3 Responses to “Bamboo Fun (Small) Silver Tablet with Pen, Mouse & Graphics Software”

1. Usoa
   October 9th, 2009 @ 5:44 pm

   My first tablet ever was a Wacom Graphire that, at the time, was $99 and about the same size as this one. It worked beautifully, and I upgraded eventually to a larger active area tablet with Wacom as well. Needless to say, when that one broke and I couldn’t find just a regular Wacom Graphire tablet (that wasn’t wireless for $300), I was a little devastated.

   Not wanting to try a different brand because honestly, I’ve grown used to the Wacom line, I started looking into their other options. I do animation and a lot of digial paiting in Adobe Photoshop CS3. I was a little bit wary of using anything but Graphire (which is what I get for spoiling myself). On Wacom’s website, though, I came across the Bamboo and Bamboo Fun. The name did scare me off a bit because this is supposed to be mainly for professional use and commission work, but after more research I decided to give the Bamboo Fun a try. Couldn’t hurt, right? And I could always return it if I didn’t enjoy it.

   So far, it’s a joy.

   The transition from my Graphire to the Bamboo Fun was rather simple. Nothing too complicated to learn, and it took under five minutes before it was up and running and I could get back to work. If it works almost right out of the box, I can’t complain.

   + The pen feels like a real pen – too bad real pens aren’t always that comfortable, though. It doesn’t hurt my hand as bad as the one with my Graphire used to when I used it for hours on end which is definitely good.

   + The mouse is a delight, too. Especially for those of us who don’t really NEED a mouse (and therefore don’t own one) for our laptops, it’s a nice little bonus to have even if it doesn’t get much use, it does come in handy because for me the touch pad on my laptop can be irritating at times.

   + Being able to switch the pen upside down and use it as an eraser has always been my favorite feature of my Wacom tablets. Though it DOES take a few seconds to actually recognize which direction it’s pointing (sometimes, not frustratingly often), it’s still a nice addition and I’m glad they moved it over to the Bamboo, too.

   + Pen and paint strokes are very smooth. Towards the end of its life, my last Graphire started to get very jagged in its movements and wouldn’t cooperatively let me draw a straight line. Being able to do so again is something I missed a lot and didn’t realize just how much until I got to do it again, LOL.

   ~ I don’t use it for handwriting documents or anything, but when I draw something and need to sign or just write a comment on it for me to remember to do later, it’s in my handwriting as if I were writing it on paper. Definitely a plus, especially if you’re looking for something to use both in work and as a hobby artist.

   I don’t really have anything negative to say here. The small size isn’t a problem for me at all, and is just as easy to use as a bigger tablet (I’ve had 2 different sizes of tablets). Though I like smaller better because it keeps more desk space open. I don’t really feel restricted, but that’s also just my opinion – everyone works differently. If you feel you need the bigger size, go for it! I’m sure it works the exact same way as it’s smaller counter part.

   And as many people have already said… The price is definitely something to be happy about! If you factor in the prices of the included software, you’re getting a steal. Though I personally will stick to Adobe Photoshop CS3, if you’re just looking for something to mess around in while you get used to the software or are content with what they give you, then you’ll be a happy camper.

   Either way, it’s a steal.

   Happy creating!

2. Valeska
   October 9th, 2009 @ 7:27 pm

   I bought the small Bamboo Fun tablet after buying and returning the medium tablet. I immediately fell in love with the first one, but quickly realized that the medium tablet was too large for comfortable and efficient use, plus it took up a lot of keyboard tray real estate. The active area on the pad maps to the screen, and I could not quickly or comfortably move the pointer from one corner to the next without raising my arm a bit to traverse the distance.

   If you think the small tablet is just too small to be useful, think again. It is the perfect size to be able to move your pointer anywhere on the screen with just a small movement of the hand.

   The mouse is not as fluid in its response as I would like, so I don’t use it often, hence only four stars. Otherwise, this is a stellar gadget to own and use. It includes a really well-designed tutorial, and the extra few bucks for the mouse and Photoshop Elements is a bargain.

3. Durriyah
   October 10th, 2009 @ 12:37 am

   I recieved the Bamboo Fun Tablet as a gift, and it is just wonderful! I used to be in Drafting and so used some of the first pen/tablet combinations. I have always longed for one to use with graphics and photo touch-ups. This is a great little unit for not a whole lot of money! Comes with fun software, too.
   If you’ve never used a pen/tablet combination before, it does take some getting used to, but once you’ve got it down, it’s tons easier than drawing with a mouse (which I tell people is similar to drawing with a rock).

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