This screen cover could make the iPad Pro one step closer to a real notebook

The iPad Pro duo are what Apple wants the world to use for handwriting and sketching using the Pencil - but while that stylus is responsive there’s no escaping the slightly unnatural feeling of writing on glass.

But soon there might be, as a new screen protector called PaperLike promises to make the experience feel like writing on paper, so the writing and sketching experience is more natural and gives more control.

On top of that it also claims to do what any good screen protector should: keep the screen safe from scratches, and reduce glare and not pick up fingerprints.

Paper backers

Some of those are bold claims, and it remains to be seen how well PaperLike will actually live up to them, but if you want to be one of the first to find out you can back it on Kickstarter, where it’s already exceeded its modest funding goal.

There’s a delivery estimate of June 2017 for backers, so unlike projects that stretch on for years you shouldn’t even have long to wait, and it costs just 17 euros (around $18/£15/AU$24) to get a PaperLike for the iPad Pro 9.7, and 19 euros (roughly $20/£16/AU$27) to get one for the iPad Pro 12.9.

If it’s everything the makers claim it could be a transformative product for digital artists and note takers, or would-be ones who’ve been put off by the unnatural feel of writing on a screen.

James Rogerson

James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.