This is pretty sweet and about time. Not sure I'm ready to go out and buy one to replace the Intuos 4 I already have, but definitely a good step in the right direction. Now only if they could manage to do this with a cintiq.
I honestly would have expected this to exist on the Cintiq first. That's essentially what a lot of people here were hoping the iPad would become I'm sure it's not far off though.
now, I'm interested in this, I really am, but for what reason do you guys want wireless? how far away do you sit from your computer? or are you just out of USB slots? or do you just like the idea of wireless?
I can see this being awesome if you have a pc hooked up to a wall mounted 40"+ TV and you sitting on a couch across the room.
just curious on the application you guys are thinking of those that plan to get one.
I hope that you can rotate the thing 180 degrees because that will suck a bit being a southpaw...
I expect that it will have the same alignment function as the current intuos4. When you install the intuos 4 it asks if you want left or right handed and aligns the tablet accordingly.
In terms of the wireless, it's great and I would definitely pick this up, but I don't know if I would pay extra for it. The cord doesn't really bother me, especially on the intuos 4, it's nice and long. But being wireless would have it that much closer to a sketchbook or paper feel, I guess.
unless, as bounch said, youre hooked up to a large tv in the living room or something. but, ive never heard of anybody working like that. and there are better pointing devices for that scenario.
i dont know, seems like a weird addition. wireless for wireless' sake.
I like to draw on my lap more than flat on a desktop. If I use my intuos on my lap, the wire gets in the way occasionally. I welcome the wireless
I would also assume that they will still offer the wired version until sales get too low to make it worth producing. So, if you still want to a cheaper alternative, you'll still have the wired one.
until you play around with it and drop it by accident. looks good :P anything else new besides it being wireless? is it just as good specs as intuos 3 or better?
Yeah...my bamboo has a USB plugin-thing instead of the wire being attached to the main unit...does this mean I could attach a bluetooth dongle to it and use it wirelessly?
Cool new Intuos 4 though...glad I was too broke to afford the first model
As usefull as a wireless mouse.
Theres as much as zero use in this if your not some flamboyant Andrew Jones.
That is at least if you dont spin like a madman on your chair regulary.
I gotta say I'm excited about this. I too use my Intuos3 with my laptop quite a bit, and if I'm sitting on the couch and my laptop is on the table, I've got the 652 foot cable all over the place waiting for someone to come trip over it and send my Intuos 3 and Laptop in varying directions.
Ok so if you're only ever at your desk when you draw/paint then it's more or less useless, but I think those who use a laptop too will appreciate it. Also for portability, I know it's only a cable, but it's one less thing to throw into my bag.
However, the pricing for UK is an absolute joke. $399 USD... and £349 GBP!!!! I might look at importing one, I would think even with import duty and VAT it'll work out less than £349.
As usefull as a wireless mouse.
Theres as much as zero use in this if your not some flamboyant Andrew Jones.
That is at least if you dont spin like a madman on your chair regulary.
Man, I'll never go back to a wired mouse. When I went home for the holidays I had to use my parents computer and the friction caused by the wire rubbing along the edge of the table was throwing me off. I had to keep swinging it over the speakers and pull more wire up so it had slack, which would then go away as it dropped back down during use.
This is pretty cool, and if I were in a better financial position I'd probably buy it. I use an intuos 3 at home and I can't find a comfortable position to hold it where the wire doesnt get in the way. If it had a mini-stand like my 12x9 cintiq at work it wouldnt be that big of an issue though.
And for those of you hoping for a wireless Cintiq... you cwazy. They'd need to invent technology to have a wireless monitor first, which, as far as i am aware, doesn't exist, nor will exist in the near future.
I'm with you on the wireless mouse thing. I switched about two years ago and now get annoyed with cabling dragging and rubbing on the back of the desk. It's not something you notice until you've used a wireless for a while.
I'm curious, where does this wireless hate come from? I notice a lot of the comments on Gizmodo/Engadget are like 'Meh, wireless' etc etc. I can't see the downside. I've changed the batteries in my Logitech twice in 18 months of 6-8 hour daily use and I'm sure the precision/functionality is identical. For working at least anyway, ok so Mr. FPS King might need a cable so he can line up that headshot to within a few more dpi and save a millisecond or two.
