Wacom Intuos, the good and the bad.
Written: Apr 23 '01 (Updated Apr 23 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: It's a fabulous piece of hardware, if it works with your system.
Cons: USB problems outweighed the positive attributes.
The Bottom Line: Unfortunately this add-on won't work with my system. I highly recommend borrowing a Wacom from a friend to test on your computer.
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| epinburk's Full Review: Wacom Intuos Tablet Series |
I thought my review should go in the "not recommending" category because I had significant USB issues with the hardware. You may not have the same results; your experience will be based on your personal system configuration.
The bad news.
My Wacom tablet causes massive system problems (freezing, and delays) with my Mac setup. I should stress, the problems I experience may not occur with your machine. My system config is as follows:
- Mac g4, 400 1gb ram
- Os 9.0
I tried connecting the Wacom's USB cable directly to the cpu, and I tried connecting the Wacom cable through the USB connection at the keyboard. Both types of connection caused the same problems. The computer would have 20 second delays (freezing) every thirty seconds. Obviously this is unbearable. I did a lot of research online and found some information at the Apple site. User groups there reported that many people are having similar USB issues; freezes and delays. There are a plethora of possible causes and solutions. One thing that worked for me was to "zap the pram". Unfortunately my freeze-problems were back in only 20 minutes after this "pram" tweak. I am really depressed about the outcome!
The Good news.
When the Intuos did work on my system it was fantastic. If you're a designer who likes to gesture with your entire arm and really get into airbrush work in Photoshop you will LOVE the Wacom tablet. Other designers that will appreciate it would be individuals who enjoy drawing programs like freehand or illustrator where you would be doing a lot of bezier work.
The pen, in combination with the oversized "drawing area" of the tablet work together to create an experience unparalleled by other input devices. The Intuos gives you a liberating sense of freedom when you work. You may even find that your work reaches the next level of creativity or detail with this hardware -- no kidding!
Conclusion.
I strongly advise borrowing a Wacom Intuos from a colleague of yours who owns one. Throw it on your system and live with it for a while. Make sure your system can handle the USB device.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 300
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Epinions.com ID:
epinburk
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Reviews written: 96
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