9/15/09 Tech Tuesday on the Bamboo Graphics Tablet

What is it?

The Bamboo is a series of graphics tablets made by Wacom, a Japanese company that is considered the industry standard for this type of technology.

Graphics tablets are popular amongst artists, graphic designers, architects, and cartoonists. Wacom tablets are known for their use of a patented cordless, battery-free and pressure-sensitive stylus with over 500 levels of pressure sensitivity and a resolution of 1024 lines per inch.

How does it work?

Wacom tablets use a patented electromagnetic resonance technology. Since the tablet provides power to the pen through resonant coupling, no batteries or cord is required for the pointing device. As a result there are no batteries inside the pen itself, allowing for a slender pen and giving the pen-and-tablet combination a long and essentially maintenance-free lifespan.

What can you do with it?

The Bamboo is a creative tool, so it is appropriate for highly detailed work such as artwork or architectural design. It is also a great alternative to a mouse if your hand feels sore after using the mouse for long periods of time.

The Bamboo includes software for PC and Mac to quickly and easily create artwork, simulating painting on canvas or painting photos into works of art.

Summary

The Bamboo graphics tablet is a simple yet powerful tool for highly detailed work on the computer. Although this model is an entry-level item, it does have many of the capabilities of higher end devices. The included software makes it easy for the most novice user to start creating works of art. It's a worthwhile and trouble-free investment that can be used as a creative tool for years to come.

Ask Attila Question: What is "BD-Live", and what does it do?

BD-Live is short for Blu-ray Disk Live and is an on-line interactive service that your Blu-Ray player can take advantage of. You can access content via your internet-connected Blu-ray player and not only download a variety of up-to-date content for your movie, but even contribute content of your own.

For example, when Disney released Sleeping Beauty on Blu-Ray, they included several BD-Live features. You can chat with other people on-line while watching the movie, play against others in a movie trivia challenge game and even upload your own videos viewable by others to match scenes in the film.

As you may imagine, BD Live is still gaining momentum. However, it has enormous potential and can bring a new experience to a film each time you watch it.

- Attila Seress

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Science & Technology

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