Less cables make for a tidier workspace and a tidier workspace leads to better productivity and focus for me.
Some of you must have nice custom workspaces. My intuos cord often gets caught in the wheels of my desk chair where I have to set it if I'm not careful where the cord gets bundled.
I've always had my Wacom in my lap when working instead of on a desk, and as a result the cord gets run over, a LOT. The tablet isn't going to stop working from this, but I've had it pulled out of my hands more then a few times as a result, so wireless is something I'd be interested in.
Also wish their were some heavy duty metal Wacom pens, just cause I like the extra weight of metal pens more then plastic ones.
I think...wired, wireless. It's not a breakthrough. Especially for those out there that have recently bought a wired wacom 4 like myself. It doesn't make a huge difference for the user. I mean for something like a wireless xbox 360 controller, I can understand. I always have the tablet on my desk. At one point long ago I used to work with the intuos 1 on my lap.
For the users out there that work with it like that...then congrats. Otherwise...meh
And for those of you hoping for a wireless Cintiq... you cwazy. They'd need to invent technology to have a wireless monitor first, which, as far as i am aware, doesn't exist, nor will exist in the near future.
I prefer to sit comfortably when i try to sketch. That means with the tablet in my lap. The wire always gets in the way. Even worse when I'm taking it with my laptop. Power cord, mouse wire, tablet wire, just a mess. I thought getting an Intuos4 would be useless (probably the source of wireless hate from current Intuos4 owners), but since my Intuos3 has been jittery for no reason at all, I'm happy to upgrade to something like this. Better sensitivity as well. Sometimes my tablet suddenly stops registering pressure at all.
Yup I agree that for laptop use, simply getting rid of the USB plug sticking out of the side of the machine asking to be bent causing the USB plug to eventually break, is a good thing.
When I meant that a wireless cintiq was far from possible, I meant the 21inch one because of the screen component still being pretty deep and asking for quite some power. Plus that thing is much heavier than it looks.
But this
And for those of you hoping for a wireless Cintiq... you cwazy. They'd need to invent technology to have a wireless monitor first, which, as far as i am aware, doesn't exist, nor will exist in the near future.
made me laugh quite a bit, sorry man ever heard of laptops? hehe
I always wondered about working with the Intuos on the lap. Surely it only works if ones workflow doesn't involve much keyboard use, right? I tried doing just that with the Intuos4 and it's extra controls buttons and ring but it still felt a bit awkward.
as matter of fact some cheap pc laptops have weak screen shielding and allow the Intuos signal to get through.
I remember it worked on my Ex's Sony Vaio. Basically you put the tablet behind the screen, maybe put some protective film in front of the laptops lcd to avoid scratches and youre good to go!!
Another way : using a projector to beam your video output to the surface of the Intuos. 720p mini cintiq, and light too!
(yeah well maybe. But it CAN work.)
I am very excited about this news, makes me want to FINALLY drop the money and update from my--wait for it--GRAPHIRE (gasp!!!)
I probably don't have a great set up, but I can't tell you how many times I've nearly destroyed my tablet, its cord, my computer, AND my legs getting caught in the wire when trying to get up/move. Bloody cord always gets in the way.
No idea why these reviews are giving such sass about it being wireless. It's a good thing! Really! :P
omg, i don't see myself recharging a monitor lol, that would be a shit for me!! dozens and dozens of rechargable batteries, no thanks.
Man.. cables are needed. For the work, I CAN'T be depending of the autonomy of a battery... too many friends connect their laptops to an electric plug ¬¬.
For this wacom they didn't add anything special. What i really want to see is a better cintiq and LED of course. The actual tablets haven't got enough responsiveness, they are laggy for fast strokes. I wish to work with them like i do with a pencil and a paper.
Wacom also needs to work more in their crappy drivers.
It's a different subject altogether, but I think for pen displays to feel like real paper they would need to increase the resolution a HUGE lot. When I sketch on paper I usually draw a head around an inch big - something completely impossible even on a cintiq.
Interestingly enough, it's kinda possible on a regular tablet since movement scale and stroke scale are not linked on them!!
