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| |  | KINDLE | Home » » » Wacom Bamboo Fun Tablet | | | | | | | Description: | | Bamboo Fun lets you get hands-on with your creative projects, giving you the benefits of Multi-Touch along with the comfort and precision of Wacom’s ergonomically-designed pen. With Multi-Touch, you can navigate, scroll, and work with simple gestures in an area larger than on mobile devices or laptop trackpads. For precision work, pick up the pressure-sensitive pen to draw, sketch, edit photos, and add handwritten elements to your creations. The generous size of Bamboo Fun gives you lots of space for creative freedom, making it simple and comfortable to use. Bamboo Fun works with your existing computer: desktop or laptop, PC or Mac. Attach it to a standard USB port and set it comfortably by your keyboard. You can even customize your Bamboo Fun experience by assigning your own shortcuts to the four ExpressKeys. Available in a stylish silver color, Bamboo Fun will complement your current setup. It includes valuable additions that make it ideal for your creative projects. | | | Features: | |
• Powerful tablet helps you create digital art, embellish photos, draw by hand, and more
• Intuitive Multi-Touch system lets you navigate your computer using just your fingertips
• Included stylus features 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity; provides a pen-on-paper feel
• Compatible with Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP (Service Pack 2), and Mac OS X (10.4.8 or higher)
• Backed by Wacom's 1-year manufacturer?s warranty
| | | Product Details: | | | Product Length:
| 13.3 inches | | Product Width:
| 8.8 inches | | Product Height:
| 0.2 inches | | Product Weight:
| 1.63 pounds | | Package Length:
| 16.5 inches | | Package Width:
| 12.0 inches | | Package Height:
| 2.9 inches | | Package Weight:
| 2.85 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 155 reviews |
| | | | Used and New: | | | |
| All | |
| $125.00+ $5.99 *Shipping | Used
- Mint | | | $125.99+ $5.99 *Shipping | Used
- Mint | | | $127.75+ $7.49 *Shipping | New | | | $137.92 This item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. | New | | | $149.99 This item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. | New | | | $149.99+ $10.65 *Shipping | New | | | $159.99+ $5.99 *Shipping | New | | | $164.43+ $5.99 *Shipping | Used
- VeryGood | | | $189.99+ $5.99 *Shipping | New | | | $199.95+ $9.99 *Shipping | New | |
| New | |
| $127.75+ $7.49 *Shipping | New | | | $137.92 This item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. | New | | | $149.99 This item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. | New | | | $149.99+ $10.65 *Shipping | New | | | $159.99+ $5.99 *Shipping | New | | | $189.99+ $5.99 *Shipping | New | | | $199.95+ $9.99 *Shipping | New | |
| Used | |
| $125.00+ $5.99 *Shipping | Used
- Mint | | | $125.99+ $5.99 *Shipping | Used
- Mint | | | $164.43+ $5.99 *Shipping | Used
- VeryGood | |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 155 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
254 of 256 found the following review helpful:
 Lower your expectations and you'll be fineJul 26, 2010
By C. Moore
"The Authorguy"
I've owned a pen-only Wacom tablet before and I think they make good products, but if you get this one you should be aware of several points that I didn't figure out until I started using this one, although, to be fair, there were indications to some problems on the web, I just sort of flaked in my research.
1)The Draw: The drawing and pen functions with the pad are terrific, and unless you're used to high-end tablets, this will probably be fine for you, although the surface is rougher than the older, pen-only tablets and I suspect will wear out nibs fairly quickly. They supply you with three extras.
2)The Touch: While the touch on this, even the "tap to click" works pretty well, I'm not able to use it full time as my interface -- I still use a Logitech track ball. If you're used to one of the glass touchpads on a Macbook or Macbook pro, this will seem a bit sluggish, but if you're used to the trackpad supplied with many netbooks (Like my Dell mini)this thing will be a revelation. Overall it's nice.(There are scrolling issues, see below.) The mouse buttons have a nice, smooth feel, too. Not too clicky, but not so soft you don't know you're pushing them. Mind you, this is after just two days of use. I have no idea about the durability.
3)The Size: This is the larger of the Bamboo Fun tablets. While it should have been blindingly obvious, I suppose, that this was going to be big, it really does take up a lot of room on the desktop. To use it as a touch interface, it's really more than you need. There may people who need the extra space for graphics, but for day-to-day use, the smaller Bamboo Fun or Bamboo Craft touch/pen would have been fine. I'm working on two, 24 inch monitors and this is still way more space than I need. This is about the size of a 13inch laptop, so unless you have room for something that size on your desk all the time, in addition to your keyboard, the smaller Bamboo might be the way to go.
4)The Scroll: The two-fingered scroll function works great until it doesn't. I kept getting a lock up after a couple of swipes in Firefox 3.6, and even my trackball's scrolling would lock for fifteen seconds or so after it locked. This was fixed by turning off the auto-scroll and smooth-scrolling IN FIREFOX. That said, I found that solution in a forum where many people had reported scrolling problems and this fix didn't work for all of them. They also reported similar issues in Photoshop CS2 & CS3 as well. I'm using this with a Mac Pro 2x Xenon processor with 8GB ram, but people with Windows machines reported the problem as well. Wacom didn't seem to address it on their web page other than to respond to users that it, more or less, was the user's fault. I haven't tried it with Photoshop yet, but it seems to work fine in Painter and Art Rage Studio Pro, and I haven't had any scroll problems with the pen, only the touch functions. Your mileage may vary, but I'd be wary of expecting to use this as your only interface until you see a lot of "fixes" reported on the web.
