Curious if their pencil tip does anything to degrade performance or interfere with things like hover.
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Astropad Debuts Screen Protector and Apple Pencil Tip for a Realistic Paper Feel on iPad
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It ships in 5 weeks. The pencil tip looks intriguing. I don't have any issues with the OEM pencil tip, but I did just order an ESR magnetic matte screen protector to get rid of my Paperlike one because it's scratch haven right now.
It was about $34 including shipping (free in US) and tax.
It was about $34 including shipping (free in US) and tax.
Was interested, but after the UK10 discount it still is $58,80 with shipping to Sweden. The Swedish Krona is really bad nowadays so I think I pass this one… 
I’ve used their LunaDisplay since Kickstarter and have found their products great and support outstanding. I’ve ordered one based on my experience with them.
Like many multiple-iPad users, my mini is the one I use for notes. Sadly, they do not offer a version of this for the mini, so I guess I'll pass.
Definitely an easy sell for me, the magnetic border really sold me on it. I hate trying to put static/surface tension based screen protectors/covers
This was a no-brainer buy for me. I have a knockoff paperlike screen protector on my big iPad pro that I use for drawing, but don't have anything for my smaller iPad which doubles as a work machine. Having a screen protector that I can TAKE OFF when I'm not using the pad for drawing? Brilliant.
I was about to recommend these too. I have one the same model of iPad and my kid's iPad Air. They work great.I like the Moshi screen cover.
iVisor AG Anti-glare Screen Protector
Our patented iPad screen protector is 100% bubble-free and washable for extended product life. Easy to apply and lasts for the lifetime of your device.us.moshi.com
I've used it for a very long time on my 2018 12.9" Pro. You can wash it. It does have the paper like feel, but I suspect that would be true with any anti-glare surface.
I don't know, however, if they make it for the regular iPad.
Very cool. Mine shipped already so I will post my thoughts when it arrives 👍🏾
Oh I didn’t realize their screen protector was magnetic too. Nice!
I think they have both slip on tips as well as replacement tips 👍
Thanks for the recommendation! I couldn’t find an anti-glare version for the ipad 10 on their site, but I’ll message them.
I just looked for the anti glare for the 10 that we purchased for a friend. I didn’t see the anti glare either. Let us know when they respond to you.
The magnetic screen protector they were selling before looks identical to this so I have to assume it’s roughly, if not precisely the same product and now they’re just packaging these new tips with it. I have had the magnetic screen protector for a couple of months and overall I like it with some caveats, if it’s the same product here’s some things you can expect.
TLDR: it’s great but best results are if you’re setting it up with no cover in a permanent drafting/drawing setup as the cover slips out of place or off completely often with any case.
Pros:
-The texture is really good. I like it even with just the normal apple pencil tips, it’s not quite a wacom etched glass experience but it works well and is secure when drawing. Not sure what the new pen tips bring to the table, ymmv there I imagine.
-Removability is wonderful and is this things’ killer feature. It’s really nice to be able to remove it and clean it easily when some dust gets in the mix as opposed to living with something stuck on or trashing it and starting over like with other screen protectors.
-The clarity is better than stick-on protectors and is indeed fine from head-on. The blacks become grays but I get a lot less of the rainbow graininess that I used to get on Paperlike and similar products. I don’t hate watching a movie with it on, for example.
-It turns what would be light reflections of the iPad glass into something more matte and hazier, as you’d expect.
Cons:
-If you’re using it with any kind of screen cover like Apple’s covers or keyboard case with magnets in it, that case will absolutely take this thing with it, constantly. You have to open your iPad by sliding your fingers in to keep the protector in the right place and then opening, forever, just how it is.
-Even without the above going on it gets a little misaligned sometimes.
-The black plastic strips that run down the sides of the ipad and contain the magnets flake a bit of their outer shell off over time. I imagine I’ll wear this thing out and get the new product eventually.
Best use would be you have a sketchboard pro or some other drafting mount and you put the iPad in it semi-permanently as a workstation. That’s where this thing shines the most is when you set it up, toss your cover/keyboard case away, and just bear down and draw a ton on it. It’s perfect for that.
TLDR: it’s great but best results are if you’re setting it up with no cover in a permanent drafting/drawing setup as the cover slips out of place or off completely often with any case.
Pros:
-The texture is really good. I like it even with just the normal apple pencil tips, it’s not quite a wacom etched glass experience but it works well and is secure when drawing. Not sure what the new pen tips bring to the table, ymmv there I imagine.
