hello all!
i was using a tablet pc before but it's out dated and now i want a new one. i wanted to ask whether using a tablet is better or tablet pc. so please help me decide whether to buy a normal laptop or a tablet one.
Well, I'm no expert on tablet PCs, but I'm pretty sure you can get a larger screen on a laptop than you can on a tablet PC. More screen real estate is always better.
The downside to a tablet is that you're drawing in a different spot than you're looking, so you have to get used to that.
I've been using a tablet for 7 years now and love it. I have tried a tablet PC in the past and had a hard time adjusting to it. I did reconsider switching to a tablet PC a couple of years ago when I was watching a demo DVD of a guy using it with Flash (the program I use day in and day out). I made my final decision to never switch when I saw him use the timeline at the top of the screen to scrub through his animation and he had to twist and contort his arm so that it wasn't covering the screen in order to see his animation. With the regular tablet, it's out of the way, plus you don't have to be hunched over your screen every time you want to draw. You can sit back and relax.
I made my final decision to never switch when I saw him use the timeline at the top of the screen to scrub through his animation and he had to twist and contort his arm so that it wasn't covering the screen in order to see his animation.
Thats why you move the timeline to the bottom of the screen instead of at the top. :D
Welcome to the AWN Forums Ella.
I use both. At work I use a desktop PC with at Wacom Tablet. At home I have a Toshiba Tecra Tablet PC as well as t Wacom Tablet. I also work predominantly in Flash. Here are a few pros and cons.
Tablets still have slightly better resolution than the Tablet PCs, meaning the tilt angle is better. Your arm and hands aren't in the way of what you are looking at, it's just the curser on the screen.
Tablet PCs there is a slight lag when you move your stylus fast across the screen. You hand does tend to get in the way of things. If you fold the screen down into tablet mode, it covers the keyboard, thus taking away all your hot keys. This can be fixed with a small USB keyboard, which I have. It is a bit heavy to hold up with your arm and sketch for hours on end.
The up sides, you can draw right on the screen! Pluss it's an all in one computer so you can work on the train or out in the park with it. Can't do that with a tablet and desktop PC. Most come with handwriting recognition software that you can write and it will convert it to font text. It's also set up from the begining so you don't have to write out the alphabet so the software can read it. It also has cool software that you can write notes over things like Word and Excel documents. So you can circle or underline words. or write things in the margins. I haven't used this function yet, so I don't know all the ins and outs.
As for being hunched over, I built an overlay that I put over my animation desk. So I have it up at an angle when I'm working instead of flat.
The choice is entirely personal. I love my Tablet PC, others hate it. I bought mine 2 years ago, so if there is anything for certain is that the technology will be getting better. So things will get lighter, and faster, and bigger, or smaller.
Aloha,
the Ape
—
...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."
I'd been dreaming of using a tablet PC, but your description of the animator having to move his arm outta the way to scrub the timeline had me thinkin'...couldn't he have just rearranged his palettes so the timeline was on the bottom of his screen? Problem solved, right?
Personally, I'm a tablet guy, too...but I would love to try a Cintiq 21UX, if I had a spare $2,500!
couldn't he have just rearranged his palettes so the timeline was on the bottom of his screen? Problem solved, right?
Easier said than done! Someone else suggested that to me in the past so I tried it. After 7 years of having the timeline at the top, it is a major pain to retrain your instincts to NOT move your hand up to the top of the screen to get to the timeline. After a few minutes of feeling like I was losing my mind, I put the timeline back at the top!
thanks everyone for all the pros and cons about it.
hmm i have finally come to a decision :)
im gonna buy the tablet pc thou it doesn't come with a bigger screen but i thought of attaching my monitor if im at home.
now the only problem is which one to buy...lol don't worry i'll search for the right from the web.
Well, I'm no expert on tablet PCs, but I'm pretty sure you can get a larger screen on a laptop than you can on a tablet PC. More screen real estate is always better.
The downside to a tablet is that you're drawing in a different spot than you're looking, so you have to get used to that.
I've been using a tablet for 7 years now and love it. I have tried a tablet PC in the past and had a hard time adjusting to it. I did reconsider switching to a tablet PC a couple of years ago when I was watching a demo DVD of a guy using it with Flash (the program I use day in and day out). I made my final decision to never switch when I saw him use the timeline at the top of the screen to scrub through his animation and he had to twist and contort his arm so that it wasn't covering the screen in order to see his animation. With the regular tablet, it's out of the way, plus you don't have to be hunched over your screen every time you want to draw. You can sit back and relax.
Just my opinion..
Flash Character Packs, Video Tutorials and more: www.CartoonSolutions.com
Thats why you move the timeline to the bottom of the screen instead of at the top. :D
Welcome to the AWN Forums Ella.
I use both. At work I use a desktop PC with at Wacom Tablet. At home I have a Toshiba Tecra Tablet PC as well as t Wacom Tablet. I also work predominantly in Flash. Here are a few pros and cons.
Tablets still have slightly better resolution than the Tablet PCs, meaning the tilt angle is better. Your arm and hands aren't in the way of what you are looking at, it's just the curser on the screen.
Tablet PCs there is a slight lag when you move your stylus fast across the screen. You hand does tend to get in the way of things. If you fold the screen down into tablet mode, it covers the keyboard, thus taking away all your hot keys. This can be fixed with a small USB keyboard, which I have. It is a bit heavy to hold up with your arm and sketch for hours on end.
The up sides, you can draw right on the screen! Pluss it's an all in one computer so you can work on the train or out in the park with it. Can't do that with a tablet and desktop PC. Most come with handwriting recognition software that you can write and it will convert it to font text. It's also set up from the begining so you don't have to write out the alphabet so the software can read it. It also has cool software that you can write notes over things like Word and Excel documents. So you can circle or underline words. or write things in the margins. I haven't used this function yet, so I don't know all the ins and outs.
As for being hunched over, I built an overlay that I put over my animation desk. So I have it up at an angle when I'm working instead of flat.
The choice is entirely personal. I love my Tablet PC, others hate it. I bought mine 2 years ago, so if there is anything for certain is that the technology will be getting better. So things will get lighter, and faster, and bigger, or smaller.
Aloha,
the Ape
...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."
Darn good point, Blue!
I'd been dreaming of using a tablet PC, but your description of the animator having to move his arm outta the way to scrub the timeline had me thinkin'...couldn't he have just rearranged his palettes so the timeline was on the bottom of his screen? Problem solved, right?
Personally, I'm a tablet guy, too...but I would love to try a Cintiq 21UX, if I had a spare $2,500!
Cheers!
Splatman:D
SPLAT digital
Whoops!
Ape beat me to the point!
Splatman:D
SPLAT digital
Easier said than done! Someone else suggested that to me in the past so I tried it. After 7 years of having the timeline at the top, it is a major pain to retrain your instincts to NOT move your hand up to the top of the screen to get to the timeline. After a few minutes of feeling like I was losing my mind, I put the timeline back at the top!
Flash Character Packs, Video Tutorials and more: www.CartoonSolutions.com
I've got it!
The DVD demo guy should've rotated his tablet pc 180 degrees!
Eh, maybe not...;)
Splatman:D
SPLAT digital
Thank You All!
thanks everyone for all the pros and cons about it.
hmm i have finally come to a decision :)
im gonna buy the tablet pc thou it doesn't come with a bigger screen but i thought of attaching my monitor if im at home.
now the only problem is which one to buy...lol don't worry i'll search for the right from the web.
thanks once again everyone.