Absolute Positioning

With all Wacom drawing tablets,  the entire active or drawing area of the tablet directly corresponds to the entire computer screen.  The cursor follows the pen tip precisely.  For example, when you move your digital pen to the top-right corner of the active area of the tablet, the cursor also moves to the top-right area on the screen.

Active Area

The drawing area or writing area of the tablet where the graphic tablet input tools ( digitizer pen, mouse, airbrush, 6D Art pen, etc. ) are detected. When dimensions are displayed beside the name of the tablet, for example: Graphire Bluetooth 6x8, the numbers correspond to the active area of the graphic tablet and not the foot area or overall size of the tablet. Always keep the actual size of a pen tablet in mind when choosing a tablet that will fit in your work space or on your desk.

Aspect Ratio

The ratio between the vertical and horizontal dimension of the graphic tablet or interactive display. A 4:3 aspect ratio refers to a standard computer monitor while a 16:10 aspect ratio describes wide screen displays.

Ambidextrous Pen Tablet

Wacom's Intuos4 graphic tablet is the first reversible pen tablet. Just rotate the tablet 180º and switch the orientation in the Control Panel from right-handed to left-handed.

This new design allows the ExpressKeys and the Touch Ring to be positioned all on one side of the graphic tablet, a perfect location for easy and quick access by the non-dominant hand. There is no more fear of accidentally activating functions with the pen hand, no more need to disable keys because they are in the way and it is certainly not necessary anymore to reach across the pen tablet for keyboard shortcuts.

Bluetooth Technology

Designed to replace wires and cables, Bluetooth is the name of a wireless technology for connecting devices. It uses radio frequencies in the 2.45 GHz range at 720 Kbit/second to transmit information over short distances of generally 30 feet (10 meters) or less.

By using radio waves ( and not infrared which requires direct, clear line of sight between two, and only two, devices ) to send information in packet bursts, the bursts can then be sent through walls and floors to any device within 'earshot' allowing communication with several devices at once. It is highly unlikely that Bluetooth devices will interfere with each other.

Wacom uses Bluetooth technology with the wireless Graphire graphic tablets.

Chordable

Display Toggle

ExpressKeys™

ExpressKeys Displays

The Intuos4 helps you to never forget your ExpressKey settings. On the Intuos4 Small, the show settings function is a pop-up menu on the screen. With the Intuos4 Medium, Large and Extra Large, glowing beside each ExpressKey is an illuminated display providing instant visual confirmation of your current function.

These OLED indicators will also automatically update when you switch between your favorite shortcuts or functions depending on the application. This saves considerable time and reduces dependency on your keyboard since you no longer have to remember application-specific settings nor will you need to undo mistaken commands.

Graphic Tablet

Graphic tablets are computer input devices which can work in conjunction with a mouse. However, with all the recent technological advances and the health benefits , the graphic tablets have become a popular substitute to the common computer mouse. By applying a digitizer pen (stylus) to the tablet, you control the cursor on your screen and can navigate the internet, scroll down a web page, edit text, write your signature, touch-up photos, and sketch or draw digital masterpieces with the work immediately showing up on the computer screen.

Graphic tablets are known by various names such as graphics tablets, drawing tablets, pen tablets, digitizing tablets, and computer peripherals.

Mapping

The relationship between the position of your graphic tablet tool or device on the pen tablet and the cursor position on the monitor screen.

OLED

Organic Light-Emitting Diodes illuminate the ExpressKeys Display found on the Intuos4 Medium, Large and Extra-Large graphic tablets.

Pen Nibs

Various sensations and results can be created by using different pen tips:

• Standard Nib hard, durable plastic nib for the right balance of control and longevity for extensive everyday use.
• Stroke Nib with a built-in dual-action spring to simulate a natural brush-like feel.
• Felt Nib to replicate the sensation of using a felt-tip marker by creating just the right amount of surface friction. (This is a softer nib which does wear down a little faster than the Standard nib).
• Flex Nib a new Elastomer nib gives a soft, rubbery sensation (included with Intuos4 pens only).

Precision Mode

By activating this feature in the Intuos4 pen tablets, the mapping changes around the current tip position. This allows you to use larger strokes on a smaller part of the canvas resulting in more accuracy. This is extremely useful when working with fine, intricate details.

