Get This in Writing: USI Stylus Pens are Big News for Business
Stylus pens are coming of age
Although early Stylus pens such as the Palm m515s [pictured in the YouTube video below] date back to the 1990s, modern Stylus pens remain relatively niche in workplaces and households.
One of the main reasons the technology has traditionally fallen short of a wider market is because Stylus pens have traditionally been proprietary products.
Commonly, if you had one, you used it with one device – such as a smartphone or laptop.
Times for Styli [that's plural for Stylus] are changing considerably for the better however.
And that’s great news for businesses, education institutions and households.
The Universal Stylus Initiative is a big step for Stylus pens
The Universal Stylus Initiative, which commenced in 2020, is the industry’s first open-standard, active Stylus certification program.
It has created specifications to support independent hardware vendors [IHVs], original equipment manufacturers [OEMs] and the software ecosystem to develop a new generation of active Styli that deliver users much more professional and practical experiences across certified smartphones, tablets, computing and entertainment platforms.
Reminiscent of universal docking stations replacing traditional proprietary docks, the USI 1.0 Specification sets standards technology companies can adhere to introduce new-generation digital pen products you can use on all your enabled devices.
As it stands, the biggest adopter for the USI Standard is Chromebook.
Google stipulates that all new Chromebooks with digital pen support follow the USI standard, and all new Chromebooks scheduled for release this year will.
ALOGIC, who recently launched its USI Active Stylus Pen, is part of an increasing group of tech companies – including Lenovo, HP Inc, and Elan – who have developed USI-certified products.
The ALOGIC USI Active Stylus Pen is for businesses and households who want a Stylus that delivers consistent performance, interoperability and adaptability across makes, models, and form-factor – as specified by the USI.
Works with Chromebook badging for USI Stylus pens
The other pivotal development in the coming of age of the Stylus is the roll out of the Works with Chromebook initiative.
Styli that are packaged with the Works with Chromebook badge [such as ALOGIC’s USI Active Stylus] are certified to perform with optimal pressure sensitivity, minimal on-screen lag and instant pairing across all USI Chromebooks.
The education sector has embraced Google Chromebooks as a simple solution for students, teachers and administrators to access online education and collaboration resources.
Figures worldwide show that the Chromebook market is continuing to burgeon, with the education sector accounting for the majority of the shipments.
Students who use Chromebooks in the classroom and home benefit from affordable devices, easy-to-use apps and laptops that accommodate different ages and learning abilities.
Students who learn with a high-performing Stylus pen such as ALOGIC's USI Active Stylus equip themselves with a tool for digital handwriting, note taking, drawing, and collaboration.
For many of today's inherently digital tasks, pen and paper are impractical, but there are still various instances in the on-screen learning space where digital pens trump keyboards (such as annotated note taking and drawing). Quality Stylus pens have the potential to revive some of the native pen-based experiences schools have foregone in favour of keyboards today.
The future of Stylus pens for business
A 2021 market analysis report released by Grand View Research reports that 2020’s $2.52 billion global handwriting digital pen market is forecast to increase at a compound annual growth rate of 8.3% between 2021 to 2028.
The report attributes this forecasted increase to the continuing priority businesses in various sectors including banking, healthcare, education, retail, sales, and art and design are allocating to digitisation.
The report states that digitisation helps businesses in a mix of sectors – including banking, healthcare, education and retail – win an edge over competitors.
What can you do with ALOGIC's USI Active Stylus pen?
ALOGIC’s USI Active Stylus Pen is ideal for a range of screen-based activities including writing, annotated note taking, drawing, navigating finnicky apps, and video game playing.
As an active Stylus, it responds to pressure sensitivity and offers palm rejection.
The 19-gram device features 4096 pressure sensitivity, a high-standard pressure sensitivity level that enables users to experience a high-fidelity simulation of the flow and movement of physical pens.
The pen is highly suitable for artists, designers and other visual creators who need to achieve precision-detail in their drawing.
Palm rejection is also a big help for note taking and sketching. It means you can place your writing hand against your screen without obstructing the signaling between your Stylus and digital device.
Stylus pens have practical application for a range of industries, professions and device users
Information professionals including journalists, bloggers and researchers can record audio interviews and pen notes on their digital documents as they go. Students can annotate digital documents and store their files for study and revision.
It’s also expected that remote education and work scenarios emerging out of the pandemic will extend demand for Stylus pens in coming years, as schools and offices switch to remote learning on digital platforms and lean more on shareable digital documentation.
It's an exciting time for ALOGIC to be making new-generation Stylus pens but it's also exciting time for businesses and households to discover their potential.