Apple Pencil to Ship With Adapter for Charging With Lightning Cable

[MagnusVonMagnum]

MagnusVonMagnum - I think you're really overblowing it. The iPad Pro is a monumentally wondrous design, everyone hails Johnny Ive as a genius. Look at the rapturous applause Apple got when Tim Cook showed it.

Yeah, look at his audience too. 😉

 

[kdarling]

I really don't understand why people feel the need to defend Apple's stupid design decisions. You'd think they could just admit (at least to themselves) it's stupid and move on.

This. The fact that everyone here can come up with a better solution, speaks volumes about Apple's version.

What could go wrong? 😱

The easy test is this: if an Apple competitor like Samsung had come up with the above design, would it have been ridiculed by Apple fanboys? I think the answer is obvious!

--

It would've been so much simpler if Apple had done like others, and licensed Wacom's patented technology of powering the pen via the detection field itself.

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

This. The fact that everyone here can come up with a better solution, speaks volumes about Apple's version.

Fanboys won't admit those are better solutions. Only Zen Master Johnny Quest...er....Ive knows how to do anything...anything at all!!! That evil Scott Forestall...what a clueless bastid! Skeuomorph THIS!
😀

The easy test is this: if an Apple competitor like Samsung had come up with the above design, would it have been ridiculed by Apple fanboys? I think the answer is obvious!

If they had come up with the BEST SYSTEM ON EARTH, they would ridicule it for no other reason than it's not by their god Apple and that's the god-awful truth of it.

 

[mripah]

Can't wait till this thing gets it's own leather case.

Seriously, this just proves how much Apple has fragmented their Hardware. Everything has different plugs and requires different adaptors. What a gong show.

All my devices have lightning connectors, so...

 

[mripah]

This. The fact that everyone here can come up with a better solution, speaks volumes about Apple's version.



The easy test is this: if an Apple competitor like Samsung had come up with the above design, would it have been ridiculed by Apple fanboys? I think the answer is obvious!

--

It would've been so much simpler if Apple had done like others, and licensed Wacom's patented technology of powering the pen via the detection field itself.

It's not to permanently charge, it's to plug in for a few minutes to get a few hours use.

 

[Rossatron]

This seems like such an awkward solution to a problem that shouldn't have existed. This thing could've been dealt with much more elegantly - like using the iPad's bezel for inductive charging for the pen, or using the keyboard connection.

 

[Sym0]

Again, I am not defending it per se, I just kind of understand, why they did it that way. The "errection" of the stylus is meant to be an emergency thing, when you pencil is empty, giving you minutes of drawing with just with couple seconds of that boner.

LOL - This would appeal to some I'm sure, few seconds of boner for a few minutes of pleasure. Or is that the other way round.

Apple could have implemented a kintetic charger so you can hold the "pencil" on you fist and pump it vigorously back and forth, 3 mins of pumping for 30mins of pleasure.

Now that would be funny to see in public hahaha.

 

[keatth]

Why didn't Apple just make the Pencil's charging port be a female Lightning port? The idea of having the Pencil stick out the bottom of the iPad Pro, was ridiculous thinking on their part. It's not like it's so hard to use the charging cable from the iPad to charge the Pencil.

you only say that because you haven't used it yet, once you use it you understand that plugging it into the iPad pro is much easier and simpler solution, while not the best or more efficient one, since only takes so little time to charge it plugging it in the iPad pro is actually kinda convenient.

 

[AppleScruff1]

Apple's way is always the best way. Even when it isn't.

 

[bobob]

Apple's 15 second charging "solution" is just as bad as the old school pencil sharpener!

Look at how much leverage there is for any would-be artist - - I can't count how many times during the 15 seconds of operation that I snapped the entire end off of my pencil. How could anyone possibly exercise enough self control during that interminable length of time to not destroy their pencil?!?

 

[Wallabe]

Apple's 15 second charging "solution" is just as bad as the old school pencil sharpener!

Look at how much leverage there is for any would-be artist - - I can't count how many times during the 15 seconds of operation that I snapped the entire end off of my pencil. How could anyone possibly exercise enough self control during that interminable length of time to not destroy their pencil?!?

Apple Pencil, only $98.90 more expensive than a regular pencil. Microsoft isn't far behind Apple either.

It's not AA, it's not AAA, it's AAAA.

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

Even one of those induction "shake" flashlights is more advanced than the Apple pencil when it comes to charging! 😀

 

[jmgregory1]

you only say that because you haven't used it yet, once you use it you understand that plugging it into the iPad pro is much easier and simpler solution, while not the best or more efficient one, since only takes so little time to charge it plugging it in the iPad pro is actually kinda convenient.

Of course, I have not used it yet, but I can imagine how it will be. And my point was that Apple designed the quick charge through iPad, not as the primary charging method, but as a supplement to be used when you have to get another 30 minutes of use out of the Pencil. Because if it were meant to be an every day charging process, then you're just limiting your iPad's usage for the sake of the Pencil's...and that doesn't make any sense.

 

[intofx]

wouldn't it have been cheaper to make the pen with a female end and not have to make a adapter.... just came to me why, its a new revenue stream, how many people will loose this adapter and have to buy new ones.

 

[sracer]

wouldn't it have been cheaper to make the pen with a female end and not have to make a adapter.... just came to me why, its a new revenue stream, how many people will loose this adapter and have to buy new ones.

If the Pencil had a female end, how would the iPad Pro be able to charge it?

 

[LordVic]

If the Pencil had a female end, how would the iPad Pro be able to charge it?

there have been about a dozen different more elegant solutions mentioned throughout the course of this thread that would be more "apple like" than havin the pencil sticking out of the actual tablet:

some options of the leading ideas:
Some sort of hollow section in the tablet to stick the pencil in that would charge it.
Induction charging
Using the Magnetic dock connector to adhere and charge.
a mechanism in the pencil that lets you change between female / male plug for both options of by cable or by port.

