Wacom Graphire 2

Wacom graphics tablets usually appeal to designers who like drawing with pens rather than computer mice. A graphics tablet looks like a normal pen and paper but the stuff that is written or drawn appears on your screen rather than the desk. Wacom hopes that its Graphire combination of mouse and pen will snare some 'ordinary' PC users. So, does the Graphire 2 have enough special features to lure people from their mice?

The pen, which you use by scrawling across the pressure-sensitive tablet, is what sets this neat little combo apart. With its programmable buttons, it's possible to create some rather clever drawings. The bundled Corel Painter Classic software helps ably and, when you're finished, you can pop the pen into a handy holder on the tablet.

The active area on the tablet is too small to be ideal for drawing but you can adjust the settings so that the active area equates to just a part of what you see on screen. This allows you to draw in greater detail.

If you're too lazy to draw and prefer tracing, then you can slide small pictures under the thin plastic cover on the tablet. The pen is also a surprisingly efficient means of controlling your web browser.

The settings box is important for this device, particularly as both the mouse and pen have programmable buttons. Impressively you can create different settings for various applications meaning that, every time you go into an application, it will be set just the way you want. But unfortunately the settings box takes some getting used to.

The Graphire 2's mouse doesn't have the same room for manoeuvre as an ordinary mouse and mat because it's restricted to the area covered by the tablet. With a normal mouse, you can take to the tabletop if the mat proves too titchy but not with the Graphire. The wireless pen and mouse looks great as a result but delivers little in the way of practical benefit. It's still too fiddly and too pricey to win many converts.

Contact: Computers Unlimited
020 8200 8282
www.wacom.com

Also consider: Logitech Trackman Wheel Optical. A pretty plush pointing device. £35.

See also:

nVidia Leadtek GeForce 3 Ti 500

This amazing graphics chip continues to set new standards.  14 Feb 2002

Viewsonic launches pen-driven PCs

ViewPads offer access to wireless local area networks  06 Sep 2001

Mouse and pen have iMac style.

Wacom has a version of its Graphire mouse-and-pen set in translucent colours to match the iMac.  11 May 2000

Pen scanner may spell doom for ink

If Wizcom's and C Tech's dreams come true then we'll all soon be throwing away our ballpoint pens in favour of their new pen scanners.  04 May 2000

Like this story? Spread the news by clicking below:

 del.icio.us     Digg this     reddit!