SonarPen is a battery-free pressure-sensitive smart pen that doesn’t need an iPad Pro

The combination of iPad Pro and Apple Pencil is ideal for anyone who wants to unleash their inner digital artist. It’s also pricey. If you’re not made of money, SonarPen (from HK$156 – about £15) provides a more affordable option. There’s no faffing about with charging (SonarPen doesn’t have a battery), it’ll work with every iPad back to the iPad 2 (and also iPhones), and you get pressure sensitivity and palm rejection. You also get a lurid cable that plugs SonarPen into the iPad’s headphone port, enabling the thing to work. It’s a bit weird. Still, drop the pen and it’ll just dangle – preferable to a 100-quid Apple Pencil hitting the floor with a sickening crack.

Craig Grannell Contributor

About

I’m a regular contributor to Stuff magazine and Stuff.tv, covering apps, games, Apple kit, Android, Lego, retro gaming and other interesting oddities. I also pen opinion pieces when the editor lets me, getting all serious about accessibility and predicting when sentient AI smart cookware will take over the world, in a terrifying mix of Bake Off and Terminator.

Areas of expertise

Mobile apps and games, Macs, iOS and tvOS devices, Android, retro games, crowdfunding, design, how to fight off an enraged smart saucepan with a massive stick.