Category Archives: Wacom EMR

Wacom EMR is traditional Wacom digitizer tech.

Dell Canvas 27: Hands-on at CES

dellcanvas27review

The new Dell Canvas 27″ tablet monitor, slated to hit the shelves at the end of April 2017, was on display at this year’s CES 2017. I was fortunate enough try it out. It’s the first large art tablet monitor made by Dell.

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Dell Canvas 27 (bottom) and Ultra Sharp monitor (top). Photo by Dell

Dell Canvas uses Wacom EMR pen

The Canvas is a bit like a Surface Studio except that the Canvas is a tablet monitor, not a 2-in-1, so it’s more similar to the Cintiq 27″ and has the same resolution. Dell states the Canvas pen is Wacom EMR. (Dell’s recent products have used Wacom AES, and before that they used Synaptics).

EMR is the most sensitive and what Wacom uses on its own Cintiqs. This pen was thick but comfortable and had two buttons. Its girth and simple barrel shape reminded me of pens by Huion more than the skinnier, shapelier pens used by Wacom and Microsoft.

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It only does Windows

The Canvas has to be connected to a computer, and that computer has to be running Windows. This is a big difference from any other tablet monitor, as most will work with Windows PCs or Macs out of the box. (Maybe Apple will fight back by coming out with its own tablet monitor or all-in-one with Apple Pencil!)

Dell partnered with Microsoft on the Canvas, and the Canvas will work with the Creators Update, and will run with AVID. Dell, naturally, suggests using the Canvas with the Dell Precision workstation, which is powerful enough to create VR content.

The Canvas is protected by Gorilla Glass. It has some cool functions like virtual desktops, and it comes with two kinds of “Totems” (ahem, Surface Dial clones) that you can twist and turn.

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Display overlay shows open programs. Photo: tabletsforartists.com

Dell’s initial idea was the SmartDesk, where the two monitors would interact, but it’s not clear if that will come to fruition or if it will be the regular routine. In this case, there are actually three monitors–the laptop, the Canvas, and the eye-level monitor.

2.5k display resolution

The display has a 2560 x 1440 QHD resolution (111 PPI). A close competitor would be Wacom’s 27″ Cintiq, with the same resolution (2.5K). The all-in-one, 28″ Surface Studio packs 4500 x 3000 (192 PPI). So the Canvas is pretty high resolution, but it could be higher. However, the 2.5K will have an easier time working with more Windows computers than a 4K or higher would.

The Dell Canvas’ wide color gamut covers 100% of Adobe RGB, which is a welcome feature for pros who print their own work.

Palm rejection worked well. The stand is adjustable, and I like that it can lie flat as a desk, something the Surface Studio’s hinge does not allow.

As you can see, the pen is accurate with no jitter. It also had no detectable tilt sensitivity (which could change) or perhaps there were tilt settings I needed to adjust.

Two Totems for the Dell Canvas 27

To me, two Totems plus the pen and multiple monitors is a lot to think about and the idea of the 20-point multitouch, which can accommodate an extra person or two, starts to seem a bit left-brained. Right now there are not a whole lot of apps for the Totem and Surface Dial, but these are in their early stages.

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Totem with contextual menu. The Canvas comes with two kinds of Totems. Photo: tabletsforartists.com

The whole thing is very BUSY pus there are lots and lots of on-screen menus. It’s not exactly Zen, but it offers a lot of options. Right now the levels of pressure sensitivity are not clear, nor are other specs.

For now, my hands-on experience with the Dell Canvas 27 leaves me feeling like it’s not a huge leg up over other 27″ tablet monitors as far as hardware.

The jury’s out on the software, as that’s such a big part of this, and it is impressive. But what are the specific benefits? Do all the accessories and tools make the designer’s workload easier, or is this an exercise in deconstructing and fragmenting workflow?

For most users who draw, having the top monitor is not needed. It looks cool, and there are good reasons to use it, but the Canvas doesn’t need it. For multimedia design, or if you want to make sure colors match, or you want to see your work higher-res, it makes sense. But it’s part of the packaging of the Canvas.

The Verdict–for now

Because at the time of this writing, the product has not yet come out, this Dell Canvas review is focused on testing the pen, examining the screen, speed of the computer, and more. For now, I’m not sold on the Totem/Dial, though that could change, and no one’s forcing me to use it. Microsoft’s Surface Dial is an optional purchase, unlike the two Totems, suggesting that Dell feels they’re integral to the software.

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The display is certainly pleasing and I like the idea of the eye-level monitor, though that’s an individual choice. For drawing, I would probably just prop up the Canvas to 20 degrees and use that.

Dell released a lot of innovative and award-getting products at CES, including a super-thin 8k monitor and the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1, which uses Wacom AES.  Dell has put out numerous tablets, but somehow you didn’t hear about them all that much–most of them have been small portables, such as the Venue series. They had a rocky journey with three versions of a Synaptics pen before switching over to AES.

The pen and digitizer information on their site seems to confuse people, as I can tell from the questions I’ve gotten, but this is de rigueur with large companies who didn’t focus on pen tablets. Now, Dell has stepped into the limelight with this large art gizmo.

