Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with tablet

Pen not recognized on Tablet PC

kzin602 — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 12:23:51 -0800

I have a Fujitsu Lifebook T4210. After the screen broke I ordered a replacement from ebay that looked like someone just selling stripped computers. He said it was 100% operable. After installing it everything works including the LCD but the pen is not recognized. Wacom uses a general driver for all tablet pcs, so I ruled that out. All connections are secure and since I had two of everything I even tried swapping cables out to see if one was faulty. Lastly I removed the digitizer from the old unit. I knew that one worked, it was just a huge line across my lcd that was damaged. So, I figured I could swap them out. It still is not recognizing my pen. The pen is passive so it is probably hard to break so I don't think its that. I don't know much about wacom digitizers so maybe I caused damage when changing them out? Fujitsu seems to be stumped too, they just want to charge me 750 to have them replace the whole screen unit. What are some things I can test to see where the problem is? Any help or advice will be much appreciated. BTW, Everything else works fine, just not the tablet aspect, and I am running Windows 7.

Laptop vs Tablet: 2009 edition

filthy light thief — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 10:10:19 -0800

Computer Selection Filter: I've been thinking about getting a laptop (or a netbook) for a while, but I've been holding out in hopes of tablets getting cheaper. If I'm not including the costlier tablets, I'm wondering why I shouldn't get a netbook. Lots of pondering inside. I have a desktop Windows PC that is suitable for my needs (casual Photoshop use, general word processing/ internet browsing/ video watching, not into video games), plus an external HD for back-up and additional storage. My wife has a laptop that we use for browsing the 'net and watching movies while waiting in airports, but it's her computer and she gets annoyed when I download music or videos, so I keep that to a minimum.

I'd love a tablet for pen/touch-based input with Photoshop, so tablet PCs seemed fantastic, but new models seem to be set firmly in the $1,000+ range. I love the idea of sketching directly into the computer, but I don't know if this pricepoint is worth it if hobby-level use. The Always Innovating Touch Book seemed like a fantastic little tablet netbook, but the forum discussions aren't positive. Are there some reasonable tablets I'm missing, or are tablets expensive because of the materials? Are used tablets reliable at all? And if I don't get a tablet, what would be the bonus of getting a larger laptop over a netbook?

Also, I like the idea of ebooks, but having a single use device of that sort seems limited, when compared to netbooks or laptops. I know digital ink displays are more paper-like and use no energy to display a set image, but I don't think I'd make enough use of a dedicated ebook.

Features I'd like:
- tablet screen (ideal, but not necessary if too costly)
- 6+ hours per charge
- decent screen for viewing websites and text docs as formatted

Bonuses
- line in recording port
- microphone for Skype
- video camera for Skype

How can I keep track of academic papers and my handwritten notes on them?

col_pogo — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:28:29 -0800

What is the best hardware/software system for keeping track of a) hundreds of academic papers in PDF form and b) my handwritten notes on these hundreds of papers? Bonus if the answer integrates with some sort of citation management software. I am in a PhD program that requires me to read and take notes on a large number of papers. I can see myself in four years time simply drowning in printouts. My problem is somewhat similar to this previous question.

I don't like reading while sitting in front of my computer (typing hurts and easy internet access kills my productivity), so I tend to print out PDFs and take notes all over them while reading in cafes, libraries, on planes, etc. (Zotero's note system, for instance, isn't great for me because I don't like reading in my browser and typing notes). An ideal system would allow to me read much as I do, but make my notes--and interesting quotes and passages from what I'm reading--searchable for when I'm writing papers, studying for orals, etc.

The problem at that moment is that I end up with all these papers and notes that aren't easy to archive and can't be searched. I fear I don't have the discipline to properly archive all my actual paper notes, and hope that there's a technological fix out there for me.

I'd like advice on whether my best option is
a) a Tablet PC (with what software?)--one potential problem with this would be bulk and the distracting internet access.
b) an eBook reader that supports annotation (the upcoming IREX one?) with some sort of arching software to upload to.
c) One of those smart pens that records what you write (Previously). If these really work and can be integrated with good archiving/searching software I can see this being helpful for interviews and class notes, too.
d) Scanning notes taken on paper into my computer and archiving them from there. Something that sounds onerous and that I probably wouldn't actually do.
e) some brilliant technological solution that hasn't occurred to me.
f) knuckling down and getting a disciplined paper archiving system.

