Overview tablet Wacom Bamboo Pen & Touch

Scope of supply:

    Tablet Wacom Bamboo Pen & Touch
    Cable microUSB
    CD with software
    Instruction
    Replacement rods for the pen
    Tweezers for replacement of the rodIn 2012 the word "tablet" is usually called something from Apple, Samsung and other major companies - in short, a device with a touchscreen. But there is another class of devices, graphics tablets, otherwise called "digitizers". In the general case - it is a kind of platform (maybe with a screen can be - no), connected to a PC and supports pen input. Recognized gradations of depression, the slope of the pen - that is, with such a tablet can be drawn, as on paper.

Make a tablet, which will be discussed, - known in narrow circles of the company Wacom. A series of digitizers Intuos - the card company (price from 10 to 30 thousand rubles), and considered a series of Bamboo - an attempt (successful or not, understand the process) to enter the mass market.

Judge for yourself, the device in question (Bamboo Pen & Touch) is worth 4 thousand rubles, the device is simpler (Bamboo Pen) - from 2900 rubles, and the version is more expensive - Bamboo Fun Small (5 500 rubles) and the Bamboo Fun Medium. The differences lie not only in the name of, say, Pen & Touch responds not only to the pen, but also to touch. These features look a little further, and now offer you a comparative table with the manufacturer's website:

Complete line of software from Bamboo tablets 

Over fifteen hundred rubles you can buy a set for the wireless connection to a PC - a module for a computer module for a tablet and a battery for it though. There are also covers, removable rods for feathers, the feathers themselves - in short, everything cool.But let us proceed to consider is the device, something I have stayed in the introduction.Packaging and accessoriesIn a sufficiently large "jacket" is a neat (and also cardboard) case with the very tablet, stylus, removable pins, tweezers for the replacement disk with software and a short "a manual." Also, of course, is the cable USB. All the words in the box on the wireless work right, but remember, the set will have to buy separately.As for the kit to tell me nothing special, everything is, and what not, you can if you wish to purchase.

 Construction 

The tablet is made of plastic, the color combination - frankly "toy", black and green colors. It looks as a result of a surprisingly stylish, glossy insert on the front side, the buttons with the texture of the stone - for the design of five points. Perhaps the strong professional and such a device will not work - but for these people are completely different products.Virtually the entire front of the plate is occupied by the touch pad (work area 147x92 mm), left of it - Assignable button. By default (top to bottom) are responsible for multi-function trip, call the dock Bamboo, right and left mouse click. On the left side - connector microUSB, the rear is a cover for placement of the wireless module and battery. On the right - a special loop for securing the pen.Perot also made of plastic, looks like a normal marker. There is a rod for drawing and the "eraser" on the reverse side. On the side of the pen is a button, you can reconfigure the default is right-click and view / slide (in the supported applications).Connecting to a PC, software and configurationFirst you have to install the tablet driver and software. Since the working drive to a CD-ROM at hand is not found, had to go to the Internet, search for the good of the driver is simple.Immediately after installing the driver you can connect your tablet and use it. Among the mandatory applications - Bamboo Dock and any graphics editor. Wacom recommends program ArtRage, it is in Russian.Bamboo DockArtRage Studio Pro 3.5.0From Bamboo Dock you can get into the setup menu tablet. As you can see a wide range of settings, there are many features for multi-mode.Also, the tablet features are supported on Windows 7I will say this, handwriting recognition of the Russian text - a very evil and incomprehensible thing for her, I never used to. But it works, and very good - that's just stretching the truth in the most unexpected places. Say the word "hello" (in my version) she likes to recognize all but the letter "t".Multi-modeLet's start with an additional feature, there does not talk about.In fact the use of the tablet as a touch pad is not particularly convenient. Maybe it's a matter of personal preference. That is, support for multitouch - it's good, but rather for the case when you do not want to reach for the mouse. Anyway, this support must pay only a thousand rubles, and the money it costs. Plus, a simplified version does not do any buttons on the front panel, and this is a big minus.Using a tablet with a penAs for the main functions of the tablet - with a pen - everything is much more interesting. The tablet can "see" the pen at a distance of 16 mm, so that to control your PC using Bamboo is not very convenient - and then it goes beyond the pen of sight, and that, frankly, annoying. I would like to recognize the Bamboo pen at a distance of at least 2-3 centimeters.To draw such a limitation is also important, but not fatal. The program has full support for ArtRage tablet very quickly creates a feeling that you draw on paper. The choice is a lot of tools, this brush and pencil, and a variety of effects.Since I obtained mainly "masterpieces" like the sun above, I asked my friend, is good at drawing, make a few sketches, and here's what happened:I do not know how it is seen as professionals - and I liked the result. So, as an interesting toy or a simple desktop tool for Wacom Bamboo tablet is quite suitable.By the way, just one day before this writing, I was able to take advantage of the tablet - I had to remove the background on one picture, and using ArtRage Wacom Bamboo and everything was done quickly and accurately.Output I understand, everything turned out quite succinctly and messy, but in fact Wacom Bamboo - this is an interesting and not very expensive product from a known company. Yes, the resolution of the tablet - just 2540 lpi, the working area - 15 to 9 cm, but let's not forget about the price (four thousand rubles for the considered models), support for multitouch, an interesting design. 

Myself I would not buy such a thing - because the photos are not processed and can not really draw. Familiar, which I gave him a couple of days, is also unlikely to buy a Bamboo for continuous use. According to her, drawing on the tablet, and live - two big differences. With flowers, and many more tools in the first case, with the feelings of the drawing - in the second. Suffice obvious things, but not all of them understand.Decide for yourself - the main thing that after buying the device is not pylilos on the far shelf.