Adonit Jot & Jot Pro Aluminum Stylus Review
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Adonit's success came from its unique and truly innovative keyboard case for the iPad and iPad 2 called the Writer. Adonit really broke out with the success of the Writer thanks to Kickstarter, the great way of funding new ideas by the consumers themselves. It would only make sense to create a stylus for such a company that is mainly targeted at the iPad 2. The Jot and Jot Pro stylus are Adonit's latest product that has been successfully funded ahead of schedule thanks to the immense demand of people who loved what the Jot stylus has to offer. We've got a couple of prototypes of both the Jot and Jot Pro to review for you guys ahead of time. so jump past the break for the full review!
The Jot stylus will be available in a few different vibrant anodized colors with a very nice matte finish and smooth texture you would expect from an Apple product. Adonit has also created the Joy Pro, a more full featured aluminum stylus with the same great matte finish, however, it will be available in more "professional" looking colors as oppose to more colorful options the Jot will be available in. Since Adonit has yet to decide on exact color options, I cannot say for sure if these two colors that we've received to review will in fact be the ones available to purchase. We received the Jot stylus in a purple finish, and the Jot Pro stylus in a gray finish. Both look tasty enough to feast your eyes, don't you agree?
I know Adonit has said that these two styluses are prototypes, but I actually think they're the finished product. Why? Because they feel like the finished product ready for prime time. These are most likely the closest deal to the real deal you would get when you purchase either of these. I think Adonit has outdone themselves with the Joy stylus, primarily with the Jot Pro. Both perform identical, it's the added large rubber grip surface and the magnetic cling that makes it that much better. Yes one could easily pass on those two luxury add-ons, but why should you? Oh yes, there's the price. The Joy Pro will cost you $25 while the much simpler colorful Jot will cost you just $15.
What's so special about Adonit's Jot stylus is its unique tip made out of a plastic disc that is clear so you could actually have more visibility of what's going on underneath the point of which you are working with on your capacitive touch screen. The clear little disc sits on a ball point that acts as a joint so you can smoothly writer in any angle, to an extent of course. I've been using the Jot and Jot Pro stylus for a week now, that's enough time to fully accumulate a decision on whether it's good or not. I must say, the Jot stylus is the most precise stylus I've ever used hands down. There's no doubt in my mind that Adonit's crazy attempt with this little plastic disc tip has paid off in a big way.
It might look fragile, but it actually is a very tough little disc. The protective screw-on aluminum cap acts as a protective method of keeping the tip safe and clean while you're not using it. You'll also never lose that cap because it can be screwed on the opposite end of the Jot while you're using it. It's a flawless extension, even more so than a pen.
Using the Jot stylus is like using a real life pen. It always works on paper, and so does the Jot on a capacitive touch screen like the one on the iPad. When you compare Jot's plastic disc to the most common rubber tip other styluses have, the Jot turns out to be far superior. I was able to get much more precision using the Jot Stylus and thanks to the jointed clear disc tip, I had a flawless joyful experience using it on the iPad's large screen. Writing with the Jot is just as comfortable as writing with a good quality pen. The disc tip glides much faster smoother on the glass than a rubber tipped stylus such as the Alupen.
I admit I had a fear of my iPad's screen potentially getting scratched up from the plastic tip of the Jot, but after getting more comfortable using it overtime, my fears are now behind me. The only two minor issues I found using the Jot and its plastic disc tip were that the tip was a little too lose for my taste. I think it should be a little more firm so it holds its position. The second drawback I found is that the plastic tip makes a sound when it comes in contact with the iPad's glass screen. Maybe I'm just used to the silent rubbery stylus tip, but I think Adonit should at least add a thin layer of dampening coating to minimize that "tick" sound each time you tap a certain spot on your touch screen. At first it was a little annoying, but after time you should get used to it. Nonetheless, it's something to take into consideration especially when you're used to styluses with a rubber tip.
How perfect is it when you can simply magnetically attach your stylus to your iPad 2's bezel? It's pretty damn awesome if you ask me. The best of all, it clings on securely enough so that you can carry your iPad 2 around with you without the Joy Pro detaching. I would hate to ruin its beautiful aluminum finish.
The Jot not only looks good, it feels like the best quality stylus money can buy. The solid aluminum construction and clean anodized finish say a lot about the company that has designed it. Adonit cares about its customers and it shows. I still feel like if you want one of these, you should opt for the Jot Pro. It just feels like the stylus an iPad 2 deserves. Whether you decide to go with the colorful Jot, or the more serious, full features Jot Pro, I think you will find both to be one of the most if not the most precise stylus you've ever used on a capacitive touch screen. Well done Adonit, I tip my virtual hat to you.