Now Dell is working with Microsoft and incorporating Wacom, aiming to get in more seriously on the art action. I particularly like the software, such as the overlay, and look forward to seeing the finished product.

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Lenovo Yoga Book first look: type where you draw

Lenovo Yoga Book first look: keyboard and tablet meld into one

Lenovo Yoga Book review

Yoga Book in Create Mode

Lenovo, which was once IBM, has never been known for being artsy. Despite the fact that a lot of their laptops, such as the ThinkPad Yoga line, are tablet PCs with Wacom pressure sensitivity, the computers are still marketed largely at business.

See our hands-on review of the Lenovo Yoga Book.

So this Chinese company’s upcoming release, the Lenovo Yoga Book, is a pleasant surprise. It’s super-slim and light–right now, it’s the world’s lightest, thinnest 2-in-1 of the major 2-in-1s. It just debuted at IFA, a consumer tech-convention in Berlin, and has not yet been released to the public. I’ve gone over the available info to present all I can about this new art tablet.

Perhaps Lenovo is following the zeitgeist that has brought us the paper-to-pixel Wacom Spark and iskn Slate. Whatever they’re doing, they’ve created a versatile digital art and writing tool. Their focus was on mobile productivity, and they asked many users what they wanted in a mobile device.

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The two Lenovo Yoga book pen tips, one with real ink and the other a stylus

Lenovo product developers spent 18 months working out each detail, listening to focus groups, conducting studies, and testing different components.

As a computer, the specs are nothing special. It sports an Atom X5 CPU and 4GB RAM, so it’s more of a kitten than a beast. The Atom probably keeps the price low, and it is quite affordable. It’s discouraging that it has only 64GB of on-board storage, but it has a micro SD slot to go up to 256GB.

Features

Digitizer (on keyboard/drawing surface only, not on screen): Wacom EMR with 2,048 levels of pressure sensitivity
100 degrees of tilt sensitivity
Screen: 10.1″ (diagonal) Capacitive touch IPS LCD with Lenovo Anypen tech
IPS display (1920×1200)
OS: Android and Windows model (hardware is the same on both)
Build: Magnesium aluminum alloy
Processor: Atom X5, 2.4GHz
Brightness: 400 nits
Color Gamut: 70% of sRGB
Colors: Champagne Gold, Gunmetal Gray
Battery Life: 8,500mAh battery. Android 15 hours, Windows 13 hours
Dimensions: 10.1″ × 6.72″ × 0.38″ (256.6 × 170.8 × 9.6 mm)
Weight: 1.52 lbs (.69 kg)
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 64GB
Micro SD slot up to 256GB
LTE (AT&T, T-Mobile)
Ports: micro USB, HDMI out, microSD card slot
Cameras: 8MP rear, MP front
Software: comes with Windows Mobile Microsoft Office apps, OneNote, trial of ArtRage Lite
Optional Accessories: Sleeve, ink-cartridge refills, paper refills

yogabooksize

It’s compact and goes well with this hand model.

What’s in the Box:

Yoga Book
Charger
USB cable
Warranty card
Quick Start Guide
Real Pen
3 ink-cartridge refills
Book Pad (metal clipboard accessory with paper pad, the whole thing clips into the cover)

Portability

Very portable at a little over a pound and a half and a slim .38 of an inch. Its clamshell design protects it, so you can use a sleeve and put the pen in the sleeve if you want, but you don’t have to add weight with a hard-shell case the way you do with, say, an iPad Pro.

Art Programs

Photoshop CC and other Adobe CC programs will run sluggishly; the Atom is not made to handle them. But smaller art programs such as Photoshop Elements and Sketchbook Pro should work fine, and their file-saving options are compatible with Photoshop CC. So you could open your art on a more powerful computer with CC.

The tablet comes with a trial of ArtRage Lite, which is very inexpensive even in the full version. I can see why they picked ArtRage because of its many simulations of real-world brushes, including oil paint, rollers, and glitter–it’s a fun and well-made program.

The Google Play store has plenty of Android art apps, some of which are good such as Procreate, but given that the hardware is the same here for either OS, if you’re trying to choose between the Android and Windows version, I’d go for Windows since its environment allows for desktop programs as well as Windows apps.

Like the rest of the Lenovo Yoga line, the Book takes various poses, including Tent, Stand, Tablet. and Laptop. It’s a clamshell design, and can open fully flat.

yogabookmodes

Battery Life

The Book comes in both Android and Windows version, with the Android lasting an impressive 15 hours on a single charge, and the Windows a long 13 hours. That’s quite a bit of stamina.

The Create Pad offers 100 degrees of tilt sensitivity, giving a natural look and feel to drawing and handwriting.

Pen

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Yoga Book dual-use Real Pen uses real, custom ink

The batteryless, Wacom EMR pen gives feedback so you can tell the difference between a brush, crayon, or pencil. It sounds like the sensors respond to assorted digital brushes and trigger haptic feedback.

The Real Pen has no buttons or eraser end. The cap is metal and attaches magnetically to the Book or to the metal Book Pad accessory. The Real Pen uses real ink for when you want to place real paper over the digitizer surface and draw or write. The Book comes with three ink cartridge refills, and you have to use that kind of ink, but you can use any paper. The Real Pen comes with a white digitizer tip to use on the Create Pad as well as on the touchscreen. When you want to use the real ink, you put in a Real Ink cartridge.

