[Bluebonnet Lady]

I see there have been a couple of posts about the Wacom Bamboo already, but I have a question they don't seem to answer ... do I need one?

First of all, would I need the pen AND touch, or just the pen? (Just the pen is cheaper!) I have both a touchpad and a mouse, so I'm not sure the "touch" component would be all that helpful or necessary.

Second -- well, should probably be first -- do I even need it at all? I'm just a scrapper, not a designer. I've been using PSE 4 forever, but just got some birthday money and am going to upgrade to PSE 8. I hate trying to use the mouse when using the lasso tool, and the few times I've tried extracting anything were a disaster (although that could just be because it was PSE 4, I don't know). It's hard to erase the extra pixels with a touchpad or mouse.

I'm leaning heavily toward buying just the Bamboo Pen, no touchpad, certainly not the "Fun" (WAY too expensive). Any advice, suggestions, or whatever?
Thanks!
Stacy

[ChristyVW]

Well, that is a loaded question! lol!

Do you NEED a tablet? No. I scrapped for two years with a mouse and did just fine. I am sure there are many here who still use a mouse and do just fine.

Will you LIKE a tablet? Most likely. I don't think I have met anyone who has switched to a pen and then decided to go back. The trick is, putting the mouse away. If you leave it out, you will still rely on it and never fully learn the pen. My tablet sat collecting dust for over a year before I finally took a class here, set up the custom buttons and put my mouse away. I love it now and would never go back.

Is the pen and touch better? If if was available when I bought mine, I would prefer to have both. The main reason being than I am always having to pick up and set down the pen to type and such (probably my one complaint, but a small one). If I needed to just use the tablet for a quick click of something, I could use my finger instead...if I had the touch feature.

If you are thinking of upgrading PSE, I would highly recommend looking at the different tablets. Many of them come bundled with a version of PSE. The Wacom Bamboo Pen and Touch Fun Small Tablet at Amazon comes bundled with PSE 7.0 for Windows, PSE 6.0 for mac for $85. About what you would pay for PSE 8 and then you would have both an updated PSE and the tablet.

HTH!!

And Welcome to ScrapGirls!!

[PBarnes]

I agree with what Christy said. I digi-scrapped for about a year and a half without a tablet, but I sure do enjoy mine now, especially when I'm doing photo touch ups. The dynamic brushes available here are so much more fun on with the pen tablet. I haven't tried one of the touch ones, so I don't know if I'd like it or not.

[sunnie2004]

And here comes the negative person...I despise my tablet never use it and it collects dust! I never use it for photos scrapping or nothing. I have a small corner desk and nothing seems to fit comfy on my desk top so there is a 3rd reason I will never use mine LOL. I keep telling me that one day I will get it back out and mess with it but I will wait to move into a bigger corner desk ..(deeper) in the mean time I will try to remember where I put my bamboo.

So No You DON'T need a bamboo in my opinion

[mimes1]

Funny - I just came to say you don't probably don't need one, but you would probably love one if you got it! And I see it's already been said!!

Maybe Caren will sell you hers? LOL!

[Bluebonnet Lady]

Those are three good opinions, and I appreciate hearing both sides! Gives me something to "chew on".

So I said I'd been using PSE forever, but I've only REALLY digi-scrapped for the last couple of months. Before that I dabbled and did mostly paper scrapping. But I'm finding I LOVE the convenience of being able to scrap whether I'm sick or well, tired or full of energy, and with a laptop it's much more portable than hauling my craft loft around with me! lol

I'm not actually that new to ScrapGirls itself, just the forums. I think I started coming here in, like 2006, but at that time I decided digi-scrapping wasn't for me. I tried it again in February of this year, thought it was kinda fun, but didn't really get serious until I decided to do my heritage/family tree scrapping in digital. NOW I'm really getting into it.

Anyway, it helps to hear from y'all on what you think about the Bamboo. Anyone else? ...

[SandiC.]

Ok, here's my take on this.

!. You already gave a great reason for having the pen tablet....extractions. I have no idea how I managed with a mouse or a touchpad.
2. Brushwork....so much more control with the pen.
3. I absolutely agree with Christy on getting the tablet bundled with PSE7, one price, two goodies. 7 is not that much different from 8 and they are both way better than 4.
4. I have the pen and touch. I don't really use the touch all that much, but use the pen for absolutely everything...don't even have a mouse anymore. If you're doing this without unlimited funds, go for the pen for sure.
5. You really don't NEED a tablet, but it is a great tool and one that speeds up scrapping and gives you more control with whatever you are doing. Its been one of my favorite new goodies to play with.

[Smiles]

If you get one, force yourself to learn how to program the buttons (she says from experience...)

[Bluebonnet Lady]

Y'all are talking me into it! lol -- I do think I'll do the bundle (w/PSE 7), since almost everything I see is made for PSE7, haven't seen much for version 8 yet, and anyway, I've been four revisions behind, what would being one behind hurt! ;-)

Off to do some comparison shopping ...

[SandiC.]

Try Costco online and Amazon.

[Bluebonnet Lady]

I think Amazon has the best deal of the ones I've checked so far. Now just waiting for the deposit to clear ... (drums fingers ...)

[naninca]

Well, you ladies are certainly convincing me that a Bamboo is in my future. I have some birthday money to spend, so this might be the time!
Here's my question, though: Will it fit on my lap? No, really. I have back issues, and almost always have my feet up when I'm sitting. (For example, right now I'm on the couch with the laptop on my upper thighs and a cat on my shins.)
So, my laptop is literally on my lap, and I use the mouse on my thigh. Where would I put a tablet?
And, is it possible to buy it without PSE7 for a lower price? Just upgraded to PSE8. I do have a friend who's interested in the pages I do, so she might be interested in buying PSE from me, but I'd rather have her buy it herself...
Nancy

[Bluebonnet Lady]

Yes, Nancy, you can get it without the software package, because that's what I was originally thinking of doing. I just went to Amazon and put "Wacom Bamboo" in the search bar and it brought up all the Bamboo products. You just have to look at the details and make sure it doesn't include the software. Also, you have to put the item in your cart as if you're going to buy it to see Amazon's price, since it's lower than what the manufacturer allows to have "published".

I sit on the couch with my laptop most of the time, too, because of back issues (can't sit in an office chair for long at a time), and I was thinking of just putting the pad on the seat next to me, which is where I also have the mouse (next to me). If that doesn't work I do have a computer table, but it's so much easier to just put the laptop on my lap top! lol