This pen is mightier than the mouse
Jim Jamieson
Province
Bamboo Fun Tablet computer peripheral
$119.99
You’re tired of RSI cramping up your wrist like a seized gate, and you’d like to be a little more creative than you can with a keyboard.
The idea of using a pen doesn’t compute.
It seems like a simple thing, but anyone who’s ever tried a tablet computing interface knows the kick you get in being able to express yourself in a different way. The Bamboo Fun Tablet brings that to the casual user with a minimum of fuss. Simply plug it into your USB port.
The device allows you to touch up digital photos, draw by hand, create artwork and paintings, and even write in your own handwriting in e-mail or add remarks to typed documents just by touching pen to tablet surface.
The tablet represents your computer monitor digitally, so that when you draw a line or make a stroke, it translates into a corresponding line on the screen.
It’s a welcome alternative to a mouse.
The pen that comes with the device is pressure-sensitive, so you can make fine or bold lines depending on how much pressure you’re applying.
The package includes full editions of creative software such as Adobe Photoshop Elements, with Corel Painter Essentials and Nik Color Efex Pro.
As for hardware, the Bamboo Fun Tablet comes with a cordless pen that includes an eraser and a cordless mouse for use on the tablet.
The tablet itself has about a 100 mm by 150 mm active area.
Each unit also includes four programmable keys for launching frequent keystrokes or applications.
The Bamboo Fun Tablet is compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems.
Available at London Drugs and other electronics stores.
