The disclosed technology controls a digital inking device by communicating electrostatic inking signals between the digital inking device and an ink-receiving computing device in an inking mode enabling the digital inking device to render digital ink in a display of the ink-receiving computing device via the electrostatic inking signals, detecting proximity of a peripheral communication device relative to the digital inking device, transitioning the digital inking device from the inking mode to a non-inking mode that terminates communication of the electrostatic inking signals between the digital inking device and the ink-receiving computing device, based at least in part on the detecting operation, and communicating electrostatic data signals in the non-inking mode between the digital inking device and the peripheral communication device in the non-inking mode, based at least in part on the transitioning to the non-inking mode.