Could these options--a) in particular--be combined with Atlas TI? I love that QDA programs let me jump to specific tagged passages--and apparently the latest version has good support for PDFs. Or will OneNote--or some Mac program I haven't heard of--do this kind of thing better?

I have fairly atrocious handwriting, so OCR doesn't seem to work that well (in Evernote, for instance). I was impressed by Vista's handwriting support the one time I tried it, however--and I gather it learns from its mistakes.

I've heard Apple has a similar option, and would be willing to switch to using Macs if their handwriting recognition or the various note-taking programs I've heard about (Devonthink, Scrivener, Papers, others?) can be combined with some sort of note-capturing system.

I also take notes in lots of books. Any good ideas for capturing these notes that might fit with one of the above options?

Why does my Wacom pointer freak out and go jumpy?

cadge — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:33:52 -0800

Wacom tablet (Graphire2) on Win2K machine. Sometimes the pointer goes nuts and becomes jumpy and unusable until I unplug and replug the tablet. Drivers appear to be up to date. Any thoughts on why this happens? I have a Wacom Graphire2 4x5 tablet hooked up to my Windows 2000 PC. I use the stylus/tablet instead of a mouse, so it's in constant use. It's plugged into one of the machine's USB ports (previously one of the front ports, now one on the back).

Occasionally, the pointer just WIGS OUT. It suddenly relocates to another spot on the screen and becomes jumpy and overly sensitive (an ordinary small movement makes it fly to the other side of the screen). It stays like this until I unplug and replug the tablet.

I don't know what causes this; sometimes it happens after I bring the machine back up from being on standby, and sometimes it happens if I just haven't been mousing for a few minutes. This tends to happen once or several times per workday.

I tried installing more recent drivers from Wacom's site, but they didn't appear to affect the problem. The tablet is 5-6 years old, but this problem has been happening for a couple of years. It also happens on my home computer, which has the same setup (5-6 year old Graphire2/Win2K).

Any thoughts on what might be causing this? It's driving me up a wall!

Seeking a permanent solution for my Wacom tablet woes.

iamkimiam — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:09:30 -0800

Sometime around the beginning of this year, my Intuos2 Model 0608-U 6"x8" Wacom tablet driver stopped loading upon login and restart. I reinstall it every time I login/restart. All of the tips, tricks, workarounds suggested by both Wacom and Apple do not work. I am running Mac OS 10.5.7. Is there anything left to try? The tablet works after I reinstall. I have tried uninstalling, disk repair, permissions, reinstalling (various versions of the tablet driver) in all possible combinations. Is anybody else having this problem? What has worked for you?

I'm looking for a permanent solution that does not cost $$. I will reinstall indefinitely if I have to, but it is getting tiresome. Thanks!

Choosing X61 tablet or the Motion LE1600?

tonci — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 08:18:44 -0800

Help me choose a slate/convertible tablet: Thinkpad X61 or the Motion LE1600? I have posted before about going to graduate school and wanting a PDF reader / note taking machine. I can't resist going with a tablet. I've narrowed it down to the Lenovo X61 or the Motion LE1600. I love my T60 Thinkpad at work and like the X61 over the X200 because I prefer the 4:3 monitor for word processing and can get a better price through ebay. People rave about the Motion LE1600 and the convertible keyboard seems pretty functional (and it has the pointing stick that I like). Which device will make me happier and why? I will have a desktop computer at my office so this will be my backpack, classroom, coffeeshop computer. Tips about specs, including which monitor to get for the X61, are appreciated.

Related question-- XP tablet edition or Vista? Thanks!

What art software should I download for my tablet?

castironskillet — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 09:46:46 -0800

I just got a Wacom tablet for Father's Day. I can choose to download two of the following: Adobe Photoshop Elements, Autodesk Sketchbook Express, Corel Painter Sketch Pad. Which should I choose? It seems like maybe I should get Photoshop and Sketchbook? I really don't know how to use any of these. I have noodled around with Photoshop before but never tried Painter or Sketchbook. I see that Sketchbook is big on how it was designed for use with tablets -- Painter was not? I want to get started on the best path. Can you help me?

Turn a $300 PC into a $1000 tablet?

specialagentwebb — Tue, 26 May 2009 14:44:45 -0800

Is it possible to turn my tablet PC into a secondary monitor and still retain its tablet-y properties? I've pretty much given up on the tablet PC I've got, but I miss being able to write on a screen. I know that I can turn the tablet into a second monitor for my desktop, but I'm looking for a way to use it as a tablet, too (like a Wacom Cintiq, but considerably cheaper).

