How can I stop hating and start using my iPad Mini?

October 19, 2022 1:10 PM

I got an IPad Mini and Apple Pen as a gift. It is a great gift but I hate using it. I found Pixiv extremely interesting to use, but drawing on the pad is painful. Do you have a set up that frees you from holding the pad or slouching while using it? Links to equipment and photos of actual use are welcomed.
posted by parmanparman to Technology (7 answers total)

I have an iPad Pro and Apple pencil that I have used as a "chalkboard" (sharing the screen) for online teaching. I just put it flat on my desk and drew/wrote on it like I would on a notepad.
posted by heatherlogan at 1:38 PM on October 19, 2022

My Air is a tiny bit bigger than your mini, but I have ended up clearing space on my desk (putting my keyboard aside) and using my beloved beanbag-type keyboard wrist rest to prop up the iPad at an angle I like, and using my mouse wrist rest for my wrist/forearm.

I also hate writing on flat notebooks and use the same strategy with a clipboard when necessary.

I was going to take a picture but realized I have lost my wrist rest somewhere. When I find it I will update.
posted by Lyn Never at 2:33 PM on October 19, 2022

My not ergonomically approved way of using an iPad mini is to curl up in a chair and rest the ipad on my knees such that it's at roughly my elbow height. I don't find it all that comfortable to use on a flat surface like a desk, but that's because I don't like sitting like a normal person so YMMV.

Most importantly, I prefer using a case that creates a solid 30-60-90 triangle (as compared to the 60-60-60 wobbly triangle that's common with Apple cases) because I have more flexibility to rest the iPad on my knees or a chair arm without it slipping all over the place. Here are examples of case styles that I mean (note: the last two are for previous generation iPads). In short, a case that allows you to prop it at the angle most comfortable for you may make a big difference.
posted by past unusual at 3:01 PM on October 19, 2022

So, I've been using iPad since the day it was released. The iPad mini is my preferred iPad. That said, I always hated using the Apple Pencil with an iPad until I discovered Paperlike. I know I sound like a shill, but I promise I'm not. It's just that the Paperlike turns the experience of using the Pencil on the glossy glass from a miserable experience into something much more pleasant (if not downright enjoyable). I've only been using Paperlike for about a year, and I don't do much drawing (mostly writing), so your mileage may vary. But my top advice would be to take a look at Paperlike to see if it might be something that could help you too.
posted by jdroth at 3:56 PM on October 19, 2022 [3 favorites]

I also got the Paperlike screen protector mentioned by jdroth and like that it gives a bit more of a paper-like resistance to the pen. It allows you to have a little more control over your written gestures. I don't know what to say about writing posture, as I never thought about it. I use my iPad to take notes during work meetings (IRL and video). I hold the iPad in my lap or put it on my desk, just as I would a physical notebook. It's not a mini, but I could see how the mini would be a little more challenging if you were trying to balance it in your lap. Could you place it on a clipboard or another lap-base designed for resting devices on your lap, like the iLap? Linea Sketch is my preferred app, though I have tried others: Bamboo, Paper, TouchDraw, Writepad, Inkflow, INKredible, Penultimate, NoteTaker, Notability. There are some subtle differences in how the pen reacts, and for example, whether resting the heel of your palm on the screen interferes with drawing or writing. Most of them let you try things out for free, so you might experiment a bit with how different apps respond differently to your preferred positioning.
posted by amusebuche at 9:06 PM on October 19, 2022

I can nth the paperlike screen protector. However, I've also struggled with finding the right angle. I don't have a perfect option, but the best I've come up with is to use my flat lap desk (not this exact one but along these lines) and then prop that up at an angle against my desk/table, and use that to write on the ipad. But it's definitely not perfect. I've looked into various other options to get an angled surface, but haven't found something that does what I want without being super expensive or super heavy or taking up my entire desk.
posted by litera scripta manet at 5:26 AM on October 20, 2022

I chose not to go with the screen protector but do use these Apple Pencil silicone tips which create just enough drag to feel papery. It VASTLY improved my (terrible) handwriting and really upped my drawing game.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:38 AM on October 20, 2022 [1 favorite]