By the way, it seems they’ve bumped up the levels of EMR from 1,024 to match the 2,048 of the more recent Wacom AES digitizers. EMR is smoother and more natural-feeling than AES, and better for small writing. AES is really not bad, but EMR is the gold standard, and I’m glad they’ve brought it back, because it has been getting phased out in favor of the less-expensive AES.

Using digitizing ink isn’t anything new, but your work appears immediately on the screen rather than having to sync. There are integrated note-taking, sharing, and annotating abilities for writing. The pen does not convert handwriting to text. The company explains that the use of multiple languages and characters is problematic with such conversions, and they want you to use the Halo Keyboard for text input.

Screen

You can also draw on the LCD screen but, apparently, without pressure sensitivity. The screen has AnyPen tech, but lacks the EMR digitizer layer. The company gives you two pen tips, one that compatible with the screen and one with the digitizer. You can also use your fingers on the touchscreen.

AnyPen does not offer pressure sensitivity and thus is not very different from a normal touchscreen, except you can use non-pens on it–metal or organic things–such as a banana, or fork–anything not fully plastic.

Since the Book has an HDMI port, you can attach a larger monitor to it.

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Using the Yoga Book with a larger monitor

Halo Keyboard

The Halo Keyboard is only there where you need it, brought to life by a ghostly membrane that comprises one of the inner layers. When you’re not typing, it takes on its alter ego, the Create Pad, where you draw on the pad or on paper, with your handwriting or drawing immediately showing on the screen.

You can use art programs, OneNote, or other programs to write or draw. To avoid accidental keystrokes, touch is disabled when you type, except at the center. There is no key travel, which saves time. Key-travel distance means the distance the key has to be pressed down to be recognized, and is zero, because it’s flat.

Lenovo says because they honed the design so much and added haptic feedback, typists typed 66% faster than other touch keyboards. Not only that, but slower typists can used a fixed layout, while touch typists jog along on a “virtual moving layout.”

Perhaps we’re looking at a future with changeable, customizable keyboards for different programs, such a as Photoshop hotkeys.

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Halo Keyboard: now you see it, now you don’t, and when you don’t, it’s the drawing surface

People tend to whack at touch keyboards as if there are keys there, but there’s nothing to absorb the blow, causing the force to bounce back onto your fingertips, which can be uncomfortable and make for poor ergonomics. The haptic feedback may help in not overstressing your digits.

Resting your palms at the bottom will not disturb anything; this keyboard has palm rejection where needed. Not only that, but the keyboard measures the strength of each finger tap and can tell the difference between an accidental slip of a fingertip and a real keystroke. Haptic vibrations make you feel like the comforting clackety-clack.

The whole touch panel is semi-transparent, with Lenovo considering over 100 samples to get the best anti-glare coating.

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Lenovo Yoga Book Pad included accessory (right)

Create Pad

The top layer of Gorilla Glass has an anti-glare coating and a matte/grainy feeling to give the bite of paper, with the EMR layer underneath. The Create Pad has a decent-sized area to draw, something near a regular sheet of paper, and the metal pen cap attaches to the Yoga Book and the Book Pad notepad–since there’s no bezel, it’s good there’s something to stop the pen from rolling off should you have the Book at an angle. Since the Gorilla Glass Create Pad surface has texture, it won’t slip like on glass.

Right side shows artwork on the Create Pad, left side is after coloring using digital tools.

The Create Pad goes into, what else–Create Mode, when you draw or handwrite. The pad is a flush, flat, active area, hence there’s a good-sized workspace; painted borders show you the active area, the inactive area is a fairly small margin.

There are no hotkeys, it’s just one continuous piece. It’s hard to compare this to a regular drawing tablet; its simple form is reminiscent of the basic tablets just used for signatures, but this one has lots of pressure levels and tilt as well.

Thoughts on the Lenovo Yoga Book

It’s sort of like using a graphics tablet along with a screen, but the screen is a lot closer, and you can see what you’re doing when using ink. But since you’re using an art program with various colors and brushes, what you end up drawing won’t necessarily look like what’s on paper. I have more to do to learn exactly how this works.

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The custom, watchband-style hinge has three axes, and is made of five materials, and 130 mechanical pieces. A touch of Steampunk, no?

The sheer lightness and user-friendliness, and its novelty make this a fun and useful device if it fills your needs. Those who want a powerful computer will not be satisfied. Those who want something similar in concept but that works across devices might check out the iskn Slate, which lets you use real markers, pen, and pencils.

lenovo yoga book hinge

If you want a handy, light, on-the-go, art-writing-journaling bringalong with a cool design may like this as a productivity tool. It should be out in Fall 2016.

Read more on the Lenovo blog.

See it on Amazon

PDF Downloads:

Lenovo Yoga Book Windows spec sheet

Lenovo Yoga Book Android spec sheet

samsung galaxy tab a s pen review

Galaxy Tab A with S Pen review: Samsung tablet a fine sketchbook

Galaxy Tab A  10.1 (2016)with S Pen review: portable Samsung great for sketching

Galaxy Tab A with S Pen Review

In Oct. 2016, Samsung released this updated version of the 9.7″ one that’s got an HD screen, more memory, and is larger at 10.1.” This Samsung tablet with pen is one of my favorite portables for art, especially sketching.

