Wacom has been making their Bamboo tablets for several years, they are the introductory line-up of tablets for PC and Mac users.
The Bamboo tablets come is several models, the main product which is what I reviewed, the Bamboo Pen and Touch, ($99 list) comes in black, and has both multitouch and pen capabilities. It has a 4.9 x 3.4 inch active touch area, and a 5.8 x 3.6 inch active pen area. It includes with Adobe Photoshop Elements and Nik Color Efex Pro software.
The Wacom Bamboo Touch ($69) is exactly the same form factor as the Pen and Touch, but only has touch input.
The Wacom Bamboo Pen ($69) comes in black, but only has pen input. It has a 5.8 x 3.6 inch active pen area, and the package includes Corel Painter Essentials 4.
The Wacom Bamboo Craft ($129) is designed as a bundle for arts and crafts and scrapbooking types. It has the same size pen and touch tablet, but in silver instead of black. It also comes packaged with painting and photo editing software as well as scrapbooking tutorials, a subscription to Scrapbooking & Beyond magazine, and a library of craft embellishments.
The Wacom Bamboo Fun Pen & Touch ($199) also has multitouch and pen input, but comes in silver and is larger (7.5 x 5.1 inches for touch input, 8.5 x 5.4 inches for pen). It’s packaged with Corel Painter Essentials 4, Adobe Photoshop Elements, and Nik Color Efex Pro software.
As the name suggests, the Pen and Touch allows you to control your Mac via a Pen interface or a Touchpad type interface. The older Bamboo tablets came with a Pen and a mouse and the tablet was a tablet when you used the pen and a mousepad when you had the mouse in your hand. I liked that set-up a lot. This was a bit different.
The Bamboo pen input is a great option for graphical work such as drawing, painting, and photo retouching. The included pens now have 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity. That’s double the sensitivity of earlier models, and valuable for creating subtle effects in the bundled apps and other software that supports pressure sensitivity, and also the inking that the pen allows you to do with compatible apps. I could really tell the difference in the update to the pen from older models.
With Multi-Touch, you use simple hand gestures and finger taps on the tablet’s surface. The active area is larger than a mobile device or laptop trackpad, so it easily allows you to move around your desktop, scroll through documents, navigate the web, zoom in and out of photos, and rotate images. Using the Multi-touch to get around my apps was fun and simple, and the gestures worked well in my tests. The tablet can be used by either right or left handers. The Multi-Touch allows you to Navigate, Click, Double-Click, Right-Click, Forward & Back, Scroll, Select & Drag, Rotate, and Zoom. If that isn’t enough flexibility for you, the Bamboo has four ExpressKeys that you can program to do anything you can do with a mouse or keyboard.
Unfortunately, I’m an old-timer and still feel more comfortable with a multi-functional mouse in my hand then using the Multi-Touch or even a trackpad. Although I tried the different touches available, I went back to a mouse. But, I love the pen, it’s gotten better and better over the years and it now rivals some of the best tablets and pens out there today. I use the Bamboo with the pen and would love the option to use a multi-functional mouse with it too. Maybe one day soon.
You can see all the wonderful tablets that Wacom provides us Mac users at www.wacom.com, and the Bamboo model can be found on their Web site at http://www.wacom.com/bamboo/bamboo_pen_touch.php. Over the years, the Wacom line has gotten better and better while the pricing has gotten more and more affordable. If you looked at Wacom in the past, do yourself a favor and check them out today. You’ll be pleasantly surprised, I was.
This is another review that I wanted to do once I received my MacBook Pro 13 inch. Again, like the Tom Bihn laptop case, I had a BookEndz Docking Station for my old TiBook G4 many years ago and I loved it. The BookEndz folks were just about to release their new Docking Station for [...]
Continue reading about BookEndz Docking Stations for the Mac
This holiday season I purchased an iPod nano for my daughter. She had an earlier version of the nano, but lost it. If I was going to buy her a replacement iPod, I wanted to get an accessory that not only was functional, but practical. Enter the Danglet from Collins America. Danglet simply plugs into [...]
