Bamboo Pen and Touch
By: Wacom
The Bamboo Pen and Touch is targeted at people who use their computer a lot in Photoshop or other graphic design programs, but even an everyday user could find uses for it. In addition to making editing photos easy, you can use it as a replacement to your traditional mouse. The first thing I noticed about the tablet was its super slim structure and smooth design. The touch surface is set up to be representative of your computer screen so if you put your finger or the pen in the top right corner of Bamboo, the cursor will automatically jump to the top right corner of your computer screen. This style of navigation took a little getting used to, but once you do, it is much more efficient than the track pad you might have on your laptop.
While using the device itself, I noticed it was very sensitive. It registered my every move and there was no need to repeat actions. The multi input surface accepts commands from either your fingers or the pen which is supplied with the tablet. If you use your fingers, it has gestures similar the ones used on a MacBook’s track pad. If you put two fingers on the pad and move them up and down, it will scroll down a page and if you use two fingers and do a quick swipe left or right, it will go forward or back a page. It also has gestures for zooming in and out and rotating pictures. The pen on the tablet is fun to draw and write with. You can also use it to precisely point at icons, navigate menus, or use Photoshop tools. One side of it is for writing, and if you quickly flip it over, you can erase with the opposite side. It also has two customizable buttons on it that are easily accessible. The tablet comes with three replacement tips so you don’t have to worry about them wearing down right away.
The tablet has four customizable buttons on the left side. The default settings are for left click, right click, back, and Touch Toggle, which you use to switch between touch mode and pen mode. When it is in pen mode, the tablet will not accept inputs from your hand or fingers so you don’t have to worry about resting your hand on the surface while using the pen.
You connect the Bamboo to your computer via the tablet’s USB cable which can go into any USB port on your computer that is convenient for you. The software for the Bamboo was easy to install. In addition to the software to run the Bamboo, included is Adobe Photoshop Elements and Nik Color Efex Pro so you can easily begin editing photos.
What I felt was missing in the Bamboo Pen and Touch was wireless capability. The USB cable that you need to use to attach it to the computer added more clutter to my already confusing desk area. It would also allow you to use it in a variety of other places besides right in front of your computer such as if you hook your computer up to a TV or projector. While this feature is available on other Wacom products such as the Intuos Wireless, I would’ve liked to see it carried over to the Bamboo line.
The Bamboo Pen and Touch brings a different tactical experience to computing. In addition to it being good for basic use in photo editing, it’s more fun than simply using a mouse and in many cases more efficient also. Overall it was a pleasant experience using the tablet. I enjoyed writing and drawing with it the most. It was easy to learn to use and simple to set up. I would recommend it to users who are looking for a new graphics tablet to use with their laptop.
Tablet Specifications
Tablet Dimensions (WxH): 9.8″ x 6.9″ (249mm x 175mm)
Active Area – Touch (WxH): 4.9″ x 3.4″ (124mm x 86mm)
Active Area – Pen (WxH): 5.8″ x 3.6″ (147mm x 91mm)
Pressure Levels: 1024
Resolution: 2540 lpi
Max Data Rate: 133 pps
Accuracy: +/- .02 in (+/- 0.5 mm)
Connectivity: Standard USB
Orientation: Reversible for right- or left-handed users
System Requirements
PC: Windows® 7, Vista® or XP with Service Pack 2
Mac: Mac OS® X (10.4.8 or higher)
Hardware: Also requires color display, powered USB port, and CD/DVD drive
Grab your Own:
Amazon.com: $69.00
Wacom: 99.00
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