Accessory maker ESR this week introduced the Geo Digital Pencil, a low-cost Apple Pencil alternative that has support for Apple's Find My functionality.
Priced at $30, the Geo Digital Pencil connects to an iPad with Bluetooth, and it supports writing, drawing, sketching, and more much like the Apple Pencil. The Geo Digital Pencil connects to an iPad using a magnetic attachment to keep it from being lost, but charging is done using a USB-C charger.
Supported features include tilt sensitivity and shortcuts, but pressure sensitivity, Apple Pencil hover, and other Apple Pencil exclusive features are not available.
Find My integration allows the Geo Digital Pencil to be located using the Items tab in the Find My app on any Apple device, with options for playing a sound, marking an item as lost, and seeing the last known location of the pencil when Bluetooth is unavailable.
ESR says the Geo Digital Pencil is compatible with all 11-inch iPad Pro models, the third-generation iPad Air and later, the third-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro and later, the iPad mini 5 and later, and the iPad 6 and later. It is available for purchase from Amazon, and it is priced at $30.
ESR has also introduced a case designed for the iPhone 16 models with Camera Control button and the MagMouse, a mouse with a built-in USB-C cable that can attach magnetically to an iPad or Mac for storage purposes.
Thursday August 28, 2025 4:08 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
An iPhone 17 announcement is a dead cert for September 2025 – Apple has already sent out invites for an "Awe dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The timing follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall.
At the event, Apple is expected to unveil its new-generation iPhone 17, an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17...
Friday August 29, 2025 4:54 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple and Samsung have reportedly issued cease-and-desist notices to Xiaomi in India for an ad campaign that directly compares the rivals' devices to Xiaomi's products. The two companies have threatened the Chinese vendor with legal action, calling the ads "disparaging."
Ads have appeared in local print media and on social media that take pot shots at the competitors' premium offerings. One...
Following the announcement of Apple's upcoming "Awe dropping" event, on this week's episode of The MacRumors Show we talk through all of the new accessories rumored to debut alongside the iPhone 17 lineup.
Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos
We take a closer look at Apple's invite for "Awe dropping;" the design could hint at the iPhone 17's new thermal system with ...
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series on Tuesday, September 9, and last-minute rumors about the devices continue to surface.
The latest info comes from a leaker known as Majin Bu, who has shared alleged images of Apple's Clear Case for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, or at least replicas.
Image Credit: @MajinBuOfficial
The images show three alleged changes compared to Apple's iP...
Looks like the Goojodoq GD14 that’s been available for a while.
Correction: ESR launches a stylus that looks like an Apple Pencil but does almost nothing the Apple Pencil can do.
It does most of the things the Apple Pencil does. Save for the pressure sensitivity - though that’s overrated to not really useful for mere note-taking.
Digital artists should get the Pencil Pro (if compatible). Most other people will be well-served with a good-enough third-party Pencil at a fraction of Apple‘s price.
Plus, they won‘t be subject to Apple‘s whims on making their accessories with future iPad generations. Prepare to write off your Magic Keyboards and Pencils once Apple yet again changes a few magnets.
God people here are insane and love giving Apple their money.
If you want an Apple Pencil Pro, this is obviously not for you. But it is very comparable to an Apple usb-c pencil (better even) while being significantly less expensive. It’s a good option for a lot of people who are very casual (or occasional) pencil users.
Im using a $12 3rd party pencil right now. The first one I got didn’t write well on my iPad mini 7 without skipping but the second one works like a charm and feels exactly like my old Apple Pencil 1. I don’t think anyone should be buying the usb-c Apple Pencil. Get the Apple Pencil pro if you care about all the fancy features, or get a 3rd party pencil like this one by ESR which is probably going to be slightly nicer than the cheaper one I got.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
