xTool Creative Space

The iPad app was almost at feature parity with the desktop version. With the most recent v2 release supporting their new F1 Ultra device, they completely reworked the UI, cluttered with nameless icon buttons with no tool tips, forcing you to trial and error your way through things. It now takes three or four clicks to make settings changes where it used to take one or two. Worse, we lost marking completely. Now we’re forced to just muddle through the old way of nudging our objects or materials around running and re-running framing until dialed in. Such a time waste. This “easy panel” thing is collapsed/hidden by default which just adds to the confusion. I yearn for the cleaner, simpler, yet functional UI from the prior version. This should not have been released without MUCH more community testing and input.

The new update seems to make it slightly faster to engraving and it will be a learning curve but I like the use of the preview so it can be easier to follow. Issue: clicking the side button that was used for framing the last time just does endless rotation and doesn’t frame anymore. You have to push the frame button on the screen.I am also not a fan of the new way to set up the setting for engraving. They changed it around and I have to hunt for the inns.

I like the ease of use with this app. I have used other programs for 2d cad and they have more features but its easy to get lost in all the buttons and drop down screens. This app is simple and easy to use. It has most of the features you would want for basic laser engraving. I really like the fact the app is nearly the same as the pc software. That means I can design on my pc in my office and take my iPad down to the garage and tweak the image if needed with out going all the way up the the office. Plus if you hook a mouse up to your iPad you can design right here on the app and ditch the computer all together I really can’t say enough good things about this app and the Xtool team.