{Photograph}: Nena Farrell
The Manta additionally has a built-in artwork mode, however you will must hunt to seek out it. Not like different digital notebooks, you’ll be able to’t simply swap over to the pencils, however as an alternative you will have to entry the settings and obtain the Atelier app, which is free and fairly quick to obtain through Wi-Fi. When you try this, just a little paint palette icon will seem on the highest proper subsequent to your buttons to make a brand new be aware or Phrase doc, permitting you to generate an artwork file. You can inform which is which once you see .spd on the finish of a file title, which is Supernote’s file kind for the Atelier program.
As soon as inside an Atelier file, you will achieve entry to seven pencil weights, 5 ink-pen types, and three marker choices. You can too choose the lock button to seek out two totally different spray pens, although the lock icon is not what I’d have guessed to represent that. You possibly can add layers, too, and a grayscale vary of 16 shades of grey (ending in white and black). The drawing instruments are attentive to stress and enjoyable to make use of.
Pen Station
{Photograph}: Nena Farrell
This assessment is perhaps for the Manta, nevertheless it’s additionally for Supernote’s pens that pair with the Manta—and with Supernote’s smaller digital pocket book, the A6 X2 Nomad ($299). Whereas each different digital pocket book firm presents about two digital markers, often a primary possibility after which an improve that always options an eraser, Supernote presents 4 pens. Not solely that, however its Coronary heart of Steel Pen 2 ($75) has 10 colour choices, one thing no different digital pocket book firm presents. Even Supernote’s Push-Up Customary Pen ($59) truly appears to be like like an actual pen moderately than a flowery pill stylus. Supernote’s pens additionally do not require any charging.
I have been testing the Manta with Supernote’s Lamy Safari Vista EMR Pen ($89), a digital pocket book model of the famed Lamy Safari pen. It is light-weight and comfy and appears so actual I generally seize it and by accident attempt to use it in my paper planner. I additionally actually just like the Coronary heart of Steel pen, which I examined with the Supernote Nomad final 12 months, although it is heavier than the Lamy. (They weren’t joking in regards to the metallic!) Each are snug to put in writing loads of notes with, whether or not you are in six hours of conferences or a five-hour Dungeons and Dragons session. If you happen to’re choosy about your writing utensil, even when it is a digital one, Supernote is the most suitable choice.
The one draw back? No erasers. If you happen to assume you is perhaps an eraser or keyboard individual, then the Supernote, whether or not this Manta or the smaller Nomad, is not for you. However if you happen to do not want both of these equipment, it is an excellent digital pocket book for notes and sketches alike.