Wacom also needs to work more in their crappy drivers.
Now THAT I will agree on. I've had so many problems with Wacom drivers over the years that I've seriously wondered in the past if my tablet was defective. Right now everything's working correctly and I don't dare even THINK about opening the properties in control panel else my tablet may spontaneously combust.
I'm running my intuos 3 A4 (it's big) with very old drivers (the ones shipped with the tablet) because in Vista 64, with newer drivers, it was just to put the pen on the tablet, and program closed automatically (photoshop, Zbrush, modo, etc.).
I was going to change my intuos 3 A4 for a intuos 4 L (similar size but different names), but when i tried the 4.. i ended very disappointed, i was expecting something more. heh, now they add wireless, and we see a more expensive product.
There should be another good alternative for professional tablets.
Hey Blaizer, there might be a fix for that driver issue. I used to have exactly the same thing at the condition of photoshop being in the background. Zbrush/Mudbox at the front and CS3 in the back while putting down the stylus > instant crash. But now it seems fixed!
how is it possible that this thread made me buy the new bamboo pen + touch? . I'll finally get twice the pen pressure levels and even touch stuff . (and a second button on the side).
I for one haven't had any issues with my cable (my cable goes between the back of the desk and the wall) not around my legs, wheels of the chair, monitor, soda and my imaginary cat.
But as someone brought up. How's the latency of this? I personally don't think it will be a problem but you never know. If a "gamer" mouse can pull it off, why not a tablet? Can't be that much different.
... but since my Intuos3 has been jittery for no reason at all, I'm happy to upgrade to something like this...
I'm getting this as well, to the point where I've gotten so frustrated that I've thrown my stylus across the room. Let's just say it didn't end well and now I'm using my spare stylus from my Cintiq.
I also get weird lag with it in Photoshop CS3 where I have to zoom in and then back out for it to go away... Weird.
I'll definitely be considering the wireless route, I'm always getting the cable caught when I move it around from the desk to my lap and so forth. Plus I want to upgrade to the larger 9x12 tablet as I used one at my old work and going back to a 6x8 tablet that I have at home was a little balls.
I'm just curious about the latency and if there is much lag with it.
I always wondered about working with the Intuos on the lap. Surely it only works if ones workflow doesn't involve much keyboard use, right? I tried doing just that with the Intuos4 and it's extra controls buttons and ring but it still felt a bit awkward.
I still have an intuos2 at home so I have no buttons, I'm forced into the keyboard, but at work I have the 3 and have found the buttons are enough for me so i don't have to reach for the keys. It sort of makes me dread working at home. But I keep it on my lap leaning against the desk with the keyboard right above it. I don't like keeping it flat on the desk trying to draw, feels very unnatural to me. Granted I draw on paper flat on a surface a lot, but i'm looking down at the paper, not up at a screen.
As far as the wireless, I think it's clear that what's one man's trash is another man's treasure. If some people would prefer it, if it would improve their comfort while working, than it's definitely not useless. If it's not for you, well, you saved $20. Go buy yourself something nice.
If I were to update, I'd probably go for the wireless for the small extra cost. I turn the tablet a lot while I draw, and sometimes the wire gets in the way. On my cramped work space one less wire piled up is a good thing.
With careful consideration and some good ol' fashioned research I decided to go wireless. Right now my tiny ass intuos3 is doing the trick but I have a feeling its on its last leg (the pad kinda feels like it pulls up a little when my palm rests on it). At first I though, "BADASS, wireless wacom" but then i started thinking about all of the negative possibilities that would be associated with it ie: added lag / decreased sensitivity, battery life / decay, etc... After thinking it over for a while the pros seemed to outweigh my paranoia. Looks like worst case scenario you can just plug in the USB charger and make it a wired tablet anyways so I'm gonna order one next week sometime. Can't wait.
I don't like keeping it flat on the desk trying to draw, feels very unnatural to me. Granted I draw on paper flat on a surface a lot, but i'm looking down at the paper, not up at a screen.
Oooooh shit man you just made me realize something! Wouldnt it be cool to draw on one of these big oversized intuos4 ... looking down at the table as if working on regular paper ... but wearing one of these LCD private cinema glasses!!! You would see the cursor moving just like on paper .... and tilting the canvas in CS4 would feel just like rotating a piece of paper on the table ...