2014 Galaxy Tab A with S Pen 9.7"2016 Galaxy Tab A with S Pen 10.1"
Screen size: 9.7"
Resolution: 1024 x 768
Processor: 1.2 GHz, quadcore
OS: Android 5.0.2 Lollipop
RAM: 1.5 GB
Storage: 16 GB, expandable to 128 GB with MicroSD card
Weight: 1.07 lbs.
Micro USB 2.0 port
Battery life: up to 15 hrs. Web browsing


Screen size: 10.1"
Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Processor: 1.6 GHz, octacore
OS: Android 6.0 Marshmallow
RAM: 3 GB
Storage: 16 GB, expandable to 256 GB with MicroSD card
Weight: 1 lb.
Micro USB 2.0 port
Battery life: about 14 hrs. Web browsing




The Galaxy Tab A with S Pen is an affordable drawing tablet you can tote anywhere. Its 4:3 aspect ratio is a benefit for artists. Its size is large enough to draw comfortably on, and you have your pick of Galaxy Apps and apps from the Google Play store.

The S pen is Wacom, and you’ll get pressure sensitivity and palm rejection, which are important for creating art. It has the Enhanced S Pen, which detects angles as well.

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Galaxy Tab A with S Pen (2016 version)

Type of Tablet

Android tablet

Features

Runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow
screen resolution: 1920×1080
10.1 inches diagonal
Dimensions: 10.5 x 6.4 x 1.9 in.
4:3 aspect ratio
RAM: 3GB
1.55 lbs.
Smooth plastic casing
16 GB storage
MicroSD slot expandable up to 200GB
8 MP rear camera
Octa-core 1ghz
QuickConnect lets you share back and forth with your 2015 or later Samsung Smart TV

What’s in the box

Tablet, S pen, charger head (power plug), micro-USB cable, Quickstart Guide, warranty info

Reminder: only the Tab A that has “with S Pen” in the name uses an S Pen, and it comes with it. The regular Galaxy Tab A does not have the S Pen and will not work with it, nor get pressure sensitivity.

The S Pen that comes with it is thin, but it’s not a simple stylus. It’s a full Wacom EMR pen, and if you wish, you can use a batteryless Wacom EMR pen meant for penabled tablet PCs.

Using the tablet

Samsung’s tablets have a lot of nifty abilities, such as being able to multitask, with up to 5 windows open at once, use split-screen with apps (you can have two apps open at once and even drag things from one to another), handwriting recognition, a mic, and more.

There are two power-saving modes, one called Ultra Power Saver, which simplifies the interface to save battery life.

When you remove the S Pen from its sheath, Air Command, a steering-wheel-like dashboard, pops up and lets you use the pen to perform operations such as take a screenshot or open an app. You can handwrite something to put into an app, such as email or notes.

The S pen is not simply an addition that happens to make marks; its functionality is an integral part of S pen-enabled tablets. You can draw, write, crop, and capture. The S Pen writing app has digital fountain and calligraphy pens.

Having a wide range of digital pen nibs is a familiar experience to art-app users, but may be new for people who have been stuck with one basic pen in the main tablet interface until now. The Calligraphy and Fountain pens allow you to go formal or lay down a digital signature with gravitas.

The on-screen keyboard has a row of numbers over the letters, which is convenient for typing in passwords, so you don’t have to switch to a numerical keyboard. There is also a handwriting keyboard that converts handwriting to typed text and even a voice keyboard that turns utterings into text.

Screen

The 4:3 aspect ratio is new for Samsung tablets and makes the Tab A resemble an iPad. This aspect ratio is more similar to proportions of paper and canvas that most artists draw on, so it’s preferable for drawing than the more common 16:9 or 16:10 of most Android (and some Windows) tablets. 4:3 also good for reading, as you don’t have to scroll the page sideways when using it in landscape orientation.

The PLS (plane line switching) TFT Gorilla Glass screen is nice and bright, with good color accuracy. It’s not quite as high-end as the AMOLED screen of the pricier Note.

The Adaptive Display feature is a light sensor that adjusts the tablet’s brightness, color, and sharpness to your environment.

The glass surface is slick and toothless and the S Pen’s hard plastic tip glides over it. If you prefer to have a bit of tooth to draw with, try a matte screen protector. It really makes a difference.

Pen

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You must use the pen that comes with it with the Tab A. The Note S pen will not work with the Galaxy Tab A, (hough a regular Wacom pen will work on the Wacom Note devices as well as on the Galaxy Tab A with S pen).

An ordinary Wacom pen made for a penabled Wacom tablet works with it may be a more comfortable choice to draw with. Testing the S pen showed that it has rotation sensitivity. Palm rejection works well.

The pen has a hard plastic tip, making it glide over the Gorilla Glass screen.

Converting handwriting is encouraged with this tablet. With a bit of practice on both your parts, the tablet will recognize your handwriting, and you will learn to tailor your penmanship to what the tablet can read.

