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For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Astropad to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win an M3 iPad Air, an Apple Pencil Pro, and one of Astropad's Rock Paper Pencil kits to use with it.

rock-paper-pencil-overview.jpg

Rock Paper Pencil makes writing on your iPad with an Apple Pencil feel like writing on a piece of paper instead of a slippery display, and it makes for a much more comfortable and natural writing experience.

The $45 Rock Paper Pencil kit includes a NanoCling screen protector for the iPad's display, and an accompanying Apple Pencil tip that replaces the stock Apple Pencil tip. You can put the NanoCling screen protector on while you're using your Apple Pencil, then take it off and put it away for later if you want to use your iPad without it. Putting the screen protector on and removing it again takes just seconds, and there's no sticky residue left behind on your iPad's screen.

rock-paper-pencil-v3-screen-protector.jpg

Earlier this year, Astropad made the Rock Paper Pencil kit even better. The Nanocling is thinner with an even more paper-like feel. Writing on it is like writing on a stack of papers rather than just a single sheet, and it's softer and smoother than before. Even though it has a unique microscopic texture that mimics the feel of paper, the screen protector doesn't interfere with the vivid colors of the iPad's display.

rock-paper-pencil-tip.jpg

Astropad also redesigned the Apple Pencil tip that comes in the Rock Paper Pencil kit, and it's now made from solid stainless steel that won't wear down or chip over time. The size of the tip has also been increased, so it's now 1mm instead of 0.75mm. The larger tip balances out the friction and improves durability.

If you dislike the slippery, unnatural feeling of writing on a hard screen, the Rock Paper Pencil is worth checking out. It can make you forget that you're writing on a tablet because it feels and sounds like using a pen on paper.

rock-paper-pencil-demo.jpg

Rock Paper Pencil is compatible with all of Apple's M2, M3, and M4 iPads, and many older models as well. It works with the 6th and 7th-generation iPad mini and the 7th-generation iPad and later.


We have a Rock Paper Pencil kit, an M3 iPad Air, and an Apple Pencil Pro for one lucky MacRumors reader. To enter to win, use the widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner(s) and send the prize(s). You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, following us on Threads, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older, UK residents who are 18 years or older, and Canadian residents who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. All federal, state, provincial, and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

The contest will run from today (September 26) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on October 3. The winner will be chosen randomly on or shortly after October 3 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.

Article Link: MacRumors Giveaway: Win an iPad Air and Rock Paper Pencil From Astropad
 
Never received any feedback from any previous giveaways. There's also no record I can find associated with "Gleam" which they used to host all those giveaways (not even able to login using the email I provided).

Feeling a bit scammed. I wonder if anyone is able to see the past records and at least find a result of those previous giveaways? if these giveaways are like complete blackboxes then I would see them as scams and never again enroll.
 
I had never put a screen protector on any of my devices, until my iPad mini 6. I currently use this product and LOVE it!

A few months back, the Pencil tip they provide for use with their screen protector, put a pretty decent 2" long scratch across the middle of the screen protector. At that point, I had been using it heavily, daily, for months without issue. Not sure what I did different, or wrong, but it happened. I contacted Astropad and their customer service was impeccable. A couple of quick questions and a replacement arrived at my door a couple of days later.

I'm an avid note-taker and doodler by day, and the plastic-Pencil-tip-on-glass experience was not my fav. Aside from the super slick, unnatural feel, the sound of the constant tapping as the tip met the glass, grew to to be almost insufferable (insert drama here). Anyway, I really like feel it adds to the experience and the sound is now a non-issue.

YMMV of course. Just wanted to share the pov from someone who use this thing daily.
 
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seems like there's no widget to use but a link that opens another window that doesn't want an email address but requires you to subscribe to MacRumours (or other entities like Facebook and Twitter) so the "Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner(s) and send the prize(s)." seems a bit misleading.
 
I had never put a screen protector on any of my devices, until my iPad mini 6. I currently use this product and LOVE it!

A few months back, the Pencil tip they provide for use with their screen protector, put a pretty decent 2" long scratch across the middle of the screen protector. At that point, I had been using it heavily, daily, for months without issue. Not sure what I did different, or wrong, but it happened. I contacted Astropad and their customer service was impeccable. A couple of quick questions and a replacement arrived a try door a couple of days later.

I'm an avid note-taker and doodler by day, and the plastic-Pencil-tip-on-glass experience was not my fav. Aside from the super slick, unnatural feel, the sound of the constant tapping as the tip met the glass, grew to to be almost insufferable (insert drama here). Anyway, I really like feel it adds to the experience and the sound is now a non-issue.

YMMV of course. Just wanted to share the pov from someone who use this thing daily.
I like the concept but do you know if it will work with the apple magic keyboard or is it to thick to shut properly?
 
Never received any feedback from any previous giveaways. There's also no record I can find associated with "Gleam" which they used to host all those giveaways (not even able to login using the email I provided).

Feeling a bit scammed. I wonder if anyone is able to see the past records and at least find a result of those previous giveaways? if these giveaways are like complete blackboxes then I would see them as scams and never again enroll.
I bought two of their screen protectors, I honestly would not recommend them. Not only do they keep promising that it won't get scratched up with every new iteration only for them to look like crap in 2-3 weeks. The 'removable' feature is also a big lie, once you remove it the magnets doesn't align right the moment you put it back on so now every time you touch the iPad it gets a snapping sound. For a $50 shipped screen protector the quality on these things need to be way higher. I feel like they spent most of their budget on packaging, advertising and 'giveaways,' or paying off influencers than on the actual screen protectors.
 
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