CYBER! I'm telling you!
(drawing on the cintiq or tablet recently triggered some sharp hip pain for me, whereas drawing on regular paper or the tablet PC is absolutely comfortable, making me believe that there is something genuinely wrong with most wacom products from an ergonomical standpoint ...)
Replies
I honestly would have expected this to exist on the Cintiq first. That's essentially what a lot of people here were hoping the iPad would become I'm sure it's not far off though.
I can see this being awesome if you have a pc hooked up to a wall mounted 40"+ TV and you sitting on a couch across the room.
just curious on the application you guys are thinking of those that plan to get one.
I expect that it will have the same alignment function as the current intuos4. When you install the intuos 4 it asks if you want left or right handed and aligns the tablet accordingly.
In terms of the wireless, it's great and I would definitely pick this up, but I don't know if I would pay extra for it. The cord doesn't really bother me, especially on the intuos 4, it's nice and long. But being wireless would have it that much closer to a sketchbook or paper feel, I guess.
unless, as bounch said, youre hooked up to a large tv in the living room or something. but, ive never heard of anybody working like that. and there are better pointing devices for that scenario.
i dont know, seems like a weird addition. wireless for wireless' sake.
I would also assume that they will still offer the wired version until sales get too low to make it worth producing. So, if you still want to a cheaper alternative, you'll still have the wired one.
Taking the piss surely? They MUST mean £259.99?
Cool new Intuos 4 though...glad I was too broke to afford the first model
Wireless cintiqs? You guys realize you would need to charge the screen too huh ?
eh, it's slightly smaller than the medium and that goes for £329.99 rrp, and you know we always get screwed on electronics
bastards though, ordered my intuos4 this morning
Theres as much as zero use in this if your not some flamboyant Andrew Jones.
That is at least if you dont spin like a madman on your chair regulary.
Ok so if you're only ever at your desk when you draw/paint then it's more or less useless, but I think those who use a laptop too will appreciate it. Also for portability, I know it's only a cable, but it's one less thing to throw into my bag.
However, the pricing for UK is an absolute joke. $399 USD... and £349 GBP!!!! I might look at importing one, I would think even with import duty and VAT it'll work out less than £349.
Man, I'll never go back to a wired mouse. When I went home for the holidays I had to use my parents computer and the friction caused by the wire rubbing along the edge of the table was throwing me off. I had to keep swinging it over the speakers and pull more wire up so it had slack, which would then go away as it dropped back down during use.
This is pretty cool, and if I were in a better financial position I'd probably buy it. I use an intuos 3 at home and I can't find a comfortable position to hold it where the wire doesnt get in the way. If it had a mini-stand like my 12x9 cintiq at work it wouldnt be that big of an issue though.
And for those of you hoping for a wireless Cintiq... you cwazy. They'd need to invent technology to have a wireless monitor first, which, as far as i am aware, doesn't exist, nor will exist in the near future.
I'm with you on the wireless mouse thing. I switched about two years ago and now get annoyed with cabling dragging and rubbing on the back of the desk. It's not something you notice until you've used a wireless for a while.
I'm curious, where does this wireless hate come from? I notice a lot of the comments on Gizmodo/Engadget are like 'Meh, wireless' etc etc. I can't see the downside. I've changed the batteries in my Logitech twice in 18 months of 6-8 hour daily use and I'm sure the precision/functionality is identical. For working at least anyway, ok so Mr. FPS King might need a cable so he can line up that headshot to within a few more dpi and save a millisecond or two.
Less cables make for a tidier workspace and a tidier workspace leads to better productivity and focus for me.
I'd love this.
Also wish their were some heavy duty metal Wacom pens, just cause I like the extra weight of metal pens more then plastic ones.
For the users out there that work with it like that...then congrats. Otherwise...meh
Anyone facing that problem...
Wireless Monitor Technology
When I meant that a wireless cintiq was far from possible, I meant the 21inch one because of the screen component still being pretty deep and asking for quite some power. Plus that thing is much heavier than it looks.