5)The Design: It looks very spiffy, especially if you like the brushed-aluminum look and feel. It's substantial, too - heavy enough to stay in place on the desk. There's a loop for the pen to go into, which is a nice addition my earlier Wacom didn't have. (I use stick-on Velcro to keep the pen attached to that one.)As other's have said, though, the USB cable is permanently attached to the tablet instead of plugging in with a mini-USB plug, as earlier models did. This could become a durability problem if you travel with the tablet a lot, as the connection point isn't very heavily reinforced.
6)In Conclusion: You are more or less in a one-player game. For the price, you can't really get a pen pad with touch from anyone except Wacom, and if this is your first tablet, again, I think you'll probably love it, but do look at the smaller touch/pen tablet first, maybe save yourself some cash, and expect to keep your mouse around for a while, at least, until you iron out any touch navigation problems that you may have with your particular applications.
168 of 170 found the following review helpful:
 Fantastic tablet for the money!Oct 20, 2009
By Meghan
I spent quite a bit of time looking at various tablets, reading reviews, and trying to figure out which had the most bang for the buck; the Bamboo Fun won in just about every category. Please note that I am not a professional graphic artist, just a hobbyist (though technically savvy enough to understand the features [eg pressure sensitivity]), so I'm reviewing it from that perspective.
Installation was a snap. Download the latest drivers from the Wacom site, plug it into a USB port, and you're all set. I tried it out on two laptops and a desktop and installation was flawless on each.
The tablet is thin and light, with a more-than-adequate amount of active space (I wanted something that would let me do longer strokes without feeling cramped). The multi-touch capability is really nice with graphics programs that support it; being able to pan and zoom with my left hand while my right remains mostly dedicated to drawing is great (and a quick press of one of the Bamboo's 4 buttons will turn touch off, which comes in handy [no pun intended]). For reference, the touch-sensitive area is 7.5" x 5.1" and the pen-active area is a fairly generous 8.5" x 5.4". You can configure it for left-handed use (lefties rejoice!).
The tablet is very smooth and responsive with Sketchbook Pro and ArtRage 2.5. I wasn't that thrilled with Corel Painter 4 Essentials, which comes bundled with it; the UI was clunky and not very intuitive (spend the $20 on ArtRage instead - you won't regret it). The Bamboo Fun also comes bundled with Photoshop Essentials, which should be useful if you don't already have a full version of Photoshop.
The battery-less pen, with two configurable buttons and 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity, is very comfortable in the hand and I admit it, I love the eraser on the end. :) The tablet has a fabric loop on one side for holding the pen when transporting it.
The tablet comes with three extra nibs and an extraction tool, which isn't listed in the product description.
Overall, for a couple of steps above entry level I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Bamboo Fun as a great tablet for the price.
531 of 556 found the following review helpful:
 Something for everyone, perfect for no oneOct 23, 2009
By Doctor.Generosity
This review will be most helpful to someone who is relatively unfamiliar with graphics tablets, as I was before selecting this item for review.
Other than the keyboard, the mouse is the most universal computer control device. But trying to draw with a mouse is clumsy. Pen type drawing tablets were invented to offer a more natural input device for any bitmapped graphics programs such as photo retouching and freehand art applications. The other popular input device, generally found on notebooks, is the trackpad, which works directly with your fingers. Recent Apple MacBook trackpads offer two finger stretching and rotating and other fancy tricks. Some people would like to use this method with their desktop computer; Bamboo Fun is in part a giant trackpad that allows you to do that.
Before buying it, be aware that Wacom, the largest producer of such things, offers many different products and variants at many price points. These range from large pen-only tablets for professional graphic artists ($430) down to small "amateur" tablets with reduced spatial resolution and pressure resolution, for sixty bucks. There are versions with only the track-pad mode, only the pen mode, or both. The product reviewed here ($169) is a bundle which puts together several things at the sub-professional level. The device does both the track-pad and pen modes, is medium size, and the package includes bundled software: Photoshop Elements (the non-pro version of Photoshop, normally $90), Corel Painter Essentials (the non-pro version of Painter, $40) and a program called Nik Color Efex. (The latter is tossed in but doesn't really belong here; it's a set of advanced filters and tricks which work under Photoshop and would normally be used by advanced photographers. But quite expensive if bought alone.) Bundles like this are questionable. If you really use all this software, it's a bargain. But if you are a serious photographer, you probably already have full Photoshop, so Elements is superfluous. Receiving Corel Painter Essentials was a nice surprise however - it's a lovely, fun program which can do things such as turn photos into simulated oil paintings.
