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Date: June 6, 2005
Author(s): Jen McPherson
Editor: Rob Williams

Wacom is a renowned name in PC pen tablets for the digital artist, and are the leaders in PC tablet technology. Their tablets have been used by professionals world wide and are marked for their excellence in all their hardware. So, without further delay lets get into the review and the specifics.

Features

Grip Pen

• 1,024 levels of tip and eraser pressure sensitivity for control
• Cushioned, contoured grip with programmable DuoSwitch for comfort and productivity
• Patented cordless, battery-free technology for a natural feel and superior performance
• Multi-position pen stand to keep your pen handy
• Three nib styles included for a variety of "feels"
• Tilt sensitivity for even more control

Intuos3 driver software

• Intuitive interface for detailed control so you can work exactly the way you want
• Customizable pressure curves to personalize the way your pen feels
• Tablet and device settings can be application specific for maximum productivity
• Pop-up menu for easy access to your favorite keystroke combinations
• Flexible mapping options to optimize your work environment including multiple monitors

Valuable included software

• Adobe Photoshop Elements 3 for digital photo editing and compositing
• Corel Painter Essentials 2 for creating natural media art and organic effects
• nik Color Efex Pro 2 IE from nik multimedia for selectively applying photographic enhancements and effects. (IE includes the following filters: Brilliance/Warmth, Contrast Only, Graduated Blue, Midnight Blue, Monday Morning Violet, Pastel, Remove Color Cast, Solarization)
• Wacom Brushes 2 for even more brush choices in recent versions of Photoshop and Photoshop Elements

When I received the Intuos3 I was impressed from the start. The box was smooth and professional, not to mention very informative. Opening it was not a hassle and the tablet, pen, mouse and accessories were packaged securely. Each piece was accounted for, and so I began my testing of the tablet.

First line of business I install the tablet drivers with the Pen Tablet Driver CD. This process is quick and easy, and the only thing to do next is to plug in the tablet.

I next installed the additional software, where that installation was pretty straight forward. It gave PS some extra brushes that I found very useful in my drawings, as well as some other features that I had yet to experiment with. This software bundle is worth a great deal on its own, so it is a wonderful bonus to a great item.