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[Razzle]

I want one of those touch-screen-mouse computers! I tried it out at Wal-Mart on the display, pulled up Windows Paint to test-scribble, and found out how much fun it is to "finger paint" on! It even let me do TWO lines at once, with two different fingers! O_O So I'm in love, but it'll have to wait till the next time I'm replacing my computer. *grin*

Anyone else tried these or thought about 'em?

[Foxeye]

Yes and no.

I have one of these: Asus EP121

...but I don't actually draw using my fingers. It's much easier for me to draw using the pressure-sensitive pen input than my fingers, since I'm already accustomed to Wacom tables.
 
The Asus EP121 is making me very happy. I've tried...*counts*...five different tablet PC's over the past 3 years, 6 if you count iPad (which I don't, really, since it isn't pressure-sensitive), and none of them worked as a portable digital sketchpad. The colors were "off" or the screen was sparkly/grainy or the mouse cursor was really far from the pen tip. The ASUS EP121 solves all of those problems, AND it's dual touch in addition to the pen.   It has the best screen I've ever seen on a tablet. And it's cheaper than any previous contenders!    A real champ, imho. 

Now if only it had customizeable buttons. *wistful sigh*

[Razzle]

I thought a tablet was a screen you hooked up to your computer and could use as a mouse substitute. Is that what this is? IT looks more like an actual computer itself. *so confused* Ahh, I'm so technologically challenged..!

[Foxeye]

Unfortunately the term "tablet" has been bastardized to mean a lot of different things at this point.

The ASUS EP121 is a full computer. 

Here are some handy videos:

Cintiq vs ASUS EP121
Cute Advertisement

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To bore you with a little history, for the past several years many different people have been making "tablet PC's", with the tablet (also referred to as the "digitizer") built into the screen.  The actual technology of the digitizer varied, and was basically broken down into those with a Wacom digitizer and everything without a Wacom digitizer.  The reason that mattered is because only wacom digitizers have pressure sensitivity. It makes a big difference for artists, and also makes "inking" (handwriting notes) more pleasant.

Tablet PC's were a niche market, and were only available as Windows systems.  They came in a "slate" form (no keyboard) or a convertible form (looks like a laptop, but the screen can swivel around and lay flat over the keyboard). Convertibles were more popular, as you might imagine!

Enter the iPad. *dun-dun-dun*  It was essentially a gimpy tablet pc, BUT it was small, could use the same apps as your iPod, and had the marketing power of Apple behind it.
Suddenly all the computer makers were rushing to make iPad clones. All slates. All physically small. All with wimpy processors and cellphone-based operating systems* and touchscreen digitizers with no pressure sensitivity.

This new generation of iPad-inspired systems are what people have started to call "tablets".

(*HP tried making a tablet with Windows 7, but since it had a weak processor, it was a bit silly. And it was still useless for artists, since it had no pressure sensitivity.)

ASUS is somewhat in that category, BUT it is bigger, is the only one with a wacom digitizer, it has a full-powered operating system, and it has a powerful processor.   So it's really a Tablet PC, but it's trying to hide itself as one of the 'New Cool Tablets". Sort of a wolf in sheep's clothing. 


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So did that explain anything, or are you even more confused now? 

[Razzle]

So did that explain anything, or are you even more confused now? 

Both! XD

Seriously, this is really, super helpful. Being the total *nimrod* I am, I totally forgot to check and see what brand the one I saw was. What I can tell you is it had a 20 inch screen, looked like it was probably a "slate" (it was set up mounted on a wall of sorts, and had a conventional desktop pc keyboard plugged into it), has 4 GB of RAM and lots of memory... That's about as technologically detailed as I get! My sister is the closest we've got to a techno whiz in the family.

I don't have any idea if it has pressure sensitivity, but for *me* (being a total art newbie) that frankly, will probably not matter. An artist's tools are only as good as that artist, and I wouldn't know how to get those benefits out of goodies like that!

I *was* wondering, though, whether you could use a stylus (like you've talked about in posts for your tablet) or if it's heat-sensitive and only works for fingers. I think I'll never catch up with technology, but that's okay! I'll never be bored waiting for the next thing to come out! LOL.

[Razzle]

Oops, mental typo -- I meant total *computer* art newbie! (Of course I've drawn before, just on paper... doh.)

[Foxeye]

If it really was 20", then it's probably a basic monitor (or monitor and desktop computer in one) with touch capabilities. I've seen beasties like those at Fry's.  Never really heard artist's discussing them because they are not for use with a stylus. Chances are they were "capacitive" touch screens, which use the conductivity of human fingers. That type won't respond to a pen.  Resistive touch screens do pick up anything you touch them with, but they aren't as popular nowadays.