Setup is easy, and you can import your data from other Android tablets via your Google account.

Portability

At about a pound and a half, this is quite portable. Of course, you need to carry it in some kind of protective case or sleeve, and that will add weight too.

For Lefties

The tablet controls and setup should be fine for the left-handed. Most controls are on the right, with the S Pen slot at the upper right corner. The rest are on the bottom, leaving the top and left edges with no controls.

Controls

The important Back and Recent Apps buttons on either side of the Home button are hard to see. They are harder to see in the Smokey Titanium color than the white. I would think people would soon remember where these buttons are.

If you’ve never had an Android tablet, these are frequently used buttons. They allow you to back out of an app when you have lost your way. On the right side of the tablet is the volume button.

The tablet recognizes gesture, allowing you to take a photo without actually touching the screen.

Software

Quite a bit oof space is taken up by the OS. Fortunately, the storage is expandable via MicroSD card of up to 128 GB. You can keep apps and media on that.

Many Android art apps allow multiple layers, creating and editing of high-res files, and offer options to adjust sizes and export and import certain file types, just as full desktop apps do. 3-D modeling apps are also available.

No mobile art app offers the power of a desktop program like Photoshop–but not everyone needs all that power all the time. An artist with the Galaxy Tab A with S Pen can do more with than than they can with an iPad because of the Tab A’s native pressure sensitivity.

The Galaxy Tab A with S Pen does have some non-removable bloatware, but not as much as some previous Samsung tablets.

If you’re selling your wares at, say, an art fair, you can use the Square App to accept credit-card payments. (The old-fashioned, pre-app way was to do it in the browser using PayPal).

The Side Sync apps mirrors your Samsung phone, so that if you get a text on your phone, you can answer it on your tablet.

And if you need a break to play Angry Birds, you can do light gaming such as that on this tablet, but nothing too processor-heavy. Sorry, gamers, there is no haptic feedback.

Because of the 4:3 aspect ratio, movies will have a black bar on the top and bottom because movies have a 16:9 aspect ratio. Just pretend you’re at a drive-in.

Battery Life

Excellent. 13  hours of Internet use

User Ratings and Reviews

Customer feedback has been very positive, I got the idea a lot of people who bought this tablet were using a tablet with a stylus for the first time and loved it. Remember that this is a budget tablet. Without the S pen, it’s not the biggest bargain, but when you add the S Pen in, it becomes attractive to artists who want a digital sketchbook, and to those those just dipping their brushes into the digital-art jar.

This is being marketed as a general use, versatile tablet for everyone. Paired with a keyboard, this can be a productive all-in-one tablet.

Gadgets should reflect the organic qualities of humans, and this one really does with the natural feeling of the pen. I do recommend getting a larger Wacom EMR pen, though.

Pressure sensitivity will vary from app to app.

Pros

S pen with ability to edit, hover, use Air Command, copy text or other content between apps
Multitasking–can use multiple apps at once
Affordable
Comfortable drawing size
Wacom-powered; usable with other Wacom pens
4:3 aspect ratio
Fast
expandable storage
QuickConnect

Cons Android navigation buttons are not backlit
No haptic (vibrational) feedback

The Verdict

This Samsung Galaxy Tab A with S Pen 10.1 (2016) with S Pen review is a thumbs up: it’s a great little digital sketchbook. This is a fine entry-level art tablet that offers useful apps such as ArtRage and Sketchbook Pro as well as many others. The size and aspect ratio make it good to draw, read, and write on. Colors are bright.

In addition to reading this Galaxy Tab A with S Pen review, you might want to check out the Galaxy Note 10.1 with S Pen review if you want a more high-end version with better screen resolution.

Also check out the higher-end Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 with S Pen as a drawing tablet.

ALSO SEE: Galaxy Tab S3

Samsung Galaxy Tab-S3-with-S-Pen

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 with S Pen

-a high-end Android tablet with an upgraded S Pen. See it on Amazon

Optional Accessories: Pens

Staedtler Noris Digital Samsung Pencil (Wacom EMR)

wacom pen

Wacom pen (Note: there is not a way to store this pen on the tablet, and it’s not an “official” accessory, but it works.)

For other options for a good digital sketchbook, see them in the comparison chart.

If you’re trying to figure out which tablet to get, see this informational article, The Best Drawing Tablet for You.

End of Galaxy Tab A with S Pen review: an affordable drawing tablet

Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 2 in 1 Review: Business in the front, arty when bent back

lenovo thinkpad yoga 2 in 1 review
Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 2 in 1: a business laptop with an arty bent

by Tablets for Artists

(Note: also called 2nd-gen. Lenovo Yoga ThinkPad 12)

Type of tablet

Convertible (or hybrid) laptop/tablet PC Ultrabook that comes with Windows 8.1 Pro, 64 bit.

The Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 2 in 1 is business in the front, arty when bent back. By appearances, it’s a business machine. “Suits” shuffling spreadsheets would be happy working in Office Suite on this unremarkable-looking black rectangle.

