Genius MousePen 8 x 6-Inch Graphic Tablet for Home and Office
by Genius
List Price:
Our Price: $48.83
You Save: $51.16 (51%)
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Buy Used: from $41.99 (click here)
Category: CE
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Digital product summary information
Manufacturer: GeniusAudio: English (Original Language); French (Original Language); Spanish (Original Language)
Format: CD
Model: MousePen 8X6
Product features:
- 8 x 6-inch working area, comfortable for easy drawing, painting and using the PC
- 1024-level pressure sensitivity for all kinds of shapes and thickness control
- Make handwriting notes/drawings on the Internet and in any application program
- Cordless mouse and pen design gives you unlimited freedom
- 3D scroll wheel for fast browsing on the Internet and in Windows documents
Digital camera reviews of Genius MousePen 8 x 6-Inch Graphic Tablet for Home and Office
Digital camera Review: Things to watch for
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought this item after reading the most popular on-line reviews. Here's my take on it, and I suggest you read those reviews too before buying this product.
I have used this tablet almost every day as an online whiteboarding tool (primary service, www.dabbleboard.com) for my on-line tutoring business. All in all, it does the job I bought it for.
This is the first tablet I've ever owned and my overall impression is that I got what I paid for. For around 50 bucks, I got a functional tool that tried to pass itself off as much more, but isn't. If you NEED an inexpesnive 8x6 tablet for whiteboarding simple drawing applications, as I do, use this and count yourself lucky you found it. If you want a first tablet, buy this. If you're looking to get into serious illustration uses, or if you're a wannabe Photoshop ninja, this is not the tool for you. After a few months of using this thing, even with my own limited needs, I've resolved that when I can afford it, I'll get myself a serious tablet. The setup simply isn't comfortable for long-term usage, no matter how simple your needs.
1. The Genius pen is all plastic, and the point on it is very flimsy. That means that getting precise pressure control out of it is not going to happen. If you need even 256-level pressure control, let alone the 1024-level this tablet advertises, buy another tablet. There is no built-in eraser function on the back of the pen, as there is in many tablet PCs and graphic tablets. The plastic of the pen gets very sweaty with long-time usage. Even with my limited applications, that means reduced functionality for me.
2. The footprint of this thing on your desk (and it's heavy and yes, fragile) is about a foot square if you add in all the egregious edge space. Don't even dream about being able to move it out of the way regularly -- the USB cord connection to the tablet is as flimsy as it gets. Unlike what one reviewer claimed, you will NOT stop using a mouse when you buy this product, and that means that you'll probably be using the tablet mouse provided.
3. The tablet mouse is truly as cheap as it gets. I've dropped it on to wood once at a 1-foot distance, and its controls are now iffy. It is advertised as having a scroll wheel. It does not. It has a cheap sliding button that also clicks the way the button on scroll-wheel mouse works. You cannot modify any of the controls of the tablet mouse with the controlling software, as you can the pen.
4. The .pdf user's manuals are translated Chinese-glish. Don't expect to understand much there if you're not an ESL professional.
5. The plastic facing on the action part of the tablet lifts up like a hinged sheet that will stick to a sweaty hand. Don't break it.
6. There are no dead cells or areas, as other reviews mentioned. The software provided with the tablet only allows you to work and reprogram the top row of hot cells, not the side rows. They, apparently, are only printed there for show.
7. The pen presentation software provided for Powerpoint is interesting. Do not, however, think that you will get much usage out of the Annotate for Word function -- stuff moves around when you actually put it into a document. So if you're an online teaching professional and you want to correct documents by hand without printing them out and scanning them again, this tablet won't help you.
8. The batteries in the mouse and pen were not run down. Quite the contrary, the alkaline battery in the mouse registered on my battery meter at 1.6V, and the one in the pen at a whopping 1.86. A premium alkaline battery (Duracell, Energizer) usually registers at 1.60.
9. I've followed the advice of the most popular review here and used this thing with Windows XP, not Vista. Again, following the advice given, I downloaded the latest driver from the Genius website, confusingly marked "Vista."
10. If you don't use the mouse or the pen for a significant period of time, the cursor WILL start jittering on your screen. If you leave the pen on the tablet, the cursor will similarly start jittering. Interrupting your work about every half-hour to deal with your mouse can get highly annoying.
All in all, I couldn't have found an 8x6 tablet suitable for online whiteboarding work at a lower price. I am happy with this item's performance, despite the general reality of its being as cheaply made as it is. For writing text and phonetic symbols on a whiteboard, it sure beats a mouse, and with a few days of practice, anyone can learn how to write neatly in straight lines.
But when I can afford it, this thing is history and a serious tablet will be on my desk.
Summary of Genius MousePen 8 x 6-Inch Graphic Tablet for Home and Office
The Genius MousePen 8X6, USB 8"x6" Graphic Tablet for Home and Office. Make handwriting notes and drawings on the Internet and in any application program. 1024-level pressure sensitivity for all kinds of shapes and thickness control. 8"x6" working area, comfortable for easy drawing, painting and using the PC.Cameras and Photo
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