The Wacom Intuos4 is coming :)

[Dan Hintz]

It's not a showstopper by any means, but it has to be a bug. The ExpressKey displays, by default, turn off after a few minutes on non-use, but they (are supposed to) come back the moment you bring the pen or mouse near the tablet. And it does... unless the OS was allowed to go to sleep/hibernation and then woken up. After that, the displays don't come back until you unplug/plug in the USB cable.

Like I said, not a showstopper, but it's an annoyance. I've already submitted a fix-it ticket to Wacom for their driver, we'll see what they say (if anything).

[Dan Hintz]

A minor update to my last bug post, which should have been posted earlier this month...

I did a few rounds of email tag with one of Wacom's techs, but in the end it seems like they're burying their heads on this one. Their answer, in a nutshell, was "Don't let the computer go to sleep" The "technical" explanation was putting the computer to sleep causes a loss of comms with the USB port, which wreaks havoc with the system... well, that sounds like a poor driver implementation to me I asked if they told their laptop users to turn the power-saving sleep feature of the OS off... I got a virtual blank stare on that one.

Meh, life goes on...

[Scott Shepherd]

Just got this tablet as my first tablet. I now have an ice-cream headache

It is very nice. It does some really cool things. I'm not smart enough to use it.

I look forward to converting my workflow over to it, but getting used to that absolute positioning of the pen wasn't what I expected. I keep putting the pen up and using their included mouse

[Frank Corker]

Just got this tablet as my first tablet. I now have an ice-cream headache

It is very nice. It does some really cool things. I'm not smart enough to use it.

I look forward to converting my workflow over to it, but getting used to that absolute positioning of the pen wasn't what I expected. I keep putting the pen up and using their included mouse

Do you want my home address for snail mail?

[Dan Hintz]

I would get rid of my current mouse altogether and switch to the tablet full time if the included mouse had buttons on the side (faster internet surfing, less hand movement).

If anyone is looking for a "deal", Wacom is taking $50 off of their Intuos3 tablets right now. not a huge savings, but something to consider if you're looking at them right now. Personally, I'd spend the extra $50 and get the 4 series for upwards compatibility.

[Scott Shepherd]

Do you want my home address for snail mail?

We've spoken on Skype enough for me to know you'd have the same problem I do

[Marc Myer]

update on the new Wacom. It required a second video port on the computer, so I had to wait longer for the red tape. The modifier buttons are hard to get used to and figure out how to best assign them. You still need to use a keyboard.
That said, it's great! Regardless of what kind/model of tablet you get, it's a huge difference! Wonderful to do a trace quickly and smoothly. Doing fine Photoshop work is a breeze, no more redoing the same line because the mouse didn't track right. I'll bet I saved a couple of hours of work in the first day. Buy new, buy used, but grab one.

[Scott Shepherd]

I like the fact that you can program the buttons to do anything you want and actually label them as well. No need to remember what the 3rd button from the top does, it's now marked and it's marked exactly how you wanted it marked.

I don't use multiple monitors so I've already reprogrammed that button to be something else and it's labeled!

Very cool little feature. I saw the Intuos 3 on sale for $99 refurbished and $129 new. That's a steal. (macmall.com) Which is where I got my Intuos 4.

[Dan Hintz]

Wacom has just announced the wireless (BlueTooth) version of the "Medium" tablet.
http://www.wacom.com/intuos/wireless.php
For $50 more, you can get rid of the USB cable dangling from the side. A small annoyance of mine, but I'm glad I got the tablet when I did, especially considering the deal I got.

[Dan Hintz]

Oh, and an update on my earlier problems with the OLED displays not coming back after Vista fell asleep... the latest revision of the driver seems to have fixed this, so that's a good thing. I've been running with it for the last couple of months and I haven't seen the problem return.

[Tom Bull]

I am considering a first tablet, could use advice from experienced users.
Is there something, a feature or brand I should avoid? Where would you look for a bargain on a tablet? What features would you consider as necessary? Do they "wear out", is used a viable option?
Thanks,
Tom

[Chuck Stone]

I'm still working with the ArtZ (II) from 1990, pre-Intuos.
That's got two cords.. one serial (pre-USB) and one power.

Still going strong, though. As long as I have a computer that
still has a serial port, I'm good.

[Bill Morrison]

I've got the 12 X 12 Wacom Intuos Tablet and as Steve mentioned, it's easy to set up the buttons and sliders to work within your programs. I do some photo restoration and Haidi art and it's easier to draw it using Coreldraw then send it straight to the laser or in some cases the shopbot. Plus if you are careful and put a towel on it you can sit at the laptop and eat breakfast on it.

[Dave Johnson29]

Plus if you are careful and put a towel on it you can sit at the laptop and eat breakfast on it.

Bill, you are obviously starting work way too early, maybe I would eat lunch off it.

[Bill Morrison]

They have a desktop that you write directly on the screen. It's not a mac but forgot the brand. I got a 12 X 12 Intous3 so I can't justify getting something else right now. Someone asked what others used their tablets for. I do photo restoration and Coastal art. I've got 8 buttons + sliders so it's a lot quicker to use the tablet than the mouse. Try using a brick to write your signature, that's the biggest diffference between a mouse and a tablet. Also, if you put a towel on the tablet you can eat breakfast while tinkering on the laptop.