Continue reading about The Danglet: A Great Little iPod Stocking Stuffer
This week we look at Tom Bihn, O’Reilly, ShooApps, Keyboard Maestro, iCasual Gamer, MyPantone, Freeware plus much more. I want to thank you for downloading and listening to the podcast. We have the best in Mac hardware, software and websites reviews. We have a lot of great folks on today’s episode with their reviews and comments on software, hardware and websites that make using the Mac special. Plus I’ll have the top freeware Mac apps of the week and much more.
You can email me at surfbits at Gmail dot Com. I love to hear from you.
Here is the freeware and shareware I look at during the podcast:
The New O’Reilly Media eBook Give-Away coming next week!: http://oreilly.com
Tom Bihn Checkpoint Flyer: http://www.tombihn.com
Evom: http://thelittleappfactory.com/evom
Perian: http://perian.org
VirtualBox: http://www.virtualbox.org
Hugin: http://hugin.sourceforge.net
Michelle Lopez joins us today from the The Portable Gamer and iCasual Report to review the iPhone/iPod Touch game:
The Treasures of Montezuma 2: iTunes Link
Jeff Powell joins us and talks about:
Shoo Apps – http://www.pariahware.com/shooapps.php
Google Chrome for Mac
Groundwork for Basecamp
Dragon’s Lair for the iPhone
Gazmaz Joins us again this week to review:
Keyboard Maestro: http://www.keyboardmaestro.com
Steve Beyer, Our Enhanced Podcast Producer reviews
myPANTONE: For the iPhone/iPod touch
Try the new ENHANCED version of the MacReviewCast:
And now we have the Podcast in Bit-Torrent Feeds! 
… 
You can either click on the podcast link on the left and listen to it via QT from the browser, or you can right click on the podcast link and choose to “download linked file”. That will download the mp3 and you can play it from you hard drive with iTunes.
The right link below is the URL for the podcast RSS feed. Just right click it and choose to copy the address and then paste it in your podcast reader, or ipodder, or newsreader that will download enclosures automatically.
 |
 |
 techpodcasts.com |
Technorati Tags:
software, review, mac, apple, iTunes, Mac mini, podcast, Macreviewcast, podcasting, maccompanion, OSX, iPhoto, Exposure 2
Continue reading about The MacReviewCast #233: Tom Bihn, ShooApps, Keyboard Maestro and more
Four years ago, when I still had my old TiBook G4, I reviewed a laptop briefcase from a Seattle company called Tom Bihn at TomBihn.com. It was the Empire Builder. I loved that briefcase, it went to the office with me everyday and still looks new. There were no rips, tears, or broken zippers. The [...]
By David Sparks:
Dexim, who also makes the Richard Solo iPhone batteries has expanded its line to include the new BluePack S3. This device is different from the earlier iPhone specific offerings in that it does not have a built in iPhone dock connector but instead a USB connector and the necessary cables to charge most of your portable devices.
In the Box
The BluePack S3 is about the thickness of an iPhone but narrower and shorter. The design is black with silver accents and, after banging around in my bag for a month, shows no scratches. Also included is an AC Adapter and cable to charge the BluePack and three cables (iPhone/iPod, MiniUSB, and MicroUSB) to charge your devices. There is also a nice pouch to carry it all. Dexim always does a good job of giving you everything you need. The cables are short but rugged and the USB cables carried enough current to also drive my portable USB drive.
Using the BluePack S3
There is nothing to using the BluePack S3. You recharge it by connecting it to the AC adapter or your computer. The charging cord includes two USB plugs so when charging it off a computer you can double up the power. The power connector going into the BluePack S3 is not USB so if you are going to charge it on the road, you need to bring the cable.
Charging your devices simply requires you to plug the device into the BluePack. The BluePack has a series of three lights to indicate battery power. It also has an LED flashlight powered by holding down the battery indicator button. There is no power button so if you leave your device plugged in after it gets the full charge, the BluePack will continue to trickle charge.
What Can You Charge?
Because the device is not iPhone specific you can use it to charge just about anything in your bag. Since most manufacturer’s have adopted USB charging standards, I was able to charge and use my iPhone, iPod, Richard Solo phone charger, Verizon MiFi internet device, pocket camera, Livescribe Pen, and Plantronics wireless bluetooth headset all off the Dexim device. It also charged my wife’s (ack) BlackBerry. In short, if it plugs into USB or an iPod connector, the Dexim will give you juice.