But use it as a tablet, and artists can get real mileage out of it. It’s a definite rival to the Surface Pro 3 (read our Surface Pro 3 review) for creatives who want a real laptop while still getting art features. The ThinkPad Yoga offers a Wacom digitizer with 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity, and Windows 8.1 allows you to run full programs such as Photoshop as well Metro apps. The screen flips 360 degrees into four positions: laptop, tablet, tablet with stand, and tent.

Specs

12.5-inch Full HD touchscreen
Intel Core i7-4500U (there is i5 model too)
8GB memory/256GB SSD
12.5 in Full HD IPS (1920 x 1080)
10-finger multi-touch support
4-in-1 card reader (SD/SDHC/SDXC/MMC)
2 USB 3.0 (1 charge)
Mini HDMI
Lenovo OneLink dock port (dock not included)
Dimensions: 12.46 x 8.70 x 0.76 in (316.48 x 220.98 x 19.30 mm)
Weight: 3.49 lbs (1.58 kg)

For lefties:

It’s a laptop, so “handedness” is the same as on any laptop.

 

Pen

 

lenovo thinkpad yoga stylus

The pen that comes with the ThinkPad Yoga 2 in 1

 

The pen, which fits into the side chassis, is pretty flimsy and you would probably want some others. Several artists and note-takers recommend the Fujitsu T5000 pen for use because its hard tip meets well with the screen, it has two buttons and an eraser, and is solidly built.

Most tablet PC pens will work with the ThinkPad Yoga. The N-trig pen for Surface Pro 3 will not.

 

Features

The screen connects to the keyboard via a stiff hinge that feels more durable than a lot of convertibles that swivel instead of bend into the four “poses.” (With other tablet PC laptops, the keyboard gets sandwiched into the middle in tablet mode.) In tablet mode, the keyboard ends up on the back. Its innovative “lift and lock” mechanism makes the keyboard retract and lock, so pressing it by accident while you’re holding the tablet won’t do anything. The trackpad doesn’t lock, so you might click on it if you’re holding the computer in your hand. At 3.5 lbs., you probably won’t hold it in one hand all that much.

While it’s a boon that the screen is slightly bigger than the Surface Pro 3, the widescreen of the Yoga with its 16:9 aspect ratio (1920 x 1080p) isn’t always welcomed. The SP 3 has a 2:3 “golden mean” ratio, more like a piece of paper or an iPad. (The Surface Pro s 1 and 2 are also widescreen).

I’m nearly always zoomed in when drawing, or else I’m drawing something smaller than the screen, so I tend to forget the screen size while I’m drawing, but aesthetically I prefer the 2:3 aspect ratio. The widescreen can feel awkward when drawing in portrait mode. The 16:9 size has some benefits–it’s the perfect proportions to watch a movie.

Portability

At 3.5 lbs., this is portable, but for those of us who feel weighed down by that much, it may be something that you don’t want to carry over your shoulder for long periods. Still, as far as travel, its dimensions are pretty compact, and you can watch it on a plane (even in economy class).

Screen

The Corning Gorilla Glass is comes installed with a matte screen protector that is supposed to stay on. While I’m uncertain if removing it would void the warranty, it might, and you should consult the warranty co. if you want to remove it. But I and other artists think it provides a nice “bite” or resistance which benefits drawing.

The screen is not as bright as the Surface Pro 3. The matte surface, being less reflective than glossy gives better visibility when outdoors or near a window. While looking at art on a bright screen is great, while working, keeping the brightness lower not only saves battery, but saves your eyes. But if you like a really bright display, this might not be for you.

lenovo thinkpad yoga 2 in 1 review

The keyboard is nice and is backlit.

One drawback of the Yoga is that in tablet mode with the keyboard on the back in a locked position, if you’re using Photoshop or some other program with keyboard shortcuts, you’re going to have to open the keyboard to unlock it, or use a Bluetooth keyboard or the onscreen keyboard (these can be a pain when there are key combinations you have to press). It’s an issue with any convertible tablet PC, but with this one it’s a bit more of an issue.

There is some edge jitter, and some parallax (space between the cursor and pen) as with any Wacom digitizer. One Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 2 in 1 review said that the calibration of multitouch and pen was off. I don’t use multitouch much and prefer to shut it off while using the stylus, but this has 10 points of multitouch and you can do gestures.

Drawing on the Yoga is a much better experience than on my Lenovo ThinkPad X201 tablet, where any stylus I use leaves sort of a thin trail coming off every line (though the computer itself is a workhorse that has been going for four years). So it seems Lenovo has worked out this digitizer issue.

No more ghosts. They also say they have solved previously reported screen ghosting issues as of July 2014, so you can check your manufacture date on the box or bottom of the computer to see if you got an updated one.

The Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 2 in 1 has a rugged exterior. It weighs about a pound more than the Surface Pro 3 (.36″ thick) and is thicker (.75″ thick), but still under an inch thick.

The Yoga is probably a better choice than a detachable-keyboard tablet like a Surface Pro if you do a lot of typing. Using a Bluetooth keyboard that connects via a hinge, like on the Surface Pro, can lead to issues such as the cursor skipping around, so heavy typing can be a headache. A full laptop is more versatile all around-work machine, though heavier to carry around.

Battery Life

Though Lenovo says up to 8, it’s more like 5. 30-day standby.