Insofar as pressure sensitivity is concerned...well, ask yourself this question: When you use a pencil, do you ever press harder to produce dark lines and press lighter for light lines? If the answer is yes, then you'll get something out of pressure sensitivity.  But you are right that artists can make any tool work. Joselle used to use a MOUSE of all things! 

[Razzle]

Interesting! Yeah, I do use pressure difference when drawing with a pencil, but haven't even begun trying out any computer programs more complex than Window's Paint, which I think in and of itself isn't designed to handle pressure sensitivity anyway! Yeah, Joselle rocks for that! But I more meant, even if I have a fabulous art tool, it won't do any good if I'm not a good *enough* artist to make it do what it should! =P

I actually ran into this on a trip trying to *find* tablets in the first place, funnily enough! (Of course, when we asked Wal-Mart "Do you carry tablets?" they said: "Sorry, no. These are the only two brands of e-readers we carry.") I had seen your posts about wacom, etc, and the idea of using a pen and screen to draw straight into the computer caught my imagination. I'm still going to check out that option, but if they don't come any bigger than iPods I'll probably pick a bigger slate over pressure sensitivity for my first one -- I'll no doubt end up upgrading to the pressure-stuff in time!

[Foxeye]

if they don't come any bigger than iPods I'll probably pick a bigger slate over pressure sensitivity for my first one

Did you mean iPad? Cuz I'm pretty sure they come bigger than an iPod.

And pressure sensitive tablet PCs do come bigger than iPad, just not as big as normal computer monitors. I think the biggest has been 14".  My ASUS is 12". (I think iPad is 10"?) 

'Course, there's always Cintiq at 21", buuuut...that needs a separate computer, and a spare $2500.  

[Wildfire]

(Of course, when we asked Wal-Mart "Do you carry tablets?" they said: "Sorry, no. These are the only two brands of e-readers we carry.")

E-readers? It's not really an e-reader if it's just a plain tablet.

A cheap tablet could be a Wacom Bamboo Pen:
http://www.wacom.com/bamboo/bamboo_pen.php

Instead of a mouse it's just a pressure sensitive pen and the tablet which is connected to a computer. It's a much cheaper alternative to digital painting than a tablet-computer. Those are rather expensive!

You can get normal tablet with a touch aspect as well. I don't know if you'd be able to draw with your fingers and maintain pressure-sensitivity though.

I <3 my Bamboo Pen. It might not be the best model but it's a great tablet for the money! Especially if you haven't tried digital painting before I'd recommend getting a relatively cheap tablet for trying it out. I started with a Wacom Volito. It was rather crappy, but it gave me an idea about what it was all about

[Razzle]

@Foxeye = Yeah, I meant iPad. =P

@Wildfire = Yeah, the Wal-Mart employee didn't even know what a tablet was! Thy thought it was a brand name for an e-reader. *Rolls eyes*
 I think I've seen the Bamboo Pen on Walmart.com, but I didn't see where it said how big the screen of it was. And I *still* have yet to find a store that can actually show me a tablet in person! As for the touch-screen comp I'm mulling over, it's not too much more than a regular laptop computer with it's amount of RAM and memory, so not *too* huge a risk by the time I replace my computer.

[TrollHammer]

Foxeye:

Seeing that a year has passed and computer tech has probably changed quite a bit, is there a newer/better/more usable version of your tablet?

This was an awesome thread to have stumbled on, as I've been considering getting a tablet for a while, but have been disappointed with the actual drawing capabilities of most of the ones I have seen. Smart phones (like my captivate) show some promise, but the screen is so small yoi cant really do any detail work (and as I come from a technical drafting background, Im concerned with detail).

Anyway, Ill be checking out the model you posted, but I just wondered if you knew if newer models had gotten better or worse. In the computer world it seems that if someone makes something good they wreck it later on or stop making it (Correlary was making multi-core computers back in the 486 days, but then Compaq shut them down and we had to wait ten more years, as an example).

[Foxeye]

Seeing that a year has passed and computer tech has probably changed quite a bit, is there a newer/better/more usable version of your tablet?

Aye

I'm currently using the Samsung Series 7 Slate, which is faster, but also lighter and a little smaller.  Both of them have been viable choices for drawing, it just depends on whether you wanted bigger/heavier or smaller/faster.  Some people do prefer the larger screen of the ASUS.  If you live anywhere near a Microsoft Store you can demo both, I believe. Well, the Samsung for sure...not sure about the ASUS. 

That said, with Windows 8 coming down the pipeline, there are probably going to be a new batch to pick from that have Wacom digitizers and faster processors. So if you are thinking of getting a tablet PC for art, it may not hurt to wait a few more months for the next generation.  If nothing else it might help lower the price of the existing options.

[TrollHammer]

Good to know, thank you! Ill have to look at the samsung for kicks. Waiting isnt too big a deal, though. Ive been holding off for five years after trying to make some old fujitsu stylistic tablets to work and not being happy with it. Besides drawing, if I get a new compiter it better be able to keep up with some of the things my peers are doing.