How Much Juice?
The BluePack includes a 2600mAh Polymer Lithion-Ion battery. This is a substantial bump over the 1800mAh in my Richard Solo phone charger. In my testing I got about 1.75 iPhone 3GS charges. It gave several recharges on my various iPods and extended the life of my Verizon MiFi.
Recommendation
There are several vendors selling portable battery packs. I really like the Dexim product for its attention to detail and build quality. The BluePack S3 feels solid. The carrying bag and included cables are good quality and are a great addition to your bag. It is really nice knowing that when you forget to charge, you’ve got a spare tire. The package retails for $80 and can be found from several online vendors. It is also available from Amazon.
This week we look at Dexim BluePack, iCasual, A New Contest from O’Reilly, Freeware plus much more. I want to thank you for downloading and listening to the podcast. We have the best in Mac hardware, software and websites reviews. We have a lot of great folks on today’s episode with their reviews and comments on software, hardware and websites that make using the Mac special. Plus I’ll have the top freeware Mac apps of the week and much more.
You can email me at surfbits at Gmail dot Com. I love to hear from you.
Here is the freeware and shareware I look at during the podcast:
The New O’Reilly Media eBook Give-Away coming next week!: http://oreilly.com
Tom Bihn Bags: http://www.tombihn.com
Wacom Bamboo Tablet: http://www.wacom.com
BookEndz Docking Stations: http://www.bookendzdocks.com
Free iPhone games During December: http://appventcalendar.com
Mouse Wizard: http://www.samuco.net/web/node/23
Sequenz: http://gwosdek.net/sequenz
Backuplist+ 7.0: http://rdutoit.home.comcast.net/~rdutoit/pub/robsoft/pages/softw.html
Mixxx: http://www.mixxx.org
Syncit and Workhorse: http://www.creativecag.com/software.php
HandBrake: http://handbrake.fr
David Sparks from MacSparky joins us this week and reviews:
Dexim BluePack S3: http://richardsolo.com
Michelle Lopez joins us today from the The Portable Gamer and iCasual Report to review the iPhone/iPod Touch game:
ShatterQuest 3D: http://www.csmartsoft.com
Try the new ENHANCED version of the MacReviewCast:
And now we have the Podcast in Bit-Torrent Feeds! …
You can either click on the podcast link on the left and listen to it via QT from the browser, or you can right click on the podcast link and choose to “download linked file”. That will download the mp3 and you can play it from you hard drive with iTunes.
The right link below is the URL for the podcast RSS feed. Just right click it and choose to copy the address and then paste it in your podcast reader, or ipodder, or newsreader that will download enclosures automatically.
|
|
techpodcasts.com |
Technorati Tags:
software, review, mac, apple, iTunes, Mac mini, podcast, Macreviewcast, podcasting, maccompanion, OSX, iPhoto, Exposure 2
Continue reading about The MacReviewCast #232: Dexin Bluepack, iCasual, New Contest!
One of the best things about owning a Mac is all the innovative and creative minds involved in the software and hardware solutions for Mac owner. We love the wonderful software utilities that do one thing, but do it very well. We love the gadget companies that make these wonderful niche’ products that fit that one need you have for that specific Mac or Mac gear you own. This is a new company that released it’s first few gadgets and I wanted to alert you to their website and their products.
Altaz Marketing, from San Jose, CA. describes themselves like this:
“Altaz Marketing LLC., was founded to design and manufacture consumer electronics and technology products that are creative, functional, stylish and incredibly easy for customers to use and enjoy. The company’s mission is to exceed the expectations of every customer by offering outstanding quality products at a tremendous value.
With a more decade of experience in consumer electronics product development, the Altaz senior management team are experienced product design, development and marketing executives that have successfully introduced a wide array of consumer electronics products ranging including the latest LCD and plasma TVs, radio alarm clocks, videophones, and digital photo frames. As a result, the team is expert in developing the right products at the right time and delivering them appropriately targeted for various markets and consumer segments. “
They started with releasing the Altaz Docking Station for a Western Digital My Passport Essential and Elite drives. They also have their Mini DisplayPort to DisplayPort Adaptor, and watch for their Media Player product to be released next month.
