell me you've never used on of these 'real' pencils without telling me. Sure you can write with a finger but writing with one of these pencils is really next level...just like writing on paper.

No, I haven't^^^^^.

My pencil hadn't come by yesterday, so I looked it up .

The seller had canceled my order the same day . You can buy as a guest...and I didn't want to bother resetting my eBay password....so I purchased as a guest. The seller canceled my order later in the day I placed it . The reason was ridiculous and didn't appear to have anything to do with the guest account purchase. It was an extremely low volume/casual seller...perhaps a friend/personal connection offered more and he just wanted to pull it.

I should have purchased one before Christmas on Amazon. It was $89. before Christmas on Amazon, and then on the 26th it went back up to $129.00.

The way the Speck case I got for my recent 11” M1 iPad Pro is constructed...it's screaming for a pencil to put into the well constructed/well protected area for one .

Last week (IIRC) I ordered an electronic part (not available at retail stores....not even Micro Center), and decided to try out having it delivered to an Amazon locker (I made my first purchase from Amazon, IIRC, fifteen years ago, haven't purchased that much stuff from them, and have always had stuff ordered from them sent to a business with staff to, among other things, never have to think about porch pirates).

Since it was an electronic item, I had it sent to a locker that was inside a Burlington store.

It was supposed to arrive today, and I looked it up online, and it did arrive. I drove over to the Burington, not really knowing what to do next. The delivery e-mail was unclear, and I couldn't find a toll free number on the site.

The only thing I found (other than the name that Amazon assigned to the bank of lockers (in the upper right hand corner of the bank of lockers) was a phone number affixed in the center of the locker bank. The woman at the number was helpful, and I got a bit of an introduction to the process, but it was ultimately frustrating. This was the most basic category of locker (no screen (as some hub) and also not a 'counter hub'). It's also, IIRC, the only ”iOS situation” I've ever encountered where it mattered whether the device was an iPhone vs. an iPad. I had both with me, but I don't have a data plan on my phone....but rather have one on my iPad. Burlington has wi-fi.....but it was too weak to give me a connection near the locker. Fortunately it's an item that Amazon has at their warehouse, so there was no need to involve the seller again. They just sent me out a new part at zero cost to the business address where they've sent my previous orders, and a driver will pick up the part in the locker that I couldn't get to and replenish the 'zero cost one' taken to 'resend' to me.

This was frustrating, because I was planning to use it today with another part that plugs into it, and now I have to wait until Friday (when I get the repacement part Amazon is sending) to do that.

Later in the afternoon, I started looking at more pencil listings on Amazon and eBay, and also looked again on both the Walmart and Best Buy sites. I also read some of the reviews on Amazon (a tip of the iceberg...there are over 7,000 reviews ). A lot of people mentioned that they had wasted their time on cheap imitations and that that ended up being a waste of money. Some people mentioned that they hasd purchased used Apple Pencils and were getting second ones, and some of those people mentioned that they had to soon replace the tips on used ones. I laughed while reading one guy's comment that the Apple Pencil was much more accurate than his finger .

I decided that I'd rather not 'chase down any more rabbit holes' re used pencils but, even if I only got a little bit off, I didn't want to pay the full $129.00 either. I wanted a tangible result for at least some of my 'personal electronics efforts' today, and the difference in an overall sense re paying more than Amazon's pre Christmas sale price is infinitesimal.

Fortunately, both Walmart and Amazon had it for $121.XX. I figured I had enough time to get to Walmart, get it, and get back in time for Chicago Med (Best Buy also had it...and they price match Amazon).

I went to Walmart, got one, and was ready to pay for it.

Walmart (at least that one) has a new policy (she said they got chewed out by corporate after Christmas). Walmart's price online...their site, not third party...was the $121.XX, and in store it was the $129.00 retail. In the past, they've always matched the price on their site in store if there is a difference. She said they were informed during the post Christmas chewing out that that will no longer be the case (). I would guess that they are doing that to try to 'train/point/incentivize' people towards a more 'people free' process. So now, even if you're in the store, there is a price difference, and you want the lower price, you have to order online and it could be up to two hours before you can pick it up .

I thanked her for her honesty and said Walmart lost me on this particular item...that I had picked Walmart over Best Buy because I didn't want to bother with the price match at Best Buy.

Best Buy was close by. There were very few customers inside (It was the principle of the thing re Walmart...and purchasing at Best Buy added to the points/rewards built up in my Best Buy 'account'). I was in and out with the price match in what seemed like well under ten minutes, and I was only three minutes late getting back for Chicago Med.

I opened the box during a commercial, and I have been playing with it.

So farm, the Amazon customer reviews I read seem spot on .

[dkf747]

I like the Apple Pencil 2, that my daughter gave me, but it wasn’t a game changer for me. For some, it is, for others, not.