-Removability is wonderful and is this things’ killer feature. It’s really nice to be able to remove it and clean it easily when some dust gets in the mix as opposed to living with something stuck on or trashing it and starting over like with other screen protectors.
-The clarity is better than stick-on protectors and is indeed fine from head-on. The blacks become grays but I get a lot less of the rainbow graininess that I used to get on Paperlike and similar products. I don’t hate watching a movie with it on, for example.
-It turns what would be light reflections of the iPad glass into something more matte and hazier, as you’d expect.
Cons:
-If you’re using it with any kind of screen cover like Apple’s covers or keyboard case with magnets in it, that case will absolutely take this thing with it, constantly. You have to open your iPad by sliding your fingers in to keep the protector in the right place and then opening, forever, just how it is.
-Even without the above going on it gets a little misaligned sometimes.
-The black plastic strips that run down the sides of the ipad and contain the magnets flake a bit of their outer shell off over time. I imagine I’ll wear this thing out and get the new product eventually.
Best use would be you have a sketchboard pro or some other drafting mount and you put the iPad in it semi-permanently as a workstation. That’s where this thing shines the most is when you set it up, toss your cover/keyboard case away, and just bear down and draw a ton on it. It’s perfect for that.
i put masking tape on the end of the pencil. it looks janky but works so good.
I’ve never liked the feeling of writing or drawing on iPads. I hope they do something different with the tip for the Pencil 3, it needs to give a little more and have more friction. There shouldn’t need to be a whole market for these types of products, that should tell them something is off.
This is something Samsung has nailed with the S pen imo. I recently got a galaxy tab S8+ for that reason and I’m loving it so far
This is something Samsung has nailed with the S pen imo. I recently got a galaxy tab S8+ for that reason and I’m loving it so far
I received the screen cover, and for me it does not come off when I open my keyboard cover. Perhaps it’s a different design than their previous protector.
I received the rock paper pencil, and here are a few observations. It does indeed dramatically improve the writing experience — it is much better than some other paperlike screen protectors I tried. It is a little like writing with a ballpoint pen, but not totally. As expected, and as with other protectors, I don’t like how the screen looks like, and I don’t like how it feels like to touch, like touching sandpaper. But then one can just take if off. My plan is to put it on when I do a lot of writing and drawing, and take it off when for example watching videos. We will see how it works long term when it is often taken on and off. And although magnetic, it does stay on when I open my keyboard cover.
Exactly. I am trying to order to the Czech Republic and the shipping costs are even higher: $33, which more than doubles the price. I contacted their support and asked if there are perhaps any plans to ship them from within the EU in the future and was told this:
We offer $10 flat rate shipping worldwide. For European customers, we work with a carrier called Passport to handle VAT taxes and duty rates; these rates vary depending on what country you live in. The shipping charge you see at checkout is the $10 flat rate, plus taxes and duties for your country. Passport allows us to ship to Europe and abide by EU tax law.
Which is simply not true. Let’s break down the shipping rate to my location:
Shipping: $20.43 (more than twice than the $10 “flat rate”)
Tax: $11.93 (VAT in the Czech Republic is 21%, so for a $31.99 product the tax owed would be $6.72, so the quoted rate is, again, twice as much)
Duty: $0 (which is correct, there are no import duties in the EU for orders under €150)
The rates for other EU countries are very similar, they just differ in the exact tax quote due to different VAT rates in different countries. The huge markup is the present everywhere, though (even though it seems altogether a bit lower for you in Germany, again, for no clear reason).
This is clearly more than just “abiding by EU law”.
I just cannot justify paying $66 for this if the advertised price is that much lower.
Either the Astropad support is lying to me about their shipping rates or they are being lied to by Passport.
Can I ask what country you live in? There is a huge discrepancy between your rate and what they're trying to charge me.
This is great to hear. Sounds like it will fit my needs perfectly. 👍🏾
It just occurred to me the magnetic protector would be very useful to me because I really dislike using the Pencil with oil build up on the screen. So I would always keep it off when using the iPad normally (touch), and only put it on when using the Pencil, and immediately take it off afterward. I think it would be worth the extra hassle for me.
OK, so they got back to me and said they are talking to Passport about lowering the shipping rates. I was advised to hold off ordering and they expect to have it sorted out by the end of next week. So let’s see!
That's great news, I was on the fence about buying that bundle + the darkboard because shipping to Italy was absurdly expensive, but if they lower the shipping rates I will very probably purchase both.