Pros

Wacom digitizer and pen, 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity.
Solid state drive gives fast bootup.
Durable magnesium alloy frame.
Nice, backlit keyboard.
Linux-friendly, according to a review.
Comes with port to OneLink Dock.

Cons

Rear-facing heat vents blow heat into your lap if you hold it in your lap. One Lenovo Yoga 2 in 1 review called it a “heat sink.” But putting any laptop on a soft surface isn’t a good idea.
Can’t use keyboard in tablet mode.
A bit heavy to carry at 3.5 lbs.
Battery life not that great, about 5 hours,  longer if just light use.
Trackpad a bit noisy/flimsy.

User reviews

Most reviews are really positive. One Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 2 in 1 review said it was the best laptop the writer had ever used (and they had used a lot), others said though imperfect, said it’s the best of the convertibles, while another complained of the heat blowing into his or her lap. Many praised its solid build. Some prefer the matte screen while others don’t. See more reviews on Amazon.

The Verdict

This is a good, durable overall computer that can last for years and act as a main typing computer as well as nearly a Cintiq. (The difference between 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity and 2,048 are not perceptible). We think it’s a good choice for those who want to both draw and type, who like a matte screen and don’t mind that the laptop weighs 3.5 lbs. and isn’t exactly a looker. The pressure sensitivity works well.

The Thinkpad Yoga 2 in 1 doesn’t heavily improve on other tablet PC laptops with Wacom digitizers, but it’s one that’s out now, has no major known problems, will receive updates, has plenty of storage, and the 4 positions it yoga-bends into are pretty useful at times. The upside of this is that when you carry a laptop, it’s much more protected than a plain tablet is, you don’t need to buy a fancy case or keyboard, and you can run full programs such as Photoshop.

Read more about the ThinkPad Yoga 2 in 1 on Amazon

See Surface Pro 3 on Amazon

See our review of the ThinkPad Yoga 14.

 

end of Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 2 in 1 review

ThinkPad Yoga 2 Accessories:

fujitsu t5000 stylus

 

Fujitsu T5000 Stylus

 

Cable Matters mini HDMI to VGA

Amazon Basics Laptop Sleeve

onelinkprodock

Lenovo ThinkPad OneLink Pro Dock

 

 

ThinkPad OneLink Pro Dock

samsunggalaxynotereview

2014 Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 Review: S Pen in Command

2014 Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 Review: draw and multitask

by Tablets for Artists
There’s a parsec of products in the Samsung Galaxy line. This review will focus on the 2014 Galaxy Note 10, which comes with a built-in S pen stylus. The 2014 Galaxy Note 10.1 features a 10.1″ screen.

samsunggalaxynote10.1review

2014 Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. See it on Amazon.

Note: The Galaxy Note is different than the Galaxy Tab. The regular Galaxy Tab does not have pressure sensitivity and does not come with a pen. If you want to use a stylus to use with a Galaxy Tab, you have to buy one separately, and it will be more like a iPad stylus.

The Galaxy Tab A with S Pen does have pressure sensitivity and a pen, as does the Galaxy TabPro S, which runs Windows.

As of 2013, Samsung has bought 5% of Wacom, so expect a continuing partnership. (Wacom tech is also found in other companies’ tablets.)

Type of Tablet

The Galaxy Note 10.1 is an Android tablet running Android 4.3, Jelly Bean.

For Lefties

It’s fine for left-handers. (The Galaxy Note Edge is another story, as it has a curved screen on one side).

Features

S Pen with eraser and Wacom integration
Wacom digitizer gives you 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity
WQXGA (2560 x 1600)
1.26 pounds
10.1-Inch high-res TFT display
9.57 x 6.75 x 0.31 inches
3 GB RAM
8MP rear camera, 2MP front
(1080p video recording), LED flash
MicroSD card slot can hold card of up to 64GB
USB 2.0
Octacore Exynos processor (eight processors, but they are not all used at once; it’s two four-core processors)
Samsung’s AllShare, which can put what’s on your tablet on a Samsung TV
Dolby Surround Sound speakers

This 2014 Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 review is of the Wi-fi model only, but you can get the Galaxy Note 10.1 with 4G from a variety of carriers.

The multi-window function is a great boon to multitaskers. It lets you have two windows open into which you can drag and drop certain apps.  You can also take a screenshot and write or draw on it.

Using a 10″ tablet gives you twice as much screen as a 7″ tablet, so there’s enough space to multitask. The tablet comes with quite a bit of free content. We like the two free years of 50GB Dropbox.

 

Portability

At one and a quarter pounds, that’s not much weight considering how much productivity you can get with it.

 

What’s Included

The tablet, S Pen, USB charging cable, travel adapter, quickstart guide.

 

Screen

The Galaxy Note 10.1 screen is high-resolution, with over 4 million pixels, which is double that of HDTV, according to Samsung. The 299ppi is dense, denser than the iPad Air Retina, which boasts 264ppi. The Note’s resolution is really as high as the eye can perceive high resolution. The screen is so bright that it gets good visibility outdoors. So, the display is awesome.

S Pen

galaxy note 10.1 review s pen

The S pen conveniently fits into the side top.

