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How to enhance Apple Pencil (first-gen) with a standard pen clip for carrying and stabilizing

Update to this article from 2015 for 2022: This story was originally published a month after the original Apple Pencil was released in 2015. Three years later, Apple redesigned the iPad Pro and Apple Pencil. Apple Pencil 2 was less slippery, paired and charged magnetically, and generally just better in every way possible.

Fast-forward from 2018 to 2022, Apple introduced the 10th-gen iPad as an affordable option with the modern design. However, this new iPad bravely enters the market with support for the original Apple Pencil and not the second-gen version. Also it requires a dongle to pair. Anyway, this odd turn of events suddenly makes this tip from seven years ago relevant again. Enjoy this reopened time capsule.


Apple Pencil is a terrific digital stylus that transforms iPad Pro into a highly capable electronic sketch pad and notebook, but it’s dead simple design potentially leaves something to be desired for some users. For example, its cylindrical-shaped symmetrical body lacks a basic pen clip for attaching it to your shirt pocket or elsewhere, which makes it look prettier and simpler but means it easily rolls down inclines and can’t attach to cases or pockets. Apple has weighted it internally to sit in place on a flat surface cleverly with the Apple Pencil marking facing upward, but it’s still no match for a slight slant and where exactly are you supposed to put it?

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Roundup: The best new 9.7-inch iPad Pro cases & accessories

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Apple’s new 9.7-inch iPad Pro is the same dimensions as the iPad Air 2 on paper, but the device’s new 12-megapixel camera means your old iPad case probably won’t cut it. That is unless you cut it yourself to accommodate the new larger camera and flash that will make a larger opening on cases necessary for the new device. So your iPad Air 2 case won’t be a perfect fit, but there is already a long list of notable case makers with products available to order.  The only exceptions to that maybe are sleeve style cases that don’t have any camera openings.

But if you want a case that was truly made to fit your new 9.7-inch iPad Pro without any compromises, below we’ve put together a running list of the best new cases available now and coming soon. 


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The best iPad Pro cases, covers, keyboards & accessories

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With iPad Pro officially going on sale tomorrow (possibly at midnight tonight Cupertino time if Apple follows past launches), it’s time to move our attention to accessories for the device.

Will you go the Apple route and stock up on the official but pricey Apple keyboard, case & cover, and Apple Pencil? Or perhaps you’re looking for accessories with features that aren’t offered by Apple’s. Whatever the case, below we’ve started rounding up the best of the best accessories for iPad Pro. Most are available to order now while a couple are coming soon. We’ll be adding more as they pop up in the weeks following the iPad Pro’s launch.
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KGI: Apple 12.9-inch iPad Pro to feature optional Force Touch compatible stylus, 2015 shipments in the 4-5.5M range

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According to respected and generally reliable analyst Ming Chi-Kuo from KGI Securities, Apple’s long-awaited 12.9-inch iPad Pro will feature Force Touch stylus support—perhaps for something like an enhanced Pencil from Paper’s FiftyThree. Earlier this month, we detailed what to expect from Force Touch on iOS including support for an enhanced stylus paired with the larger iPad models.

He expects the larger tablet to go in to production between September and October and that the stylus will be able to take advantage of the new iPad’s Force Touch-enabled screen. It’s being imagined as a feature which could help users more easily navigate the larger display of the iPad Pro. KGI has predicted an optional Lightning-charging stylus sold alongside the larger-screened iPad since earlier this year.


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Astropad gains support for FiftyThree’s Pencil stylus with latest update

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Popular graphic design iPad app Astropad has today announced a new partnership with FiftyThree, the company behind the Paper app and accompanying Pencil stylus. Astropad has revealed that version 1.1 of its iPad app adds deep support for the Pencil stylus by FiftyThree. With support for Pencil, users will be able able to draw from their iPad directly into Photoshop and other apps on the Mac.


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FiftyThree announces gold version of its popular ‘Pencil’ stylus for iPad

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Pencil Gold

Earlier this month FiftyThree’s popular Pencil stylus for iPad joined the accessory lineup in Apple’s retail stores, and today FiftyThree is unveiling a new gold brushed and anodized finish variant of its Bluetooth stylus. FiftyThree’s Pencil Gold color matches that latest iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 which are both available in gold versions, while the new Pencil holds the same $59.95 price tag at the existing Walnut option.


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FiftyThree’s Pencil stylus for the iPad now available at Apple Stores, online and retail

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FiftyThree, the company behind the popular iPad drawing app Paper, has announced that its pressure-sensitive iPad stylus Pencil is now available at the Apple Store for $49.99. Apple is rumored to be launching the 12-inch iPad ‘Pro’ with a Stylus accessory so maybe that’s the new thing.

Pencil was first launched in November 2013.

Pencil is now available at Apple! For the first time ever, see Pencil up close and get it at your local Apple store.

Pencil is currently available in the US, Canada and Europe, with “worldwide availability coming soon.” If you can’t yet get it from your local Apple Store, it’s also available on Amazon. We are also giving away a couple of Pencils this week as a part of our Made in America spotlight on FiftyThree.