[Foxeye]

The one I'm watching with particular interest is ASUS Transformer Book line:

Asus Transformer Book @ Computex 2012

In a nutshell, it's Ivy-bridge, Windows 8, but in their transformer form factor, where the tablet comes free of the keyboard very easily. Over the years using the EP121 and the Samsung slate the thing I've most longed for is a tablet that turns into a full laptop by just sliding into a keyboard. Oh, and supposedly Transformer Books will have a dedicated GPU in the keyboard base.  

Problem is, they haven't said explicitly that the Transformer Book(s) will have Wacom Digitizers. They *did* say that one of the upcoming Atom-based, Windows 8 tablets would have Wacom, so I'm hoping that I can just assume that they'll follow suit with the Transformer Books.  They'd be shooting themselves in the foot to not have a wacom digitizer, but...I never underestimate the ability of system makers to make boneheaded decisions.

[TrollHammer]

Have noted that the Samsung Note 10.1 has a Wacom digitizer. Got to play with one around christmas. It's on par with the Asus for cost, but at the time it seemed like a better deal.  Just FYI.  I was hoping to get one for christmas/birthday, but no dice.  Still, they are comeing down in price and availablity.

It worked quite well with the digitizer. I was able to change modes between variable transparency and variable brush width according to pressure, and it had quite the range of pressure.  Would make digital art on the go WAY more convienient. 

[Foxeye]

FWIW, I'm using this guy these days:

Sony VAio Duo 11

The N-Trig digitizer it uses still has problems with pressure sensitivity in Photoshop (it's OK in Sketchbook Pro and Art Rage), but last I heard Wacom digitizer's under Windows 8 have the same problem (no wintab drivers), so I'm no worse off than if I went with a wacom-based systems. One upside of N-Trig over Wacom is that the cursor location is much more precise.

And the specs of the Sony make it an ultrabook, so I can use this system for tasks that require some muscle.

Here's a long video that compares the Sony to the Surface Pro: Microsoft Surface Pro vs Sony VAIO Duo 11 Comparison Smackdown

In related news, this blurb from Wacom's own FAcebook page has me excited:

"We’ve heard you shouting out loud for a Wacom mobile tablet for creative uses. Well… we’re listening. We’ve read your email and spoken to many about an on-the-go dream device. It will come. This summer. We’re working 24/7 on it. And yes, it has a real pressure-sensitive professional pen, smooth multi-touch, an HD display, and other valuable features that you haven’t seen in other tablets."

That. Would. Be. Fantastic.

[Pyreite]

Touchscreens are nice, nods, I just wish they'd centralize the tech and give generic tablets the ability to be used for drawing or writing digitally on the PC.  I mean we already to some extent get this base functionality on ordinary mobile laptops, with the sound, writing, and internal application of a speaker function that will read aloud your text in the word processing program.  I use it to spellcheck, edit, and read stories I write.  Most of the tablets on the market now like IPADs and all of the variations, even the Kindle E-Books would be better used if the tech was centralised into one tablet rather than fifty different brands.

I mean an IPAD 2 is between 500 to 1000 dollars, while a Wacom tablet can retail for between 100 to 1000 dollars dependant on size ectcetera, but I've found that the Wacom variety are harder to come by, where as I can pick up an IPAD in every electronics store.  >.> It's totally unfair.  I can't bear to shop online for a tablet due to security risks with online payments.  Yah, no database is that secure, period,  no matter what they say unless it's not accessible via the internet, which isn't likely either.

Dunno, maybe they'll hopefully streamline the tech, or not, with the large companies being so diversified. 

~ Pyre

[TrollHammer]

Hey, all, sorry its been a while!

Just thought Id pop in and ask a question or two.

Just got a Samsung Note 3, which has a wacom digitizer, and its awesome.  Im scratching my head about what drawing apps I should look at. An older Note tablet two years ago come with a nice program that had a full image editor and brush system but I cant remember what it was called ( was along the lines of some of the better known editors).  I have found a few reccomendations including an animation type drawing editor (flip something, dont have it in front of me), but with so many choices out there I figured Id see what the gurus thought.

[Tam]

Hey, all, sorry its been a while!

Just thought Id pop in and ask a question or two.

Just got a Samsung Note 3, which has a wacom digitizer, and its awesome.  Im scratching my head about what drawing apps I should look at. An older Note tablet two years ago come with a nice program that had a full image editor and brush system but I cant remember what it was called ( was along the lines of some of the better known editors).  I have found a few reccomendations including an animation type drawing editor (flip something, dont have it in front of me), but with so many choices out there I figured Id see what the gurus thought.

I'm an Autodesk Sketchbook fan. You can get it REAL cheap on your phone, and there's a free version you can try out before you buy. It's not a trial, it's just got fewer features. It's a good program, though.