Wacom’s FEEL technology has been integrated into many aspects of the Note. When you use Air Command with the S Pen, a small round window pops up, giving you five functions. With Air Command you can convert handwriting to text you can then format, also make a call, add contacts (such as jotting down a phone number with the pen and converting it), use maps, search, or add to your to-do list.

A nifty feature called Pen Window lets you draw a square which becomes a small multitasking window where you can then open YouTube, the browser or other apps while remaining in your screen. Multitasking is the name of the game; you can drag and drop content and have multiple windows open. This is a major benefit over the one-thing-at-a-time iPad.

There’s also a side window that slides out from the left that serves up maps, YouTube, Evernote, and other apps. Handwriting works smoothly on the Note, even if you’ve got little tiny handwriting.

As art apps get more sophisticated, artists can do a lot without using full Photoshop, including using layers, creating high-resolution files, and exporting files as JPGs. There are many Android drawing and painting apps.

The Galaxy Note could be a go-to tablet for sketching, general productivity, and for some artists it’s enough for finished art for print. Drawing on it is a pleasure. Though some users reported lag, we did not experience any.

 

Alternatives to the S Pen

Nice as the S-pen is, face it, it’s thin. Though fine for note-taking, doodling, and sketching, it can cramp your hand when drawing for hours on end. And you might prefer the stroke quality of other pens; if you can, try a few and draw holding the pen at different angles.

If you prefer a writing implement that’s a little more solid, there are some alternatives. One is the Wacom Bamboo Stylus Feel for Samsung Galaxy Note. It lacks an eraser, so you’d have to use the eraser in your art app.

Or there’s the the Galaxy Note Genuine Wacom Touch Pen 8pi Stylus. This sports an eraser on the non-writing end.

Since it’s a regular Wacom digitizer, you could use any pen for Wacom-penabled PCs, such as this one, a full-size pen that’s comfortable to write with. This one will not fit into the S Pen slot.

samsung-pen

Samsung pen

One article suggested calibration may be off with non-S pens. I did not find this to be true in testing it.

 

Controls

Since the nifty multi-window lets you do two completely different things at once, you could draw and do image research at the same time.

Besides being your portable art studio, you can use the tablet as an e-reader as well as a universal remote control and TV guide.

The buttons are on the side, so they don’t change depending how you’re holding the tablet, portrait or landscape. You have to be a little careful to not push them by accident.

 

Software

Android apps are available on the Google Play store. Most cost a few dollars, with many free ones. Apps such as Sketchbook Pro and Layer Paint HD will let you open large files, even 10,000 x 10,000 pixels. The number of layers you can create varies with canvas size. Try GIMP for Android; this free, open source alternative to Photoshop is now in Google Play.

 

Battery Life

Long; up to 9 hours, even 10 if you’re not doing power-intensive stuff like gaming. With gaming, the tablet works fine and can go about 4 hours.

 

Customer Ratings and Reviews

Almost every 2014 Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 review is positive. The Note is a popular item among both artists and nonartists. The handwriting capabilities receive praise. Most lag issues have been fixed by updates, according to reviewers–some of the first ones out were sluggish. One  2014 Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 review calls it “smoking fast,” another “a beast.” At this fairly high price, consumers should demand excellent performance.

TIP:

In Developer Settings, turning the animation scales off or to the lowest setting should speed up performance even more.

 

Pros

Excellent battery life

High-resolution, bright screen

Good handwriting recognition; will convert handwriting to text

Can be used with a Bluetooth keyboard or even an external monitor

Multitasking

Fast

 

Cons

Some experience lag with TouchWiz, or don’t like TouchWiz. There’s no easy way to disable it.

Not cheap

All plastic with the back being faux leather with “stitching.” Depending how you look at it, that’s refreshingly creative or slightly tacky. I kind of like it, myself.

As with any device, some people’s failed, but there is not a high rate of complaints.

 

Should you get this or an iPad Pro?

Update:  (When this article was first written, it was before the iPad Pro). The Galaxy Note is a better choice for artists than a regular iPad, it’s more of a competitor to an iPad Pro. The main advantages of the Galaxy Note over iPad Pro are that the S Pen is included, and the memory is expandable. There is no pen battery to worry about with the Note. It also would not be too expensive to get a new pen if yours gets lost.

However, at this point, I’d recommend the iPad Pro because it’s newer and more up to date. If you’re more of an Android fan, the Note is still viable, but it’s aging. A new Note may be in the pipeline.

With a regular iPad you can now get pressure sensitivity via Bluetooth in certain apps, but you are limited to a fairly small lineup of apps; some iPad styluses for art are more accurate than others.

The Verdict

This is a premium tablet that makes a powerful little sketchbook or portable art studio. It does not replace a Wacom Cintiq or full tablet PC. The pens do not have the tilt sensitivity like the more costly professional art tablets such as the Cintiq or Intuos.

 

Optional Accessories

 

galaxynote10.1review

Professional Ultra SanDisk 64GB MicroSDXC Card

 

 

 

See the Galaxy Note 10.1 on Amazon.

 

Now that you’ve read this Galaxy Note 10.1 review, it’s time to check out some artmaking!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwKOBOeuMjU

 

End of 2014 Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 review