[.uk] Adesso CYBERTABLET Z12 10 x 6-inch Widescreen Graphics ...

• 10 x 6.25 inch writing area, making it the ideal choice for professional computer artists
• Wireless 2 button pen with 1024 levels of pressure sensitive to provide all the comforts of a normal pencil
• High accuracy and sensitivity for a highly reactive cursor
• 1024 gradations of pressure sensitivity for highly accurate rendering in painting and writing
• No need for separate power adapter, completely USB powered

Very pleased with Cybertablet Z12:
This is my first graphics tablet. Being a mechanical engineer that started out on a drafting board, I come from a different mind set than a graphics artist. I spent over a week researching every manufacturer of graphics tablets I could find, reading the reviews, etc. The overwhelming number of reviews were of Wacom tablets. Frankly, I almost went with a Wacom Bamboo but, the price just seemed way out of proportion for the features. But, it seemed like everyone kept chanting the Wacom mantra. One thing that should be stressed is software. There are basically two kinds, Pixel Image Editors and Vector Illustration Software. Editors are like Photoshop, PhotoImpact, etc. and vector based are like Adobe Illustrator ($$$), CorelDraw ($$), or InkScape(free). Image editors have lots different brush types (pen, crayon, airbrush, etc.) that produce a more painted, artistic image. Vector software is really more for those who are more serious about making images as accurate and realistic as possible. The Cybertablet z12 came with Ulead's PhotoImpact 12se and I downloaded Adobe Photoshop Elements (trial version). Personally, the PhotoImpact software is easier to use. The cheapest Wacom that had the same size table, Intuos3 6x11 goes for $330. That's nearly 3 times the cost of a Adesso. Is the quality there, maybe not, but at this point, I can't tell. Long story short, give the Cybertablet a shot. :)

This product is cheap and flimsy! Go with Wacom instead!!:
I originally thought this would be a better product than Wacom after comparing both products on the site. One thing I noticed was the 1024 levels of pressure sensivity as opposed to the Wacom Bamboo's 512. Let me just tell you that 512 is plenty. There is no need for 1024. Secondly I thought I might need the larger size. This is a common misconception, as most basic-intermediate artists will not need anything larger than a 6x4 provided by the Wacom Bamboo small. Anything larger personally feels like I'm dragging my arm across way too large of an area to work effectively. When working with the small tablet it actually feels quite large and comfortable. (this is using it on a 15.4" widescreen monitor) Now lets talk about the product's quality. When my package arrived it was in a beat up box, and the plastic packaging inside keeping the product in place was cracked and bent and mangled. The item was scuffed (a bunch of noticeable scrapes on the paint), and scratched up in a bunch of places. And that's not the worst part. Upon plugging it into my USB and installing the drivers, I tried it out in photoshop only to discover there was a large about 1/2 inch area of dead space where it didn't register any pen input, and if I was trying to draw a straight line and went through this "dead area" the pen would skip right over it drawing a big straight line right in the middle of my drawing area. This, of course, made it impossible to work with effectively. Needless to say, I promptly emailed the seller and returned this for a refund. (Keep in mind this was supposed to be a "NEW" product. Not used) As for the features in this product. The pen feels very cheap, and plasticy, and actually requires you put a battery inside of it (something Wacom Bamboo does not require). And the worst part for me was that the pen doesn't even have an eraser side on the other end of it, as most standard stylus/tablets have. The tablet itslef feels thin, chinsy, and easily bendable/breakable. The surface is also slightly more rough to draw on than other tablets I've worked with and it makes it feel like you're drawing on a course sand-papery surface. My advice is do not buy this product. It's way overpriced for the generic quality of the item you are getting. You can get a much much more quality, functional and professional feeling product with a Wacom Bamboo Small for nearly half the price.

birthday present:
I bought this tablet for my daughter for her birthday and she just loves it! I would recommend this for any aspiring artist like my daughter.

Not as easy as I would like.:
I'm just beginning to use the Cybertablet. I had to call technical assistance. Since there is a 1-800 free tech assistance, that is a plus. The "quick" instructions for the product were incomplete or at least confusing. I'm still looking for training. The barrier to use is higher than I'd hoped.

NOT MAC FRIENDLY:
If you are running on a Mac, do not buy this product. It claims to be Mac Compatible, but I assure you from experience...you will have nothing but trouble trying to get everything working on the mac. You also will probably never successfully reach anyone for answers at Addesso. They do not stick to their "business hours." Their website claims to have online chat tech support, but they are NEVER online. Tried sending several emails and got no responses. I uninstalled the drivers it came with and tried to reinstall them to see if that would solve my problems, but once I uninstalled it, it would not let me reinstall it. I believe this is because the uninstall left misc. files on my HD. Who knows where they are...