Altaz HD Media Player is the simple solution to playback your digital videos on your large HDTV screen. You have thousands of video, music, and photo stored in your USB hard drive. Instead of watching it on your computer monitor, now you can simply take your USB hard drive to connect with Altaz HD Media Player and enjoy your multimedia contents on your large HDTV.
Bookmark their website and watch for more unique and functional products from Altaz Marketing in the months to come.
Continue reading about Altaz Marketing: A New Gadget Company
Living in Spain as a British Expat I am always keen to look at applications that make my limited use of the Spanish language better, so I was excited to take a look at Jibbigo which promised:
Your world just got smaller thanks to a speech-to-speech translation app for your iPhone.
Hmm what is the point of having a application launch on an iPhone with the message that this is the first time you have launched the application and suggesting you watch the introductory video which ……….. doesn’t work on the iPhone!
As first impressions go that was terrible. I mean really bad!!! Now I know that it is a major weakness of the iPhone the lack of flash BUT they know that so why make the first experience of the application such a negative one?
Loading it up for a second time I was faced with three language pairings to select from:
English (International) – Español
Español – English
English (US) – Español
Now not having been able to view the video I was unsure which to choose. As a fully fledged proper English speaker from the United Kingdom, I wanted English. Technically I only recognise that as the English option anyway!!! I have always felt that English (US) should be called American, and I have no idea whatsoever what English (International) means? To me it has always been and always will be English.
But that wasn’t my dilemma! The issue was the direction as I was going to be speaking in English and wanted a translation into Español I wanted the Español – English option, but wasn’t sure if that meant I would be expected to speak in Español and it would be translated to English.
I selected that option anyway and …….. I got a screen that had the Español flag at the top saying Hola, and a American flag at the bottom saying Hello, so:
- It was requiring me to speak in Español with that selection, but
- It was saying that English was actually English (US)
Hmm not good, and as it seemed to be assuming that the world evolved around the English (US) setting I thought I would adopt an American approach of three strikes and you are out.
So I thought I would change the settings, which it seems requires the application to be closed down and restarted.
After much internal debate and with fingers crossed I selected the English (International) – Español option, and wouldn’t you know it I got the Union Jack flag at the top of the screen, and the Español flag at the bottom.
I thought I would give it a quick test, so pressed the red record button and said “knife”. After a bit of whirling the top box came up with the phrase “The Bus” and the Español translation of “El autobús” which was fine, but I can’t cut my steak with an el autobús!!
So on the three strikes and you are out rule I gave up!
24 hours later, and having reflected that I had kindly been given the opportunity to review the application I thought I would try again. As I was hungry I said “dinner”, which somehow ended up as “where”, which was translated to “dónde”. Again accurate translation, but not of the word that I asked for.
I am genuinely sorry BUT this application, for me, was a total waste of time.
The website does carry this ‘warning’:
Version 1.0 contains a bug that affects the audio output on some iPhone/iPod models. Please update Jibbigo via the App store or via iTunes to version 1.01 (released on November 3rd, 2009). If you used the workaround, remember to set your date back to normal.
I thought it prudent to check which version I had – 1.0.1 so that wasn’t the issue.
I also saw on the Support page that:
Q. What if I’m having trouble getting Jibbigo to recognize my voice?
A. Jibbigo has an optional adaptation mode that adapts to your voice and noise environments. The switch is on the backpage.
But as I had tried with this setting both on and off it wasn’t that either.
For the record I did contact the developers about the issues above. As far as the video goes it is a issue with the 3G iPhone as I suspected but that doesn’t deflect from the initial impression it leaves.
As for the application not recognizing any of the words I was advised to try saying phrases not words, and bizarrely that worked! I know weird or what ….. say a phrase and it works, say one word and you get some random word replacing it.
Having got it working though it was fun, but slow! The translations were 100% accurate every time, but they took an eternity to come up. I doubt that anything can be done about that and the technology is pretty amazing, but as far as been able to use the application in a busy food market (where I tried it out) it was just too slow. I can see how it has value as a learning aid but as a day to day assistant I found it far to slow for practical use.
At $24.99 the application isn’t cheap, but it is very clever.
Continue reading about Jibbigo: Speech to Speech Translation