The Paper app was updated in November with Adobe Creative Cloud integration, push notifications and sharing directly with the online community Mix.

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Adobe Illustrator Line & Photoshop Sketch iPad apps gain Pencil/Wacom stylus support, auto save, more

Adobe updated two of its creative iPad apps today with new features and additional Bluetooth stylus support. Both Illustrator Line and Photoshop Sketch were updated to version 2.1 and picked up support for FiftyThree’s Pencil Bluetooth stylus and Wacom’s Intuos Creative Bluetooth stylus when drawing in each app. Both new app versions also added the ability to auto save sketches to Projects and your usual performance improvements.
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FiftyThree launches SDK to bring its ‘Pencil’ Bluetooth stylus to other iOS apps

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FiftyThree, the developers behind the popular drawing app Paper, today announced it’s releasing an SDK that will let all developers take advantage of its Pencil stylus for iOS devices. First launched last year alongside an update to Paper, Pencil is a $60 Bluetooth stylus for the drawing app that aims to offer a realistic pencil-to-paper drawing experience.

The SDK will allow for a smooth experience with the Pencil stylus in other apps and that also means in some cases FiftyThree will be working to improve the apps of its direct competitors while hopefully selling its stylus as a platform in the process. Devs will get access to palm rejection, erase, easy pairing, and all the pencil and touch classifiers the company uses in the Paper app. Support for surface pressure is also arriving with iOS 8:
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Paper by 53 shows off surface pressure feature coming to its Pencil stylus and iPad Paper app

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Paper by FiftyThree Surface Pressure feature

Last fall, the folks behind the iPad drawing app Paper introduced a standalone iPad stylus that integrates with the app appropriately called Pencil. FiftyThree’s Pencil is designed to not only look like a good old-fashioned pencil, but the stylus even talks to the Paper software to decipher which end of the stylus is for drawing and which end is for erasing… like a digital pencil.

Today FiftyThree showed off in a blog post a new feature coming to current and future Pencil and Paper users that the company calls Surface Pressure. In short, FiftyThree’s Pencil stylus is getting even more like a real artist’s pencil: the Paper app will soon be able to distinguish various sides and widths of the Pencil tip as well as recognize the amount of pressure applied. Video and details below…
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Samsung mocks iPad Air & iPhone’s screen size in new Galaxy Tab Pro & Note 3 ads (Video)

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Like it has done on several occasions in the past, Samsung is directly mocking Apple in its latest advertisement for the new Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1. The commercial, posted to Samsung’s YouTube page, is a clear parody of Apple’s Pencil ad for the iPad Air that has been airing on TV since Apple debuted it for the introduction of the new tablet in October of last year. Another ad for the Galaxy Note 3 (below) takes on the iPhone’s small screen size.

In the ad, Samsung mentions that Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 has an even thinner body than the iPad Air and also demos multitasking features that aren’t available on iOS. While Samsung doesn’t get into specifics in the video, we know the new Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 measures in at 7.3mm thick. That’ less than a millimeter thinner than the iPad Air at 7.5 mm. The ad also makes references to the Galaxy Tab’s  10.1-inch HD display, which comes in at a resolution of 2560-by-1600 at 299 ppi compared to the iPad Air’s 2048-by-1536 resolution at 264 ppi.
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Paper by FiftyThree app updated w/ palm rejection, erase, & blend for new ‘Pencil’ stylus shipping this week

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Last month creators of the popular Paper by FiftyThree iPad app announced that it would soon be shipping a $60 Bluetooth stylus for the drawing app called “Pencil”. With the first preorders for the device expected to start shipping this week according to the company’s Twitter account, today it has also updated the official Paper by FiftyThree app with features specifically for Pencil.

The app now supports new palm rejection, erase, and blend features for Pencil:

Palm Rejection— Pencil and Paper work together to produce the most sophisticated and effective palm rejection in any app available today. No setup, no calibration, just natural feeling writing and drawing.

Erase— Pencil’s unique built-in eraser lets you get down to what’s essential.

Blend— Pencil takes care of the lines so you can use your fingers to blend colors on the page and smooth rough edges without ever picking up a tool.

FiftyThree has been taking preorders of Pencil as an in-app purchase directly in the Paper iPad app as well as through its website. It’s selling a graphite model for $50 and a walnut model for $60. While the first preorders will begin shipping this week, an update on its Twitter account today notes new orders will take around in 3-4 weeks.

Paper app creators 53 design launches the $60 Bluetooth stylus that thinks it’s a carpenter’s pencil

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FiftyThree, the company behind the drawing and painting iPad app Paper, has launched a Bluetooth stylus which appears to have all the style and simplicity you’d expect from the people behind the iPad App of the Year 2012.

Great tools inspire great ideas. Pencil is the most natural and expressive tool for getting ideas on Paper. Advanced technology meets beautiful design to keep you in the flow, without needing to switch tools. With Erase, Blend, and adaptive Palm Rejection, Pencil puts creative possibility in your hands …


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