Future Chromebooks will have better pens thanks to USI 2.0
If we’re talking about a stylus ‘round these parts, it’s usually an S Pen. Samsung’s stylus isn’t the only option, though. The Universal Stylus Initiative (USI) provides technology for the pens that work on many Chromebooks, and it’s getting better in thenew 2.0 release. It only has a few new features, but one of them is a clever way to charge accessories via NFC coils.
Many of the current USI-compatible pens have full USB-C ports or even replaceable batteries, but USI 2.0 offers another option (h/t9to5Google). It’s based on the Wireless Charging Specification (WLC 2.0) from the NFC Forum. Rather than having systems for NFC communicationandcharging, USI 2.0 will support using the same coil for both. Power transfers max out at 1W, which isn’t enough for most devices. However, it’s plenty for a stylus that will spend most of its time docked.
USI 2.0 also includes improved tilt support and support for 16 million inking colors, up from a mere 256. These new features are optional, so not all USI pens will be created equal. To use the wireless charging features, you’ll need a computer and stylus that support that feature. None exist yet, but it’s only a matter of time before the first Chromebooks with USI 2.0 appear. USI 2.0 works with in-cell touch sensors, which expands the number of devices that can benefit from pen input.
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This article is sponsored by Total Wireless.
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