<b>Polling the Audience - Drawing Tablets</b>

In addition to our member's experience, if you search CNET, you won't be disappointed.

I use the Wacom Bamboo....I think they make the best for the money...

http://www.wacom.com/en/products/pen-tablets/bamboo

I've heard great things about Wacom overall, but then there's three types of bamboo tablets. The decisions never stop! Could you maybe divulge as to which one you use specifically?

There are several of the Bamboo models, about a doz I think....I use the Bamboo Fun model because it has a large drawing surface (6" x 9") and it still fits on my desktop...You have to learn to look at the screen while you're drawing, instead of the tablet surface, which is the natural tendency....You can also use the surface as mouse controller with your fingers while using the regular mouse, in other words you can mouse with both hands....additionally the tablet has buttons like a mouse, so you have many options for control, which is cool....

http://www.itechnews.net/2009/09/25/wacom-bamboo-multi-touch-tablets/

I think the create is the new version of the Fun....

http://www.itechnews.net/2009/09/25/wacom-bamboo-multi-touch-tablets/

Awesome! Thanks for the info

I had a great drawing tablet from a company laughably called 'Trust'
It worked well untill I bought a new computer, I was told they didn't produce a driver for the new 32 bit (or whatever) operating system...
I'm sure you can imagine my response.

Now I tend to stick to pencil and paper, then scan it in, damn sight better anyhow.
Del
<click.. cynic mode off...clack on...click..off...clack..on.
Sorry cynic mode doesn't appear to switch off>

A while back, I purchased a Genius tablet with the idea of using it to digitize graphics, not the sketching sort of applications. Think of the Genius line as a lower cost option to the WACOM brand, but quite functional. In fact, TOO functional. Things like pressure sensitivity defining line width might be important to the artist, it can definitely be a distraction to those of us looking for relatively accurate x,y coordinates. Of course, I lost some of the functionality when I plugged the tablet into my Linux box, since Genius is one of those companies who seem to believe there is only one operating system in the world. Not to worry though- my Linux distro actually came with a WACOM built-in driver that happens to recognize the Genius tablet (one of the things I love about Linus is that the kernel generally includes a lot of generic drivers for all sorts of devices...). I can use the Genius tablet as an input device for a variety of my Graphics applications, although I can not comment on how well it might function with any particular software package with which I am not familiar (i.e., anything Windows or Mac only).

The tablet came with both a mouse device and a stylus. SIZE IS IMPORTANT! The reason I rejected the WACOM Bamboo options available locally was that the active area was too small for my purposes. I would have preferred, for my application, a mouse device with a cross-hair target, but tablets offering this option were WAY out of my price range. Interestingly, it seems that the higher-end devices, designed for the type of digitizing I am interested in (think, converting a paper map to a digital image) seem to come with less feature clutter.

Would I buy the same device today for my original intended purpose? No, because I have since found a web-based software application that accomplishes the same thing a whole lot easier. Would i buy the device if I wanted to make artistic renderings? Most likely.

Hi Mizuti, I want to back SolarEagle, but for more CAD-like, pro work I'd use the Intuos range's S (small)or M (medium) tablet. Good luck and productivity.

A few years back I got a chepo drawing tablet, and it's currently gathering dust somewhere.

The thing is probably old technology now, but the stylus acted like a pen with a loose nib. It had no 'feel' when using it - the dratted thing didn't even need to touch the pad. Apart from that it might have been cool - the stylus did have a pen in it, so you can scrawl like it's a clipboard and digitally record everything as well as have hard copy. The software was pretty good at OCR - except for people like me who have undecipherable handwriting.

I lack any ability to use touch-screen stuff, be it mobile phones or computer screens. Apart from anything else, the action causes ash to fall off my cigarette. Keyboards can be washed. Hot ash on screen = not good. If CR4 ever does a 'Most disgusting keyboard of the year' contest, just send me the prize now )

...I hate to tell you Kris but that was an etch-a-sketch
Del
(scampers off)

There are better balls of string, but go play you rascal....

I'd suggest a competition, but I don't fink I can come even close.

Go e-cig, it's a drop-in replacement....no ashes, no smoke = anywhere anytime freedom to vape....switched in 1 day, never looked back....much cheaper too....

I have a Wacom Bamboo but I don't use it since I went to multi-monitors. I was never able to get the scaling of mouse speed/distance across the 3 monitors. And even with 2 monitors it was quite awkward. Over the years I have found the larger the tablet, the more "Balanced" the feel. Also look for a tablet with a pen that has pressure sensitivity as well as left and right mouse functions. This can be applied to different functions, though my personal experience was with Corel PhotoPaint and various brushes and editing tools. For example, the harder you press the pen the more or less transparent the clone/brush stoke. I've not used it with Solidworks, but I mainly design Injection Molds and have not found a need for it. But I also work with a person who uses a trackball/mouse. This is quite absurd to me, but he does a great job with it. My point being use what works and feels well to you.