Asus software update vastly improves Z Stylus experience and usability

We are desperately trying to finish off our Z Stylus review. It’s very near done, but Asus has put out a software update to the ZenPad 10 and ZenPad S 8.0 (Z580CA) that enhanced and improved the Z Stylus usability.

We will go into far more detail in the review, but what we can say is this. The new feature and settings are so good, that it’s safe to say that Asus hit a home run here. Let’s explain why.

Ideally when you put a stylus to a touch screen, you hope that it creates a pen and paper type experience. In theory, that’s what you get. However a touchscreen can best be described as a hot potato. It can be touched by accident with any part of your writing hand or your hand that’s trying to hold the tablet. Adding to the challenge of holding a tablet is the fact that there is even less bezel on today’s tablets.

Asus initially had the typical palm rejection technology. That’s what in theory should work. If the stylus is engaged with the screen, your fingers and or palm shouldn’t be an issue. However in real terms it’s almost impossible to eliminate accidental presses.

Asus has not done better than simply palm rejection technology. This new setting is so good that it makes “pen only” modes redundant and unnecessary. Here is how it works.

First, ensure “Stylus only mode” is activated. Then you set the duration of the mode (choose between 1 and 5 seconds). Now when you bring the Z Stylus to the screen, a small icon appears which shows that your tablet is now 100% in non touch mode. When you remove the stylus from the screen, the duration (like a timer) will begin. The icon will disappear and the tablet will become a 100% touch screen device. In a nutshell, this is how it works.

In real terms, this new setting allowed me to hold and treat the tablet screen just like a pad of paper. I used the 5 second time out which gave me lots of time to reengage the stylus with the screen and thus keeping the “Stylus only mode” active.

Brilliant update to the technology. My only suggestion would be to have something like a 10 second duration or longer setting so that our tablet can be safely passed on to say, someone young enough to not quite grasp the technology.

More details upcoming in our Z Stylus review, but hopefully this new feature has you excited about this accessory. Thanks Asus!

12 Comments

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  1. Mac January 29, 2016 at 4:43 pm #

    Asus Zen Pad S 8″
    Z Stylus

    I bought the Zen pad and stylus togther as a package. I can’t get the stylus to work at all. I can draw with my finger, so its probably not the tablet.

    Mac

    • Staff January 29, 2016 at 5:18 pm #

      If the z stylus setting is “on”, then I would buy a new battery.

      • Mac January 29, 2016 at 7:52 pm #

        Replaced battery,no light, nothing. I can’t find the stylus settings in the tab either?

        • Staff January 30, 2016 at 5:32 am #

          Hmm. No Z Stylus setting in options? Sorry to ask, but can you confirm that your tablet is a Z580CA and not Z580C?

  2. Yousef February 19, 2016 at 6:52 am #

    Currently the Z Stulus is a waste of money, not even worth it. Because of an offset between the stylus and the screen. It makes writing difficult and drawing a hassle as you have to see the location of the circle from the stylus on the screen all the time, which makes it more of a hassle to write with. I’ve used it with the Asus Z580 8″ Tablet. Its not worth it. Period. I only hope they work on an upgrade, or it’ll be replaced with the next new note from Samsung. I’ve had the note 10.1 2014 Edition for 3 years now, world apart when it comes to recognizing the stylus. A lot better. Just hope someone at Asus realizes that there are complaints on this issue!

  3. Kc March 13, 2016 at 11:15 pm #

    Stylus seems useless for those of use who use it for now taking. The keyboard doesn’t seem to have an actual writing area that the stylus can utilize.
    Very disappointing when coming from a Samsung note series device. The integration isn’t that good.
    I’m hoping for better in the future.
    If I’m wrong please correct me.
    KC

  4. Dale A Schultz May 4, 2016 at 10:45 pm #

    I have a z300c and bought a zstylus. Everything works fine with 1 exception, the battery lasted less than a week. There is no way to turn off the stylus except thru the settings option…a real pain. I have a drawing tablet and the stylus has a push button on the pen that turns the pen on and off. I can’t believe it would be that hard to do. So, the 2 reasons I would not buy the stylus is the poor battery performance and no on/off button.

  5. Jan Pieter June 3, 2016 at 3:10 pm #

    Completely agree. I am reaaalllly struggling to get it working properly. If stylus is turned on without a pen around the tab gets very irresponsive and impossible to work with. When the pen is around sometimes it doesn’t detect is which causes the screen to jump because of my hand palm touching the screen. Nice that it works every now and then but very useless when you are trying to take notes in a meeting. Wasted money unfortunately..

  6. Patrick Bales-Parks August 12, 2016 at 3:01 am #

    I have purchased the Zenpad 10 z300c and i do not have a z stylus option anywhere in my settings. Is there a solution. I have updated the software already

  7. Rae Bowen December 27, 2017 at 3:10 pm #

    I recently bought a Zenpad for my daughter it’s a Z380M. I bought the stylus separate. I can find no setting for the stylus. Is there a way to put the setting on there? The only reason we got the tablet was so that she could draw on it. She is an artist and wanted something that felt like a pen in her hand. But I can’t figure this out. Why sell something if they aren’t going to make it compatible with your own devices?

    • Staff April 1, 2018 at 7:39 pm #

      There are a limited number of compatible ZenPad models for the Z Stylus. We’ve listed them in the main page sidebar widget.

  8. Bryan Atas April 1, 2018 at 1:19 pm #

    The stylus, or even just a capacitive pen or just your fingers are inaccurate. You get more volume with iPad mini. You gt more support and updates with Samsung.

    Overall verdict,don’t buy this if you’re into note taking, or drawing

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