A while ago I wrote about the Intuos4 tablet from Wacom. This is a professional grade tablet that you use instead of your mouse when working with programs like Adobe Photoshop or Corel Painter to process your photos and paintings. A tablet gives you much more efficiency of movement and the pressure sensitivity gives you the same kind of control that you would get from a pen, pencil, or paint brush.
What if you don't need a professional grade tablet, but you still want the ability to use a tablet with your applications like Adobe Photoshop elements or Corel Painter Essentials? Well, Wacom has a whole series of tablets made for the consumer just for this purpose. This line is called the Bamboo line and they range from the smaller Bamboo Touch & Pen models to the Bamboo Fun, which is the one that I am reviewing.
What do you need to run the Bamboo Fun?
• Windows XP (SP2), Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Mac OS X10.4.8+
• Color display
• Powered USB port
• CD/DVD drive
What do you get with the Bamboo Fun?
• Bamboo Fun
• The Bamboo Fun pen
• Installation CD
• Quick start guide
• Bundled software
• Offers from Shutterfly and Café Press
The Bamboo Fun consists of a digitized pad that plugs in to the USB port on your computer. Your computer then treats the device as though it were a mouse but rather with a pen or by finger touch. Then when you use a product like Photoshop or Painter that can take advantage of the rich technology that the pad enables, you use the pen like a brush, where you have more control and affect on your image.
Article comments
1 - Inanna Arthen
I recently got one of the Bamboo tablets for doing digital graphic art and it's just amazing. It's the most liberating tool I've ever used with my computer--and I'm darned if I understand how it works!
2 - Jamie
I just bought the Bamboo Craft and am extremely disappointed in the pen. It will not write a nice clean line it looks more like a scratch. I have to press very hard on the pen and it still only works 50% of the time. A huge waste of money.
3 - christine
the pen stopped working
4 - charles
can i write over pdf?
5 - skcropper
Jamie - and Christine, too -- Looks like you have a defective product -- I'd take it up with Wacom before you give up, definitely - certainly can't hurt! Right now I am looking into buying one, and am reading all I can to decide which one would be right for me because I need it, or because it's so tempting!
6 - Blahhhhh
I just recently got it a couple of hours ago. When I plugged it in it had a bit of a two second lag when I wrote with it. I installed the Cd that came with it, and my pen stopped working. The light on my tablet would still light up when I pressed the pen against it, but the mouse refuses to move. I'm still searching how to fix it though, and it's probably my computer doing this, but I'm getting aggravated cause my pen won't make my mouse budge.
7 - Blahhhhh
Okay I'm the same person who answered #6 I deleted something, and my tablet is now working. ;A; Now that it's working probably I think it's really neat. xD You have complete control with the pen, and the lag is gone for me. If you're considering buying it, I think you should cause it's amazing QwQ~
8 - annette benoit
My brother sent me your model CTL 460 Graphics Pen. I installed it in my old computer. Got a new computer and forgot to remove the installation disc. Can I buy just that?
9 - derp
the bamboos still can't compare to the graphires :(
10 - Matthew
To number 7 what did ou delte to fix it?
11 - Brenda
Bought Bamboo Touch & Pen...upgraded to Office 2007 and had to buy a new laptop with Windows 7 to try to get ink pen to function. Still doesn't...Anybody know why? Microsoft tech help just told me that I need a touch screen to be able to use digital pen. Is he correct? Frustrated to say the least...
12 - Rebecca
is anyone creating calligraphy with this? I was thinking of modifying the tip to make it like an edged pen
13 - Faye
I have an 11 year old that loves to draw. I was thinking of getting him one. I was just wondering which one would be best to get for him.
14 - Kaylee..
Well I lost the Photo shop pen... I love drawing and when I looked for the disk I couldn't find it. Is it possible to go and ask for a new disk of Photoshop for my tablet?