For the reasons discussed in my previous post (linked above), a software solution like MaxiVista won't work. I'm looking for a way to turn the tablet into what's basically an input/output device, with all (or most of) the processing happening on the desktop, instead of the tablet.

Is such a thing possible?

Is it possible to do it without substantial amounts of deconstruction/soldering/voodoo?

What size Wacom tablet do I need?

unreason — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 15:24:12 -0800

Do I want a wide aspect Wacom tablet, or should I go with the standard one? I'm going to be getting a Wacom Intuous tablet, but I'm not sure which one I should get. I was thinking of getting the 6x8, but I have a wide monitor; a Syncmaster 2493hm displaying at 1920x1200. Should I go for the wide aspect 6x11 tablet? Will it even matter? If so, how?

Wacom Display Toggle Advanced Options?

Señor Pantalones — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 10:28:22 -0800

[wacomfilter] quicksilver (or system hotkey) + wacom screen switching integration? I use the ExpressKey on my wacom to toggle display focus (preferences->expresskeys->display toggle). My primary is a 30", secondary is the built-in screen on my MBP.

There are two reasons this is annoying:
1. The expresskey only functions when pen movement is detected, meaning I have to move the pen while pressing the button to switch screens. This makes single-handed screen-switching difficult.
2. It's just not in a convenient place for me since the wacom is my primary mousing input located to the right of my keyboard. The expresskeys are on the left or right and require more cognitive load than usual mousing behavior.

I'm looking for help in a few possible ways:
1. assigning display toggle to the secondary button on the stylus. The prefpane won't let me.
2. assigning display toggle to a quicksilver command
3. assigning display toggle to a system hotkey

Can anyone recommend a way to implement one of the above three?

Thanks!

How do I get the most out of my Wacom?

bristolcat — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 10:19:19 -0800

Help me get the most out of my new Wacom tablet. I recently received a new Wacom Bamboo as part of a customer appreciation program. As a graphic designer, I have always wanted one of these for my own. The last one I used was probably circa 2000 and I'm sure that the technology and tools have drastically changed. I am interested to know if there are any must-have applications, tools or ways to use a tablet these days.

So, what makes your Wacom shine? What programs can't you live without? How can I take this tool and do wonderful, creative things with it?

I already own Adobe CS3 and Corel Draw 12. I've used Painter in the past, but it's been so long ago that it wasn't even owned my Corel yet. Is it worth the money? What sites have well-done tutorials? Who out there is making amazing stuff with their Wacom and how do they do it? Are there any interesting hacks for the Wacom that improve its functionality?

I'm one of those rare designers that works on a PC, but I do have access to Mac. I have drawing, watercolor, illustration and graphic art experience. If I find that the Wacom is one of those things that boosts my career or makes formerly difficult tasks easy, I'll probably upgrade to an Intuos or Graphire...but so far, the Bamboo has proven to be pretty nice.

Thanks!

Tablet help

spicynuts — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 13:08:15 -0800

I would like to buy a tablet/pen for detailed photoshop work on my mac. I have no idea who makes these things. Recommendations please! I have no idea who the leading/quality/trustworthy manufacturers are in this realm. I don't need to use this for Illustrator, just for photoshop. Doing detailed masking work with a mouse is killing my joints. I figure I'd like to spend maybe 300 bucks tops. Any recommendations as to the prime candidates I should be looking at? I have a MacBook Pro running OSX with CS2

Picking the Right Wacom Tablet

Camel of Space — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 20:34:56 -0800

I'm looking for the right Wacom tablet and drawing software. I'd like to buy a usb tablet, but I'm not sure of what to get. I've been looking at Wacom tablets, specifically the two Bamboo models. Are either the normal or the 'fun' tablets good enough for drawing? Or do I have to get an Intuos tablet to achieve any real results? I've read reviews, but I haven't found much in the way of reviews using the Bamboo models for serious art.

My goal is to find a method to draw digitally where I can replicate my work with intaglio printmaking, as well as draw and ink comic-like art.

And what software should I use with the tablet? Except for the normal Bamboo tablet, Photoshop appears to come bundled with all Wacom tablets. Photoshop is good, but it's a bit convoluted in my opinion. Is there a better drawing and image editing program out there? I was testing Acorn the other day, and I like it, but I'm unsure whether or not it's good enough.

I'd like to keep the price down as much as possible. I'd rather not spend more than $200, unless it's absolutely necessary. I'll be working on an Intel Macbook if that impacts what size tablet to get.

