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Earlier this year, a team of ex-Apple engineers released Astropad, an app designed to turn the iPad into a graphics tablet for the Mac. Following rave reviews, the team behind Astropad decided to expand to the iPhone, and is today debuting a new Astropad Mini app.

Like the iPad version of the app, Astropad Mini transforms the iPhone into a miniaturized professional graphics tablet that can be used with the Mac after installing the accompanying Astropad Mac app. With the Astropad Mac app installed, the Mac's display is mirrored to the iPhone, allowing the iPhone's touch controls to be used for editing photos and creating art.


Mirroring the Mac's display to the iPhone produces little to no lag with speeds up to 60 FPS, and edits made within apps like Photoshop or Pixelmator are displayed in realtime on the Mac's display, for a seamless editing experience. Astropad Mini works with a finger or with a range of different Bluetooth-enabled styluses, supporting pressure sensitivity with certain models like the Adonit Jot Touch.

astropadiphoneediting-800x450.jpg

Since it's just mirroring the Mac's display, it also works with any Mac app, from photo editing apps to graphics apps. In our testing with Photoshop CC, Astropad Mini worked lag free over WiFi, but there's also the option to plug it in via USB for an even faster connection.

Pinch and zoom gestures are supported for navigation, and there's also a set of customizable keyboard shortcuts. An optional Apple Watch app included with Astropad Mini also includes quick-access customizable shortcuts that can be selected with just a tap.

astropadapplewatchediting-800x450.jpg

Astropad Mini works with all iPhones that have iOS 8 installed and all Macs running OS X Mavericks 10.9 or later.

Astropad Mini is available from the App Store for an introductory price of $4.99, a 50-percent discount from the eventual regular price of $9.99. [Direct Link]

The original Astropad Graphics Tablet app for the iPad is temporarily available for $19.99, down from its usual price of $29.99. [Direct Link]

Article Link: 'Astropad Graphics Tablet' App for iPad Expands to iPhone With New 'Astropad Mini' App
 

dysamoria

macrumors 68020
Dec 8, 2011
2,243
1,865
There's nothing "professional" about this. No pressure sensitivity? No professional function. Even the third-party iOS stylus products with pressure hacks are utterly unprofessional (because the OS isn't designed for pressure or precision pointing devices). Use a Wacom tablet or a Cintique to find out what professional graphics tablets are like. Maybe Apple will make things better (in the OS) for stylus use if they release their own.

I'd certainly love a retina-resolution, Mac-integrated, "iPad pro as Cintique-alternative" style product that isn't tied to a computer (and that isn't an android/Windows tablet)... Not expecting it, nor the ability to pay for it if it comes...
 
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RepentHarlequin

macrumors newbie
Jan 28, 2015
26
6
It mirrors whatever is on your screen to your iPhone or iPod.

If I read this correctly upon purchase & download:
you need a compatible pressure sensitive stylus for this to work well.

It draws as well as most iOS local drawing apps I’ve tried, without a compatible stylus.


You need to also download the desktop app.
Fire up Photoshop...or iDraw or Illustrator. As a mirror, you can access your tools.

Tiny screen, awkward to access tools palette in order to change tools, etc.
That’s the inconvenience right now.

This is about the “mini” app.
If we’re talking about an iPod Touch or iPhone 5 sized device: I would disagree with anyone referring to this as a “professional" tool. Its slick, but the “professional" part comes from the fact that you are mirroring Photoshop, or whatever professional app you have on the desktop.

This is costing you a sawbuck at the moment: that’s pretty cool.
Its worth a spin for that price.

* edited for detail & clarity.
 
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Keane16

macrumors 6502a
Dec 8, 2007
810
671
There's nothing "professional" about this. No pressure sensitivity? No professional function.

Actual professionals disagree with you...

"Many claim their product is revolutionary. With Astropad, the word, 'revolutionary' is truly fitting; this is a standout idea and an exciting new option for digital artists everywhere.

Kyle T. Webster
Illustrator & Designer"

"Astropad lets me create a high quality product using the tools I already have. As an independent creator, time is very important and Astropad has reduced each issue’s creation time.

Kool As Heck
Comic Book Writer & Artist"

There's more to this app than best in class image manipulation - the ability to do things on the go where you wouldn't normally have your laptop with you and companion short cuts. All depends on your workflow as to whether you find any use for it. No need to shoot it down.


If I read this correctly upon purchase & download:
you need a compatible pressure sensitive stylus for this to work.

Maybe for best case usage. But it also works fine with a finger:

"Astropad Mini works with a finger or with a range of different Bluetooth-enabled styluses, supporting pressure sensitivity with certain models like the Adonit Jot Touch."
 
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RepentHarlequin

macrumors newbie
Jan 28, 2015
26
6
There's nothing "professional" about this. No pressure sensitivity? No professional function. Even the third-party iOS stylus products with pressure hacks are utterly unprofessional (because the OS isn't designed for pressure or precision pointing devices). Use a Wacom tablet or a Cintique to find out what professional graphics tablets are like. Maybe Apple will make things better (in the OS) for stylus use if they release their own.