Pressure Sensitive

A quality of the Wacom pen tips and erasers (if one is present on the pen) that senses the amount of pressure being applied on the graphic tablet.  Pressure-sensitive applications can be used to create natural-looking pen, brush, and eraser strokes.  Adjust settings such as exposure, opacity, and brush size just by varying how hard you physically apply pressure with the pen tip to the tablet. (The standard Bamboo Pen's eraser is not pressure sensitive.  It only functions as an eraser.)

The pressure sensitivity levels for all Wacom graphic tablets are as follows:

- Bamboo, Bamboo Fun and wireless Graphire Bluetooth graphic tablets: 512 levels
- Intuos3 drawing tablets and Cintiq Interactive Pen Displays 1, 024 levels
- Intuos4 pen tablets: 2,048 levels

Radial Menus

With the Intuos4 pen tablets, these circular pop-up menus and sub-menus provide quick access to editing and navigation, plus allow you to make adjustments with the tip of your pen. Quickly open your favourite web browser or email, easily access your most often used commands, or simply change the volume or track of the music playing without ever fumbling with controls.

Each level of the menu consists of 8 menu slices or wedges arranged in a circular or radial format. Fully customizable, this is a definite time saver with its total of 512 places for shortcuts, commands, media control functions. The Radial Menu appears on screen by pressing on the designed key.

Tip Sensor

Intuos4 is the first Wacom product to use a 5-piece capacitor switch at the tip of the digitizer pen which responds to a feather-light 1 gram of starting pressure and activates it at just 3 grams.

This near-zero starting pressure is a crucial element in simulating the natural feel of authentic writing, drawing and designing tools.

The new components of the second generation Tip Sensor ( the first being in Intuos3 devices) promises long-lasting durability and consistency, while the new integrated circuit consumes less power than in the Intuos3 pens.

Tip Sensor technology, present in all Intuos4 pens, sets a new standard of excellence by assuring:

- an improved natural feeling with an advanced, reliable pressure curve
- superior resilience to constant use and improved operational stability
- constant performance and enhanced pressure sensitivity for extended periods of time
- better overall performance across the entire active area of the graphic tablet, including around the edge
- consistently more control, extra precision and higher quality results with any software and all applications whether recent or not

Tool-ID

With the Intuos and Cintiq series of graphic tablets, each input device has their own unique electronic identification.  Therefore, the graphic tablet will recognize and reconfigure itself to the type of device being used, be it a Grip Pen, an Airbrush, or a 6D Art Pen. 

If the graphic tablet is shared with many users, Tool-ID will also recognize the personal configurations that have been programmed in each tool without any interference from someone else's personal settings.  The graphic tablet will also recognize two identical pens which have been customized differently.  

Touch Ring

A circular command button which allows you to zoom and scroll with the touch of your finger. Found on Bamboo graphic tablet series.

Touch Ring & Toggle

The heat-sensitive, touch sensitive and programmable Touch Ring (or Scroll Ring) offers intuitive control of operations such zooming, scrolling, canvas rotation and layer selection or customize it to adjust brush size, opacity and more ... with just a simple swipe of your finger either clockwise or counter-clockwise.

With all Intuos4 graphic tablets. the Touch Ring Toggle (a button situated in the middle of the Intuos4 Touch Ring) allows you to toggle between 4 functions which you have assigned to the Touch Ring. As you toggle between settings, a small corresponding status LED light illuminates showing which function is currently active.

Touch Strip

This finger and pen sensitive inset area can be operated by sliding the finger up and down, tapping, or touch-holding your finger on the touch strip. The touch strip even responds to pen motion along its innermost edge. You can also program it to respond only to pen input.

USB

Universal Serial Bus.  A hardware interface standard for connecting computer peripheral devices.  USB ports support hot-plugging, which allows you to connector disconnect a USB device withoug turning off your computer.

Wacom Penabled Patented professional pen technology

This patented pen input and tablet technology uses an eletromagnetic induction method, the only one of its kind in the world which enables battery-free and cordless input operation.  The graphics tablet or interactive pen display feeds the pens and the mice therefore allowing the freedom of cordless and battery-free devices.

The electromagnetic resonance powers the pen and the mouse via induction and radio frequencies to communicate data from the pen/mouse to the graphic tablet sensor. The result is outstanding accuracy and responsiveness.