But this made me laugh quite a bit, sorry man ever heard of laptops? hehe
I always wondered about working with the Intuos on the lap. Surely it only works if ones workflow doesn't involve much keyboard use, right? I tried doing just that with the Intuos4 and it's extra controls buttons and ring but it still felt a bit awkward.
a beautiful IPS monitor with 10 hours of battery life.
I remember it worked on my Ex's Sony Vaio. Basically you put the tablet behind the screen, maybe put some protective film in front of the laptops lcd to avoid scratches and youre good to go!!
Another way : using a projector to beam your video output to the surface of the Intuos. 720p mini cintiq, and light too!
(yeah well maybe. But it CAN work.)
I probably don't have a great set up, but I can't tell you how many times I've nearly destroyed my tablet, its cord, my computer, AND my legs getting caught in the wire when trying to get up/move. Bloody cord always gets in the way.
No idea why these reviews are giving such sass about it being wireless. It's a good thing! Really! :P
omg, i don't see myself recharging a monitor lol, that would be a shit for me!! dozens and dozens of rechargable batteries, no thanks.
Man.. cables are needed. For the work, I CAN'T be depending of the autonomy of a battery... too many friends connect their laptops to an electric plug ¬¬.
For this wacom they didn't add anything special. What i really want to see is a better cintiq and LED of course. The actual tablets haven't got enough responsiveness, they are laggy for fast strokes. I wish to work with them like i do with a pencil and a paper.
Wacom also needs to work more in their crappy drivers.
Interestingly enough, it's kinda possible on a regular tablet since movement scale and stroke scale are not linked on them!!
Now THAT I will agree on. I've had so many problems with Wacom drivers over the years that I've seriously wondered in the past if my tablet was defective. Right now everything's working correctly and I don't dare even THINK about opening the properties in control panel else my tablet may spontaneously combust.
I was going to change my intuos 3 A4 for a intuos 4 L (similar size but different names), but when i tried the 4.. i ended very disappointed, i was expecting something more. heh, now they add wireless, and we see a more expensive product.
There should be another good alternative for professional tablets.
bluetooth's not that good.
But i am currently entirely out of money :P.
But as someone brought up. How's the latency of this? I personally don't think it will be a problem but you never know. If a "gamer" mouse can pull it off, why not a tablet? Can't be that much different.
Also. As a final. Less wires = better.
I also get weird lag with it in Photoshop CS3 where I have to zoom in and then back out for it to go away... Weird.
I'll definitely be considering the wireless route, I'm always getting the cable caught when I move it around from the desk to my lap and so forth. Plus I want to upgrade to the larger 9x12 tablet as I used one at my old work and going back to a 6x8 tablet that I have at home was a little balls.
I'm just curious about the latency and if there is much lag with it.
I still have an intuos2 at home so I have no buttons, I'm forced into the keyboard, but at work I have the 3 and have found the buttons are enough for me so i don't have to reach for the keys. It sort of makes me dread working at home. But I keep it on my lap leaning against the desk with the keyboard right above it. I don't like keeping it flat on the desk trying to draw, feels very unnatural to me. Granted I draw on paper flat on a surface a lot, but i'm looking down at the paper, not up at a screen.
As far as the wireless, I think it's clear that what's one man's trash is another man's treasure. If some people would prefer it, if it would improve their comfort while working, than it's definitely not useless. If it's not for you, well, you saved $20. Go buy yourself something nice.
If I were to update, I'd probably go for the wireless for the small extra cost. I turn the tablet a lot while I draw, and sometimes the wire gets in the way. On my cramped work space one less wire piled up is a good thing.
Oooooh shit man you just made me realize something! Wouldnt it be cool to draw on one of these big oversized intuos4 ... looking down at the table as if working on regular paper ... but wearing one of these LCD private cinema glasses!!! You would see the cursor moving just like on paper .... and tilting the canvas in CS4 would feel just like rotating a piece of paper on the table ...
CYBER! I'm telling you!
(drawing on the cintiq or tablet recently triggered some sharp hip pain for me, whereas drawing on regular paper or the tablet PC is absolutely comfortable, making me believe that there is something genuinely wrong with most wacom products from an ergonomical standpoint ...)