Ratings: Ease of Use, Performance: 21/25, Look & Feel: 22/25, Features 23/25, How much I enjoy 24/25
Total: 90/100
The PenSketch 9X12 by Genius is the latest pen tablet that includes all the best features you need for accurate and precise control in graphics and design applications like Photoshop CS3. The PenSketch 9×12 also comes with a small mouse that runs through the tablet for extra control and flexibility while using the tablet.
Genius brings the next size of their popular tablet series with the even larger PenSketch 9×12 and what a great time for me to review this great tablet. I have just received the Photoshop CS3 Extended Edition from Adobe and the PenSketch 9×12 is the perfect companion to this imaging editor.
Here are some key features from the Genius website:
9 x 12 inch working area for graphic design
Cordless wheel mouse and rubber-coated pen
Great tool for lithographs, graphic arts or photographs
Professional pen has 1024 level pressure sensitivity for all kinds of thickness control
The PenSketch 9×12 comes complete with the tablet, a cordless pen with an easy to install battery, the smaller mouse and a driver CD. Although I had some problems installing the drivers for my Vista system on one computer I found some drivers from the Genius Europe website that worked very easily. Once I had the drivers installed everything worked out very well with the tablet.
If you have never used a tablet device before, it is a treat to be able to precisely control the cursor while working with pictures. The control and precision of the pen and the mouse is great and the whole set up is very easy to use.
I also installed the PenSketch tablet onto a Windows XP setup and it used the included drivers from the CD with no problems. If you are installing the tablet on a Vista computer you should check the Genius website for available Vista drivers. If you cannot find ones at their America site I suggest trying the Europe site and the German drivers.
I had no problem installing the German drivers and the only thing you have to do is figure out what the words are for installing when you start up the install process. You may have to figure out what the buttons are that you need to press to get the program to install but it is not hard to puzzle through. The boxes that ask you questions while installing them are the same for the English as well as the German drivers. Just click on the appropriate boxes when the program asks you questions like you would be installing for the Windows version.
The drivers for the Vista update from Genius should be coming out soon but with Vista you never know. After you install the drivers, whether the German or English, the PenSketch tablets works the same. I have no problem with the German drivers and the drivers ask what language you want to use during install so there is no language problem using the various tablet programs.
Using the PenSketch configuration program you can select what the buttons on the pen do. There is the usual mouse left and right button and the mouse wheel that is actually a rocker button but works the same as a wheel. The pen has three inputs in the two position rocker button and the pen tip. You can use the tip or two buttons as either the left or right mouse click and the middle mouse button at both single and double click.
These button assignments are very simple to change while you are using the PenSketch by opening the PenSketch configuration from the taskbar icon. The icon shows up in your taskbar area and you can simply click on it and change the assignment even while in programs so to use one setting in one program and other ones for other work is simple.
The PenSketch 9×12 is a nice large working area and very easy to use. The tablet has a small row of boxes called Hot Cells along the top that are for features like save, copy and paste as well as five that are customizable. You can use them for keyboard combinations such as much used keyboard shortcuts like zoom in and out for Photoshop CS3. To change these settings it is a simple matter to click on the small icon in the taskbar area and go to the Hot Cells page. Simply click on the cell you want to change and use the define buttons to change them. You can launch programs, perform keyboard shortcuts even using multiple key strokes like control alt and S or go to a web site that you choose.
Using the tablet is simple for use as an extra control device for your cursor, and very fun. For your regular desktop and many programs the PenSketch works just like a mouse, when you point it near the pad the cursor will move with the pen, touch the pen tip to the pad surface and it will perform whatever click routine you have told it to.
I have it set up for Photoshop and use the pen tip as a single left click and the one button as a right click.
To perform the right click you simply lay the pen tip on the pad where you want to and press the button. You will see on the screen a small circle that shows the program is performing the action.
When using the PenSketch in Vista there is a nice ripple effect for all the pen hits onto the tablet and when you double hit the vista desktop shows this neat double ripple effect. I know it’s not something that is extremely useful but it is a nice effect and shows they put plenty of effort into the entire setup.
The only odd thing about using the tablet is when pointing the pen you have to realize that the tablets surface equates exactly to the desktop you are looking at on your screen, except for the row of Hot Cells across the top. If you are used to dragging your mouse and lifting to reposition your mouse on your mouse pad there is none of this while using the pen and tablet of the PenSketch 9×12.
The mouse works just like a regular mouse and you do get the lift and move the mouse to reposition the mouse and cursor on the desktop and pad. It works just like a regular mouse but you do need to have the mouse on the PenSketch surface to use it.
One configuration for the PenSketch called Scope is being able to define the space of the tablet for your use. You can use the entire tablet or shrink the size on the configuration page and have the pen only useable on that portion of the tablet. This is very handy to be able to set up the pen and only use it on one area of your computer screen like having a window open for your image and not being able to click in any area outside the picture.
In Photoshop CS the default setting has the working picture open in about half of your screen and the rest of your screen is menus and other things as well as an overview of the entire picture. The Scope feature of the PenSketch makes sure you do not inadvertently change menus or other settings while working on areas of your photo.
Using the PenSketch 9×12 in programs like Paint works extremely well and is really fun, especially for kids. To be able to paint and draw in these programs is fun and a real treat when kids are so used to having the mouse as their only outlet for their creations. There is also another part of the PenSketch that will be quite useful not only to gamers but others creating their signatures in forums, the handwriting tool. On the side, or wherever you want to have the toolbar show up you can have this little box peeking out the side of your desktop. When you open this bar by hitting it with your cursor a small pad with one line on it and some buttons opens.
The line is for you to handwrite whatever you want. Once you have written the line or whole pages you can save this in picture format and use it in letters, emails, forums or images as a picture or part of a larger picture. This is how people get their handwritten signature into the graphics boxes in forums. While you’re writing the program tries to identify your handwriting to read what you’re writing and puts it in small boxes below the writing.
The PenSketch pad works very well and I have had no problems setting it up or using it aside from the Vista drivers. The German ones I found on the Genius Europe website worked just fine and it only takes a few minutes to get the tablet set up and running. The PenSketch tablets works with the regular desktop of Windows XP and Vista as well as any programs by using the pen and tablet just like a mouse.
Using simple paint programs like the one that comes with Windows the PenSketch works just like a mouse and kids would definitely have fun using one. For digital imaging programs like Photoshop CS the PenSketch 9×12 is an essential part of the digital photographers imaging tools. With pen and tablet you can correct imperfections and change images with pinpoint control and precision movements instead of the lesser control you would get with a mouse.
When you are not using the PenSketch and have no need to have it plugged in you can simply unplug the one USB connector and the program will go into hibernation. Plugging the USB connector for the PenSketch tablet back in resumes the pen program and all the settings you had last set into it. The program works extremely well and comes back every time I tried it out, even through Windows Vista’s bugs with USB.
Overall I had no problems using the Genius PenSketch 9×12 and I really enjoyed the nice precise control the pen gives. It is very easy to set up and configuring the tablet is very simple. I had no problems resuming my work with the PenSketch after unplugging it even though Windows Vista currently has many problems with unplugging and plugging in other USB devices.
I highly recommend the Genius PenSketch 9×12 for digital imaging and regular control of your cursor in imaging and design programs.
