Chances are, if you use a tablet or a large smartphone for anything other than stabbing away at twitter all day, you’ll have considered getting a stylus for your device. I bought one shortly after I first discovered Draw Something, and haven’t used it since that fortnight of late-night doodling. Some artists have high-end styluses that they can use on their tablets to create works of art that I can only dream of creating. But this week, I was sent the iCrayon stylus – essentially a rubber stick with a squidgy end that makes the user look a little like they are scrawling across their iPad like a child.
The iCrayon appears to be aimed at either grown-ups with a sense of nostalgia, or families who allow their children to use tablets but don’t want to find jam/glue/glitter/snot smeared across their screen. There are downsides with both cases. As an adult, you will probably be ridiculed by your peers if you use what looks like a kids’ toy to take notes in meetings. If you hand this to a child to use, there is also a risk of them using an actual crayon to draw on your treasured piece of tech (FYI: WD-40 works like a charm).
To demonstrate the conductivity of this stylus, and to showcase my ‘amazing talent’, I’ve filmed myself challenging my niece to a game of Draw Something. I’m much better at it than her.
After having used the iCrayon for a short period of time, I was actually rather impressed by how accurate it was. As you can see from the video, I didn’t have to use the eraser more than a couple of times. It’s not perfect by any means, but the silicone tip has enough ‘give’ so that you feel assured that no damage will come to your screen.
The iCrayon provides a low-cost alternative to some of the more premium styluses out there, but doesn’t compromise on accuracy. The overall image may come across as childish, but it’s worth noting that the label is easily removable . If the iCrayon looks appealing to you, it’s certainly worth picking one up as you’re unlikely to be disappointed.
[Rating:3.5/5]
The iCrayon is available on Amazon.
