As an iPad user for years, I’ve let my finger do the swiping, even if a stylus pencil was always an option. Zagg has changed it for me with their new Pro Stylus 2, a cutting-edge device that makes using the large touchscreen much more efficient.

Granted, if you have never used a stylus, it will take some getting used to, but not more than a few hours. Since I was reviewing this, I had to force myself to get used to the style, feel and functionality. I referred to Google for some tips on the adjustment, which included getting the correct hand position with suitable sensitivity and overall comfort.

I was hooked once I got going on the Zagg Pro Stylus 2. My iPad Pro (11-inch 4th generation) even has a slot on the side to hold the pen, where the Pro Stylus 2 fits perfectly. I used the new stylus for all my morning basics: reading sports, news, stocks and calendar appointments. The most significant advantage of the Pro Stylus 2 is working with photos and graphics. Using tools within photo programs and drawing is at a different level with a stylus.

It’s even easier to access click boxes, which I often have to pinch and pull to increase the size to click it. With the Pro Stylus 2, it’s perfect. A battery inside the Pro Stylus 2 charges wirelessly with the included charger for about six and a half hours of use. It will also work with your Qi wireless charger.

Other features include the pen-click power on: just put on the round end, and it turns on; after being idle for 15 minutes, it turns off to save battery power. Tilt recognition lets you vary the width of your stroke, and palm recognition allows the path of the stylus to keep working even if your palm touches the screen. This was a vital part of my stylus learning curve. A spare tip is included.

According to Zagg, the Pro Stylus 2 is compatible with apps supported by the Apple Pencil and with all iPad models from 2018 and later.

www.Zagg.com. $79.99 in choices of gray, yellow, white, blue, and pink

The Pivo Max is described as the world’s most versatile AI-powered smartphone and camera mount. I won’t disagree, but beware: I’m a victim. Once you start using Pivo Max, it’s addicting.

The Pivo Max is a well-made and sturdy 360-degree horizontal panning device that is easy to use. Along with the accompanying app, it will record motion, face and body tracking. Smartphones connect via Bluetooth.

Pivo promotes it as a device for capturing workout videos, which it is excellent at. The subjects you can record are infinite, but the main aspect is how well it’s made, how easy it is to use, and the quality of the video it produces.

Once you set to record, it takes some playing around with the app, controls and the included remote before you get your video perfected. But that doesn’t take long. The Pivo remote control works to a distance of up to 100 feet. A rechargeable battery is inside the 3.66-by-2.99-by-2.99-inch Pivo Max, which will keep it running for about 12 hours before a USB-C charge is needed.

Your smartphone goes into the topside mount. I used an iPhone 15 Pro Max with a standard case, which fit perfectly and securely with the locking clamp. Smartphones can be used in horizontal or vertical positioning. On the bottom is a standard quarter-inch thread socket for attaching it to a tripod or other mounts; I used my sturdy Gitzo tripod.

I took it for a test drive (literally) out on a boat, just sitting in front of my house, and even placed it on a table at a local eatery. The latter wasn’t the wisest thing to do; the questions didn’t stop. The important part is what it captured and how well it worked, which was great.

The Pivo Max is not limited to smartphone use. It attaches to a DSLR and can even work with a smartphone simultaneously. You’ll need a hotshot clamp (not included) to connect a smartphone on top of the camera where a flash would go. Tablets can also be attached.

. $269.99

Contact Gregg Ellman at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @greggellman.

©2023 Gregg Ellman. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.