 

[sracer]

there have been about a dozen different more elegant solutions mentioned throughout the course of this thread that would be more "apple like" than havin the pencil sticking out of the actual tablet:

some options of the leading ideas:
Some sort of hollow section in the tablet to stick the pencil in that would charge it.
Induction charging
Using the Magnetic dock connector to adhere and charge.
a mechanism in the pencil that lets you change between female / male plug for both options of by cable or by port.

What does that have to do with having a female end rather than a male end?

 

[LordVic]

What does that have to do with having a female end rather than a male end?

having a female end would remove the ability to plug the pencil into the bottom of your tablet for a quick charge.

its a nice feature to have. We're just brainstorming ways that weill retain the "quick charge on the go" while not being such a cludgy "sticking out of the bottom of your tablet" option.

 

[sracer]

having a female end would remove the ability to plug the pencil into the bottom of your tablet for a quick charge.

its a nice feature to have. We're just brainstorming ways that weill retain the "quick charge on the go" while not being such a cludgy "sticking out of the bottom of your tablet" option.

Right, but that has nothing to do with why I was replying to @intofx . He said it would be cheaper than having an adapter. He went on to say how the inclusion of the adapter was part of Apple's nefarious plan to eek out more money from customers.

 

[LordVic]

Right, but that has nothing to do with why I was replying to @intofx . He said it would be cheaper than having an adapter. He went on to say how the inclusion of the adapter was part of Apple's nefarious plan to eek out more money from customers.

ahh. sorry about that then, misread. I think i need another coffee.

 

[sp3k0psv3t]

I think the idea to do top up charges by plugging it in to your tablet is a novel one. The practicality of it though is a head scratcher.

And regular full charging of it was completely missed. This adapter seems like a "oops, here's an adapter cause when we designed this, we didn't think ti through fully"

When you're charging your tablet, why wouldn't that also be an opportune time to charge your pen? why not make it so both can be charged at the same time from the same powersource? even this solution is inelegant as you cannot charge the pen while charging the tablet. Unless you buy a 2nd set of power for the pen. This means you're only charging one thing at a time. Which will inevitably lead to situations where you get stuck with such an inelegant solution as a pencil sticking out of the bottom ofr your tablet for an indefined length of time, or plugged into the wall while you're using your tablet.

I'm not a fan of replacable AAA batteries like Microsoft went. Too much waste (although they claim 1 year out of 1 AAA battery), I would still rather a rechargable solution, but I'm not sure what Apple was smoking when they threw this together

I agree with this.

Here is a suggestion, Apple, for charging the new pencil:

Since you placed the magnet adaptor on the bottom for attachment to the keyboard (which is a great idea I think btw), why not use that? Place 3/4 connectors on the pencil in the same shape/style as the connecting keyboard case (which takes up only a tiny space on the surface of the pencil) and use those. The connection could be made with the pencil: 1) magnetically holding the pencil in place when not in use so you do not lose it, 2) charge the pencil while it is connected to the bottom of the iPad Pro, 3) a place to temporarily store the pencil when not using the keyboard or if the keyboard was never purchased for use, and 4) eliminate the potential of breaking off the male top used for charging the pencil.

This idea is a GREAT way to store and charge the pencil so why was something like this NOT used? The adaptor for the keyboard is already in place and could be used for double duty.

Anyway, I post HERE AND NOW so that I can take credit later when Apple (or someone else uses my design) advances this device.



Best,

JS

 

[OllyW]

Anyway, I post HERE AND NOW so that I can take credit later when Apple (or someone else uses my design) advances this device.

Sorry, you're a week late with that idea...

Or, just make use of the new three dot magnetic data/charge interface for accessories. ...the one strangely unveiled a moment before unveiling a $100 stylus that doesnt use it. lol

 

[sp3k0psv3t]

Sorry, you're a week late with that idea...

Ahh well at least great minds think alike.....

And sadly, lol, two of us HERE seemed to have gotten it right but the folks at Apple have not.

Anyway thanks for the update. Looks like I'm back to the books and can stop looking for ways to spend my future millions 😉



Best,

JS

 

[LordVic]

Ahh well at least great minds think alike.....

And sadly, lol, two of us HERE seemed to have gotten it right but the folks at Apple have not.

Anyway thanks for the update. Looks like I'm back to the books and can stop looking for ways to spend my future millions 😉



Best,

JS

Quite a few of us have said it. I quite think, that MOST of us have alrady said this.. why? Cause it actually makes the most logical sense. There is power there. There's magnets there to keep it in contact. everything you need

the only caveat is not having the keyboard plugged in while you charge.

TO me that seems a lot better trade off for a couple minutes than that thing sticking out

 

[sp3k0psv3t]

Quite a few of us have said it. I quite think, that MOST of us have alrady said this.. why? Cause it actually makes the most logical sense. There is power there. There's magnets there to keep it in contact. everything you need

the only caveat is not having the keyboard plugged in while you charge.

TO me that seems a lot better trade off for a couple minutes than that thing sticking out

True enough. It made sense to me immediately when I saw it too lol. I must confess, however, that on this rare occasion I posted in haste with my comment a priori reading all the pages in the discussion post; leading naturally for me to claim an idea already recommended by many lol. As such, I will attempt to refrain from claiming any novel ideas as my own until being emphatically sure they are in fact "my own."

As stated, yes, the only issue is plugging in the keyboard and pencil simultaneously. However with the quick-charge ability of the pencil you could charge it for a few moments (and preserve all day battery) then disconnect the pencil and reattach the keyboard for normal "laptop like" usage.

At any rate, much better idea here!



Best,

JS