Astropad App Converts The iPad Into A Functional Graphics Tablet

The app turns an iPad into a mobile graphics tablet.

1 MIN READ

Astropad

Graphics tablets are ubiquitous tools of the trade for designers. But they’re pricey, take up space, and most require some type of software driver, along with a wired connection for power and connectivity.

Enter Astropad, an interface app from two former Apple developers that lets users transform their iPad into a drawing tablet that syncs with a Mac desktop. Running on just about any Mac-based graphics program, and working on either Wi-Fi or via a USB, Astropad mirrors the desktop onto the iPad. Astropad’s connectivity and detailed resolution originate from Liquid, a technology co-founders Matt Ronge and Giovanni Donelli developed for the app. With the ability to process up to 60 frames per second, Liquid’s performance surpasses Apple’s Airplay by 30 frames per second, which Ronge and Donelli claim results in very smooth drawing. The image quality exceeds that of a full-sized JPEG saved in Photoshop.

With standard iPad features like pinching and zooming, coupled with the automatic palm rejection of a typical graphics tablet, Astropad is an all-in-one resource for the iPad. And because the Astropad is just an interface, it operates the same way with every app, from Photoshop to Illustrator. It also works with pressure-sensitive stylus pens, like Wacom’s popular Bamboo line or FiftyThree’s Pencil.

Astropad is available here for $49.99 ($19.99 for education). Supported on iPads with IOS 8 and Mac with 10.9 or later.

About the Author

Cyprien Roy

Cyprien Roy is an editorial intern at ARCHITECT. He studied journalism at the University of the Arts in London. A recent transplant to Washington, D.C., he not only looks forward to exploring the city, but also hopes to call it home in the future.

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