{"id":330334,"date":"2017-01-11T23:00:13","date_gmt":"2017-01-11T15:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/techcrunch.com\/?p=1437184"},"modified":"2017-01-11T23:00:13","modified_gmt":"2017-01-11T15:00:13","slug":"astropad-studio-turns-the-ipad-pro-into-a-pro-drawing-tablet-for-macs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/asmawisham\/astropad-studio-turns-the-ipad-pro-into-a-pro-drawing-tablet-for-macs\/","title":{"rendered":"Astropad Studio turns the iPad Pro into a pro drawing tablet for Macs"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The iPad Pro is a clutch drawing tool for when you\u2019re on the go, but it\u2019s missing a lot of the pro software that working artists require to get their job done. Astropad, a company that has focused on making second-screen software for iPad to use with a connected Mac, is debuting Astropad Studio<\/a> today, a new version of its software that adds a lot of customizable options to Astropad\u2019s basic screen mirroring features to make it a much more powerful replacement for expensive graphics hardware like Wacom\u2019s Cintiq tablets.<\/p>\n

Astropad\u2019s newest software offers full pressure sensitivity support for Apple Pencil, very low latency (there\u2019s some, very slight lag you\u2019ll notice when sketching quickly) and great visual fidelity. It works either over Wifi or connected via USB cable, though you\u2019ll probably want to stick with the later if you\u2019re actually hoping to use this for pro purposes.<\/p>\n

Other apps offer similar features \u2013 the closest competitor for Astropad Studio is Duet Display, but while that app does support Apple Pencil and pressure sensitive input, it\u2019s designed more as another display to extend your desktop than Studio, which is pretty definitively focused on offering graphics pros tools designed to fit their specific needs.<\/p>\n

These include not only Pencil support and performance, but also customizable quick actions and shortcuts, enabled via touch input, and combining touch input with Pencil. You can quickly undo or erase, for instance, just by adding taps to your workflow, and you can tweak these specific shortcuts to whatever you want.<\/p>\n

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Astropad Studio connects to a client on your Mac (which you download separately) and lets you select a portion of your existing display or displays to define as the interaction surface for use on your iPad Pro. A small disc icon on the iPad screen allows you to tweak the shortcut settings and check for additional commands. The commands available are terrific, like universal undo and redo combos, and an easy way to erase by simply leaving one finger on the screen and using the Pencil as you normally would.<\/p>\n

In practice, Astropad Studio is a very capable alternative to a dedicated graphics tablet. I used it right next to a Wacom Cintiq 13HD, and though the Wacom does feel a bit more instantly responsive, for a lot of users, the practical difference between the two wouldn\u2019t justify the cost difference. Astropad Studio requires a $7.99 monthly or $64.99 yearly subscription, but with math you get settings sync, additional support and a promise from Astropad that it\u2019ll be updated monthly with new features and improvements.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re an iPad Pro user you\u2019re probably keen to make the most of your Pencil options, and Astropad Studio definitely accomplishes that., plus there\u2019s a 7-day free trial so you can make sure it suits your needs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\"select_7\" The iPad Pro is a clutch drawing tool for when you’re on the go, but it’s missing a lot of the pro software that working artists require to get their job done. Astropad, a company that has focused on making second-screen software for iPad to use with a connected Mac, is debuting Astropad Studio today, a new version of its software that adds a lot of customizable options to… Read More<\/a><\/p>\n

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