I'd certainly love a retina-resolution, Mac-integrated, "iPad pro as Cintique-alternative" style product that isn't tied to a computer (and that isn't an android/Windows tablet)... Not expecting it, nor the ability to pay for it if it comes...

This mirrors what you already have on your desktop computer, without additional purchases (assuming you have a compatible stylus).

Well, yeah. I’d like an iPad type of Cintique too, with all the pressure controls, but if you want one that does NOT mirror -- aren’t we talking about buying new iOS verions of the software, then?

The viewable area seems to be locked into a landscape ratio.
Which works if you drop your tools palette alongside.
 
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Zedsdead185

macrumors 6502
Sep 14, 2006
489
23
UK
Actual professionals disagree with you...

"Many claim their product is revolutionary. With Astropad, the word, 'revolutionary' is truly fitting; this is a standout idea and an exciting new option for digital artists everywhere.

Kyle T. Webster
Illustrator & Designer"

"Astropad lets me create a high quality product using the tools I already have. As an independent creator, time is very important and Astropad has reduced each issue’s creation time.

Kool As Heck
Comic Book Writer & Artist"

There's more to this app than best in class image manipulation - the ability to do things on the go where you wouldn't normally have your laptop with you and companion short cuts. All depends on your workflow as to whether you find any use for it. No need to shoot it down.




Maybe for best case usage. But it also works fine with a finger:

"Astropad Mini works with a finger or with a range of different Bluetooth-enabled styluses, supporting pressure sensitivity with certain models like the Adonit Jot Touch."

As an 'actual professional' myself, I'm willing to bet that if the user can afford a macbook, an iphone/ipad, apple watch, an adonit jot touch, an adobe creative cloud subscription, possibly a high end DSLR (like in the sample video) and to buy this app and software, then they can afford something a lot better quality than this. This just seems gimmicky. Don't get me wrong, it's cool, and if apple deliver with this rumoured iPad pro with force touch stylus then i will completely change my opinion. But it's not a professional setup. For the combined price of this app and the adonit, you could get a small wacom intuos, which is super portable, and will do the job a lot more efficiently (obviously sans screen. But if you are a professional, you shouldn't need one in my opinion).

I must point out though that this is before I've tried the app. I'm basing my opinion on the disappointing experience I've had with my adonit and iPad Air.
 
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RepentHarlequin

macrumors newbie
Jan 28, 2015
26
6
Actual professionals disagree with you...

"Astropad Mini works with a finger or with a range of different Bluetooth-enabled styluses, supporting pressure sensitivity with certain models like the Adonit Jot Touch."

Yes, I bought it on discount & am still figuring out the functions.
The idea is interesting, its basically a desktop mirroring app with some control key functions.

You don’t click on the pencil - that’s to set up your stylus. To Use a finger, or any normal stylus you access your tools in the normal way in whichever application you launched & are drawing in. I find that awkward so far.

I can’t kick for the reduced price:
Its a nice idea - I’ve test driven the full app for iPad briefly in the past & opted out of buying it. Whether I have occasion to use the iPhone/iPod app a lot - too soon to tell.
 
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Even Longer

macrumors 6502
Dec 12, 2012
479
416
Heidelberg
Astropad is insanely great tool and blazingly fast with almost no lag.
Ironically, we still end up using Procreate, when on iOS, instead of linking devices to Desktop software. And on those desktops... Well, there are Intuoses and Cintiqs.

I think, we have rather conservative usage pattern... ;)
 
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Jessica Lares

macrumors G3
Oct 31, 2009
9,612
1,055
Near Dallas, Texas, USA
I did try Astropad when it debuted with a higher price tag. It did work really nice compared to all the other apps. I remember using it over wifi with my MacBook on in one room and me just doodling in the living room with my Jot.
 
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waveman

macrumors regular
Jul 23, 2015
132
77
The guy is sitting in front of a 27" Retina iMac removing (for no reason) skin imperfections on an iPhone, and using Apple Watch to press Undo! ... How ridiculous it is... I've no words. Also, as in most adverts nowadays, there is this silly "now I can" or "it's never been easier" message. We were able to remove skin imperfections with a single click 20 years ago with a mouse cursor which is far more precise than a finger unless you zoom in million times so your finger is the same size as a single pixel on an image you're editing. So it actually was easier before you guys came in with this "revolutionary" idea.

The only excuse for using Apple Watch for this kind of task would be to do this: "Hey Siri, tell my iPhone to tell my iMac to remove all skin imperfections on all my photos and then report back to me when I leave Starbucks after having a coffee."

The only message I get from this is to buy, buy, buy and die. Because now I "finally" can.
 

Gigaman

macrumors regular
Aug 19, 2011
165
38
I LOVE Astropad, definitely an amazing tool. I don't see why I would want it for iphone though, they're simply too small. Heck, I'm thinking of buying an iPad Air and replacing my iPad mini for this.
 

Jessica Lares

macrumors G3
Oct 31, 2009
9,612
1,055
Near Dallas, Texas, USA
Ahhh, just noticed that if you downloaded the iPad app in the beginning, they didn't just replace it with a paid version, it's the same one.

The perks of being an early adopter.

Now I feel like I have to get the iPhone version just to say thanks.
 
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