Im looking for a graphics tablet

femmme — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 09:41:31 -0800

Im looking for an good and reasonable graphics tablet I am looking to buy a graphics tablet and learn how to use it. Im not sure what to look for or where. I really want to try to get a deal around the holidays and all input/feedback is appreciated and considered!

Help me make my computer quiet again, please!

JDHarper — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 07:28:25 -0800

Where can I find a new fan for my Fujitsu T4215 laptop? I have a Fujitsu T4215, and its fan is dying noisily.

I tried taking it apart and putting some Arctic Silver on the CPU, which helped reduce the heat, and I blew the dust out of the fan, but the laptop is still making fan noise constantly after it's been on for more than an hour. I need to replace the fan.

This is where I need help: I can't find a replacement fan for this thing. I've searched ebay and google to no avail; I can find fans for other series of laptop, and I can find other parts for this laptop, but I haven't found a fan for this laptop.

Can someone help me find the part that I need?

Free software to write on PDFs with my tablet?

jk252b — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:55:10 -0800

PDF editing software for Mac to use with my Wacom tablet? I recently bought a Wacom Bamboo tablet thinking it would revolutionize my graduate school research by allowing me to write directly on PDF documents without having to print them out.

Does anyone know of software that exists to allow me to write directly on PDF documents, and save them in their original format.

I know about Skim but that doesn't work to draw directly on the page.

FormulatePro starts to get at what I want, but any documents you write on are saved in the ".formulate". I know I can print to PDF, which is better than nothing, but it's an annoying step that I'd like to avoid if I can.

It seems like PDFpen and PDFclerk do what I want, but I'd prefer NOT to pay $50 after having spent $70 on the tablet.

Does any freeware or really cheap (<20$) software exist to do this?

How much is my tablet worth?

smartless — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:14:04 -0800

I'm trying to determine the value of my Fujitsu Tablet pc. It is a Fujitsu Lifebook T2010. I bought it in May ('08), and have barely used it since June... Specs to follow: Specs:
intel core 2 duo @1.20 GHz 1.20 GHz
2GB RAM
120GB HD
It's really lightweight, has fingerprint reader, smart card reader, media card reader. No materialistic flaws.

I don't know how the value of laptops works. Anyone know how much I should sell it for?

How do I learn to use a Wacom tablet to make digital art?

deeman — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:21:43 -0800

So I bought a Wacom tablet. How can I learn to do THIS http://www.5min.com/Video/SPIDERMAN---photoshop-speed-painting-by-Missfeldt-29124285

Recommended Graphics Tablet For Note Taking and Sketching

defben — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 08:39:47 -0800

I'd like to try a graphics tablet for the work I do. I know Wacom is the big dog in the field, but am unclear on what the real differences between the models are (too much marketing spiel). The work I see myself using it for includes note taking, sketching and storyboarding (paper prototyping). I use linux (ubuntu) at home and WinXP for work. OneNote and Visio are used pretty often on the windows side. I don't see myself doing any high fidelity work on this; I'm pretty lousy at drawing. Does it matter what I choose? What should I look for/focus on? Any recommendations?

Thanks

Can old Wacom tablets work on newer macs?

Brandon Blatcher — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 09:42:32 -0800

I've come across a Wacom ArtPad II Tablet, but with connectors for the old Mac serial/ADB port. Is there an adaptor that will allow it to work with a USB only Mac G4, 10.4 or 10.5 system? I'd want to use it with Photoshop and Painter.

Tablets, the lease of these

gensubuser — Tue, 27 May 2008 19:27:58 -0800

How might I lease a tablet PC, and will it change my life? I've been envious of my friends' tablets for quite some time now, but don't quite need to throw out my laptop yet (bought spring 2006) and upgraded my PC this fall as per my alternating cycle.

I've been putting off a lot of real work/understanding for a while, and think a tablet might be a useful tool in completing it (science grad student. lots of equations. Basically, I need to finally master my lab's genre.). When I normally work through something like this I use printer paper and fill out inch high stacks of scratch-work, refining derivations, often re-copying them to condense them. I think quickly creating a connecting web of hand-written notes might help me tackle this project, and if money spent would mean I accomplish this, it's worth it.

On the other hand, maybe I'm just using this as a reason for procrastination, maybe an actual tablet in my hands will be more cause for distraction than assistance.

So, I was thinking of leasing a tablet. Last time I looked into it, I wanted either a Toshiba Lifebook or Lenovo tablet--though, rationally, anything that gets the job done works. Since I'm not a company, can I still lease these (or "try" them for a month or two?) With the option to buy? What is a typical percentage of price I might expect to pay? Are there any problems or catches with this plan?

