Product Reviews

It's an undeniable truth that the majority of computer users never give a thought to the way they interact with and control their computers. While they'll spend thousands of pounds to ensure the latest start-of-the-art PC technology, the low-cost mouse that runs the whole show is taken as an unquestioned given. The problem is that the mouse, while just about acceptable for navigating menus, is hopeless for any finer control. Try writing your signature with a mouse and you'll immediately realise that it's like drawing with a brick on a string.

The obvious solution is a drawing tablet that mimics the natural interface we've all grown up with: paper and pen. After you've used a tablet for a day, it becomes so natural that you completely forget it's there. That's certainly been my experience using Wacom's previous tablets and is the reason why I've always recommended the ArtPad II as the best £100 you can spend on your system.

With its new Intuos range, Wacom is hoping to redefine that standard. As such, I was quite excited about the arrival of the Intuos A4 Regular Tablet but was immediately struck by two disappointments. The first was the size of the device. Don't be confused by the name; the 'A4' refers only to the digitising area. The full tablet size is actually larger than A3, which is a huge amount of desk space to give up. The second disappointment was installation. With previous Wacom devices I've had no problems, but when I tried to install the Intuos A4 on my Windows 98 machine the installation routine insisted the serial port was already in use. This might be a problem peculiar to my system, but judging from its Web site Wacom is still coming to terms with Windows 98.

After a painless Windows 95 install, things began to look better. In particular, the Intuos tablets now offer increased sensitivity by recognising 1,024 pressure levels. Personally, I'd never felt limited by the previous 256 levels but the new sensitivity does make the pen feel more responsive, especially when drawing or retouching. Of course, to appreciate this new sensitivity you need to be using a supporting program which is why Wacom bundles Painter Classic. This program isn't just pressure-aware but also tilt-sensitive which enables the pen to realistically mimic a range of traditional artist's

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brushes.

As well as reworking the tablet, Wacom has rethought the input device. The default pen's previous straight lines now have a slightly bulbous design. The end result is slightly plasticky but feels more comfortable in use. Wacom's major innovation, however, is the new range of alternative input devices it offers. As well as the pen, the tablet comes with what's called a 4D mouse. This is cordless and sports no fewer than five buttons together with a thumbwheel for scrolling, panning and zooming. It's a definite improvement on the average mouse, but since you already have the clearly superior pen I don't think it will get much use.

What really makes the difference is the range of alternative optional devices that can be used with the tablet. These include a Lens Cursor option, which is essentially a mouse sporting a swinging lens with cross-hairs for accurately digitising originals; a Stroking and an Inking Pen designed for fluid tracing and sketching respectively; and a digital airbrush which is shaped like a traditional airbrush and has a thumbwheel to control paint flow. Each device has a unique ID that's instantly recognised by the tablet so you can automatically switch between options. Wacom presents it as an evolutionary breakthrough.

The system certainly works, but it's not quite as simple and transparent as Wacom suggests. In particular, to make the most of each device you first have to fine-tune it with the Wacom control panel. This is an intimidating process with no fewer than nine tabs for setting everything from the responsiveness of the pen tip and eraser to defining the menu strip shortcuts. What's more, each setting should be controlled precisely not just for each input device but for each application that you use.

At least the control panel offers one new option that's worth its weight in gold. The QuickPoint option allows the tablet to be divided into a large and small area, both of which are mapped onto the screen. This means the small area can be used for quick navigation and the large area for finer control. This saves an unnecessary arm movement, but for most users I'd still recommend saving effort, money and desk space by going for a smaller tablet.

So, is the Intuos a success? The increased sensitivity and usability are certainly welcome and make the traditional mouse look more inadequate than ever. In the end, though, I'm not convinced by the concept of switching between alternative input devices. After all, an artist working with Painter who feels constrained by only having a single pen simply hasn't understood the near infinite range of brushes and effects that can be achieved with it. Intuos' hardware-based approach adds complexity but little benefit. Ultimately, the majority of users are quite right: life's much too short to waste it thinking about your input device. I'll be sticking with my ArtPad II.