Wacom has taken the wraps off of a new digital stylus, the Bamboo Ink, built to take full advantage of Windows Ink on most Windows 10 devices. As what looks to be an evolution of last year's Bamboo Smart stylus, the Bamboo Ink looks more refined and should work with a larger range of pen-enabled devices.
Out of the box, the Bamboo Ink supports inking with Wacom's own Active Electro-Static (AES) protocol. Where the Bamboo Ink diverges from the Bamboo Smart is that it also supports switching to the Microsoft Pen Protocol (MPP) by pressing and holding its two side buttons. That opens the pen up to a working with a whole lot more devices that might only support MPP.
Otherwise, the Bamboo Ink supports Windows Ink in full, including jotting notes with the Sticky Notes app and more. You can even easily open the Windows Ink Workspace by clicking the top button. Bamboo will also have three different nib types available to change up the on-screen feel of sketching.
Bamboo Ink will be up for grabs at Best Buy, U.S. Microsoft Stores, and Wacom for $80 on June 1. Other regions will get access to the stylus starting in August. Wacom typically provides a list of devices that their pens have been tested with on its website, but the Bamboo Ink isn't listed in the compatibility section just yet. You should be able to make sure your device is covered soon, though.
