Adonit Jot Script Evernote Edition review: A solid iPad stylus that falls a little short

The newest generation of Adonit's note-taking stylus for the

, the Jot Script, gains some useful features -- most importantly, rechargeability with longer battery life. While it retains the same size 1.9mm Pixelpoint fine point, Adonit has tweaked it for better performance.

Available for $75 (£50, AU$99 directly converted) from Adonit, the Jot Script Evernote Edition launches in conjunction with the latest version of Evernote's Penultimate notetaking

app, along with a free 6-month subscription to Evernote Premium.

Aside from the battery, the stylus design hasn't changed that much from its predecessor's. It's metal with a ribbed area for better gripping, a button with LED midway up the barrel, and a magnet on the end that attaches to a USB charger.

Pairing via Bluetooth operates seamlessly. Although I never tried the first Jot Script, I guess the battery would go into standby and you'd lose the connection to the

-- that doesn't happen with the new model.

It shares the same weaknesses as its primary competitor, the Wacom Bamboo Stylus Fineline ($60, £50, AU$80): it skids a lot on the slick surface of the

and tends to drop out strokes when you write too quickly, forcing you to change your writing to adapt to the stylus and app. With apps that haven't been optimized for it yet, there's a little lag between the tip and the stroke, a common problem.

On the other hand, I've had fewer pairing problems with the Jot Script than the Wacom.

I actually find the older Jot Touch 4, with its silicone disc on the end, delivers a better friction against the surface. Unfortunately, that disc is really annoying to watch as you're writing.

The

stylus market is surprisingly disconnected: styluses need direct support from the apps, which means the manufacturers tend to form partnerships, and the result is that only a handful of apps support multiple styluses. So your decision about which stylus to buy tends to depend on which apps you prefer -- or vice versa.

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Adonit's partnership with Evernote, the popular cloud note-capturing service gives the Jot Script a leg up, especially if you're already an Penultimate fan. That app's ability to sync via the service and its handwriting recognition for making your notes searchable might be worth it, although it has a so-so recognition record with my handwriting.

Conclusion

I think the Wacom Bamboo Fineline is a better choice than the Jot Script, provided your favorite apps support it, for several reasons. It supports pressure sensitivity, it charges using a standard micro USB cable, and the writing -- as long as the software supports the stylus optimally -- feels a little better to me. It's cheaper, to boot.

However, if you're enmeshed in the Evernote ecosystem, then the Jot Script isn't a bad option. As long as you write a little more slowly and deliberately than you might otherwise.