Great Gadgets

Tablet illustrates grace under pressure

By Eric Griffith

Suitable for commercial artists and budding Rembrandts alike, Wacom's Graphire is the ideal hardware for creating graphics with a computer. The $99 system includes a high-quality, pen-driven, pressure-sensitive tablet and a cordless mouse ( www.wacom.com/graphire ; 800-922-9348 ).

Wacom's Graphire offers two ways to input data.

Smaller than many mouse pads, the 8.2-by-8.4-inch tablet sports a holder at the top for the pen—complete with a built-in "eraser"—so you won't misplace it. The mouse features the standard two-button setup with center scrolling wheel, but there's no ball underneath driving your cursor. The mouse uses electromagnetic resonance to send information to the computer. It only works when used on the Graphire tablet. You don't need to give up your old mouse to use the tablet, though; it works even with another mouse plugged in.

The Graphire, available in five iMac-inspired flavors in addition to standard gray, connects via a USB port on any Macintosh or Windows computer, so it's simple to get started (Windows 98 users will need the Win98 CD to complete installation). The tablet comes with MetaCreations Painter Classic, a drawing application that takes advantage of the pen's pressure sensitivity; Painter emulates traditional artist tools such as pencils and brushes. You also get ParaGraph PenOffice SE, a program that enables you to sign your name right into a Microsoft Word file.

A tablet takes some getting used to for those people brought up with the mouse. But the effectiveness of holding a pen for drawing and signing can't be beat. Try your hand at the Graphire—at $99, it's worth it.