This review is based on the performance of the pogo connect with procreate app (v1.9-v2) over the course of a year and two pogo connect pens v. 1.0.4 and v.1.1
The looks
It is a minimalist space pen, about the size of a sharpie pen. The aluminum casing can be a bit cold to the touch, but warms quickly.
The button is placed a bit awkwardly on the pen. People with big fingers may find themselves pressing the button accidentally. Fortunately you can disable or give it another function than ‘undo’ in Procreate.
V1.0 After connecting the pen via the in app menu of procreate (located behind the gear icon) procreate will recognize the pen when it’s been connected. on the next start up recognizing the pen will take about 5 seconds.
V1.1 The new pogo hardware version relies on the pogo connect app where you can make adjustments to its sensors to tailor the pen pressure registration more to your liking. The v1.1 is more sensitive than it’s predecessor and the lines flow more smoothly from light to heavier pressure.
So connect with the connect app first then open procreate. Then find the wrench icon in procreate V2 and connect the pen by selecting it from then menu and pressing the pen’s button.
After these steps pogo connect will automatically detect the pen (when the pen has been activated by pressing the button) and connect on the next launch of procreate.
If you had customized procreate’s pressure sensitive pens to the pogo v1.0, you need to tweak the settings of these again for the new hardware & sdk. In the pogo connect app itself, you can set starting pressure and pressure registration.
The pogo’s ‘hundreds of pressure levels’ Work out to five different line widths when drawing precisely. With quickly sketching it comes down to three.
‘Registration on touch’ isn’t exactly that. You’ll have to exert some slight force. I’ve adapted to draw a little ahead of the area where I want my digital ink so when the contact registers it is right where I want it to appear.
Both v1.1 and 1.0 still don’t work with palm recognition very well, but I find drawing with ink and graphite already cured me of resting my palm on the ‘paper’ while drawing.
An illustrations I’ve made using only the Pogo Connect and the ipad3 with procreate:
The pogo connect is for you if
You have a confident sweeping drawing hand typically developed when you use markers on A3 sized artboards and when painting from your elbow, using fast movements you will not be irked by the slightly wobbely lines.
You are comfortable drawing with a wide rubbery marker/crayon point and not being able to see the contact point of drawing tip on screen.
TL;DR:
Compatible with ipad 3 + 4
256 levels translates to five noticable line widths.
Slow movement makes for wobbely lines.
The aaa battery lasts 2-3 months with daily use and abuse of about 2-4 hrs of drawing.
The pen tip is still doing fine, no need to replace it yet.
The Bluetooth will nibble a bit off your ipad battery, but not as big of an energy void as might be expected 2-4 hrs for me came down to 20-30 % ipad battery life. Note: I do turn the brightness down to the lowest setting and turn of the wifi.
Good to know
You can daisy-chain the pogo connect to older ipads using an iphone 4s but it’s a shaky solution at best.
Most pogo’s have temperamental connection issues, first it loves your ipad until it suddenly doesn’t. Don’t know what exactly causes it, since it occurs pretty randomly you can go for sessions where it doesn’t wibble and sessions where it acts more like a small drunk pony.
Some pogo’s from version 1.0 have oxidizing problem + disengaging magnet/ breaking clip. Check your pogo on arrival!
It’s possible to fix it with solder. Or simply return under warranty.