Have you been here, or has a tablet PC fulfilled your needs?

Cheap device for song lyric display?

rhys — Fri, 16 May 2008 10:58:18 -0800

I'm looking to use some kind of tablet device, pocket pc, or possibly even e-book reader to display lyrics and chords for me while playing guitar. Criteria: cheap, readable, hackable, in that order. Budget - cheaper is better, $100 is ok, for $200 it should be stellar.

It needs to be able to display text files, and that's about it. It would be great if the screen was big enough to display a whole page, but I usually condense lyrics and chords, so it's not essential.

It would also be great if I could hook up some kind of device to scroll up and down and change songs. Could be a keyboard input, whatever.

I figure that you hardware hacker types must know something about discontinued devices that can be had on eBay. Thanks!

Optimal OS for my ultramobile PC?

Phred182 — Tue, 06 May 2008 17:28:55 -0800

What operating system should I use for my Fujitsu U1010 UMPC? A gift that I'll need to show I use, but I also like the form factor: it's the size of a paperback book and weighs a pound or two. It came loaded with Vista Business, which is barely functional on 1G Ram. Battery life is short as well--so a couple of Vista boot cycles and it's dead. Considering XP because I have a spare XP dvd and license, but would like to know about other options. It will be used to edit and distribute office docs; for contact management; and to keep up with email and mefi on the road. I'd really like mobile Team Fortress 2, but since that's not going to happen, my preferred applications are:

MS office or OpenOffice
Skype
Opera
Mp3 player
Tablet functions

My priorities are: 1) speed; 2) battery conservation; and 3) matching all of the original functionality. An additional complication: I have no external cd/dvd drive, so ideally I'd be able to do some kind of usb transfer from my desktop or my 4g flash drive. If the best solution is XP, how do I do it? Any and all suggestions appreciated.

Uses for a tablet PC

backseatpilot — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 11:09:04 -0800

Bought a tablet PC, now what? I just got the HP t2000z tablet, mostly because of the "Ooh, shiny!" factor, but also because I hate touchpads and I figured using a pen would be a better input device for my intended uses (light word processing and internet appliance). When it arrived, I found out the tablet screen was made by Wacom! Cool, it's got the pressure sensitivity and everything. So... what neat stuff can I do with it that is easier than/not possible with a traditional laptop?

I figured I'd start editing my photos on it and I saw an old thread gushing about OneNote. What else do you typically use your tablet for? Any software I should pick up that utilizes tablet functions? How about games that benefit from the pen input?

Anything better than a tablet for math notes?

woolylambkin — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 22:20:34 -0800

I'm thinking of replacing my old Compaq tc1000 tablet with either a new tablet or a regular notebook. Whatever I replace it with though has to take engineering/math notes well. So what are your suggestions for my tablet replacement? I absolutely love my tc1000 but at 5 years old it's starting to get slow, beat up, and the battery life has slowly dropped from 3 hours down to 1 hour which makes carrying it to class a gamble even with an extra battery. After using it for class for 5 years I can't see myself comfortably going back to pen and paper for note taking not to mention the lack of Hexic deluxe during my geotechnical classes.

I'm looking to replace it with either a tablet (more than likely a HP tx2000z or HP 2710p) or a laptop (PC or Mac doesn't matter). I'll only be using it for note taking and internet surfing so optical drives, hdd space, and pure performance aren't important but battery life and portability are key. I'd prefer something that's smaller than 15" and 5lbs with exchangeable batteries being a nice extra. Also it must have an active digitizer as I find touch screens make me want to stab the stylus through the screen after using them for a minute or two. I'd also prefer a keyboard instead a slate only tablet due to the convenience of internet surfing and non-math note taking with a keyboard.

If you suggest a laptop over a tablet I'd want suggestions on why it'd be better than a tablet for taking notes in engineering and math related courses. Right now I'm using Microsoft OneNote which I absolutely love with a stylus but don't see how I can take effective math notes with OneNote using a keyboard. I realize Word has an equation editor that looks really nice for reports but I find it extremely cumbersome to even attempt using it to take math notes on. I've never used a Mac but would still consider one if there are Mac programs that make equation typing super easy.

Also as far as my notes go I need easy access to integral signs, greek letters, sub and super scripts, division lines, and simple drawings (lines and curves).

With all of that in mind what's your suggestion for my next computing solution?