Let's talk about the tablet function. One quickly becomes habituated to using the mouse so changing to any other device takes a lot of relearning. The utility of changing to a trackpad with two finger options has a lot to do with the type of software you are working in; for most everyday applications there is not much to be gained. For sorting photos in Aperture, yes, could be quicker after some practice. And, let's face it, having the trackpad made by a third party (that is, not the computer maker nor the software maker) inevitably means that it may or may not all work together smoothly. So a big trackpad like this is ends up a highly personal preference - you will love it or hate it, not in-between. But it would be hard to say it is 'absolutely necessary' for any particular task.
The pen function is a different story. Freehand drawing programs or Photoshop effects cannot be manipulated easily with a mouse - you really need the pen, which is pressure sensitive and can be adjusted in many ways. This one worked well, and makes Corel Painter or Photoshop much easier to use with precision.
It all works, but who is this product really for? As noted, the Bamboo Fun package throws in a bit of everything in nonprofessional versions. But for a 'sampler,' the $170 price is not really cheap. To be worth the price, you will want to be sure that you need both the trackpad and the pen functions, plus the bundled software. I suspect there are few customers who fall in this category. Most graphics-oriented buyers will know what they intend to do. If you only want the pen function for example, you may be better off spending about the same money to get the high performance, higher res professional version of this one Wacom item (called Intuos line). This would probably be my own choice; a top grade pen for Photoshop and skip the rest.
This Bamboo Fun package might be a good option for a school or family with a variety of different users. But a focussed artist with a specific task in mind will do better to choose a more specialized Wacom product.
44 of 45 found the following review helpful:
Intuos4 Medium vs. Bamboo FunJan 15, 2011
By Ray E.
After writing this I was afraid of TLDR issues. Here is the short and sweet - if you are going to get a Wacom tablet, and you know you are going to use it, save your lunch money and get the Intuos4. End of story - if you get a Bamboo and later try an Intuos4 you'll kick yourself, I guarantee it. Higher accuracy, higher resolution, higher sensitivity, tilt recognition, higher data rate (more responsive), better construction, better warranty. If you want to know how I came to this conclusion, read on.
Please keep in mind: I have worked in the IT industry for over 13 years. However overall I am not a pro user of these products. I have about two weeks of use on each. I used the tablets on a Mac Pro with photoshop, corel, and sketchbook pro 2011.
I spent close to two weeks trying to decide on a Wacom tablet for Christmas - Bamboo Fun vs Intuos4 Medium. I kept reading about the pros of each. I could not find a comparison review, nor a single product review that pushed me solidly one direction or the other. Should I spend the extra money on the professional level product?
In the end, I started with the Bamboo because:
I didn't want to waste money. The Intuos4 medium was another $150 - almost twice the cost of the Bamboo. I am not a professional and people said the Bamboo had the same levels of sensitivity as the previous professional model (Intuos3). I wasn't 100% sure the kids would keep using it or get full value from it. If I didn't think it was for me, I could always trade up and try the Intuos4.
Initially we were very happy playing around with the Bamboo. There is nothing blatantly wrong with it at all. It has deservedly positive reviews. People make wonderful works of digital art with it. After playing for about 10 days, and watching youtube vids of people using Wacom tablets, I ran across a comment against the Bamboo that finally broke me. Someone pointed out that the USB cable was attached to the tablet, and cannot be replaced if it breaks. Toss it straight into the trash. Hmmm - bad news. If you look closely at the construction, you can also tell it would be very easy for the cable to wear out. I cannot believe I hadn't noticed that flaw myself. We have two lefties and two righties in the house and we are constantly rotating the tablet. I don't want to be replacing a 200 dollar tablet over a 10 dollar cable. I boxed her up that day and returned it for the Intuos4 Medium.
Let me tell you what people, the Intuos4 is worth more than the extra $150. Any day of the week. Even removing it from the box was a pleasure.
USB Interface:
Bamboo - Cable is attached, thin shielding, and not replaceable.
Intuos4 - Cable is removable, very well made, thick and several feet longer than it needs to be (2.5 m). TWO USB inputs on the tablet, so the cable can always be situated at the top. Also provides a spare port in case one breaks! As an IT guy, this alone was worth an upgrade. Well played, Wacom.
Buttons:
Bamboo has 4 buttons. One button is used to turn the touch functions on and off. Touch Pad functions can be used to pinch zoom, rotate, scroll, etc if the app supports touch.
Intuos4 has 8 buttons with LEDs plus a touch ring wheel. The touch ring can be assigned 4 functions for all applications. Fully programmable. The kicker - the touch ring can be used for all the touch pad functions that the Bamboo did, and does them better. Rotate, Zoom, Scroll, Undo, change your pen size - you name it. Spin the ring with your off hand while drawing. Another upgrade that was easily worth the 150 bucks alone.
Pens:
Bamboo accuracy .02 inch. A very light, plastic toy feeling pen. There were a couple extra nibs in a plastic bag.
Intuos4 accuracy .01 inch. Pen is noticeably heavier. It reminded me of picking up a very well made tool after using some crap made in China and getting that sudden realization that you've been doing it wrong all this time. The pen recognizes tilt - the angle you hold the pen at. The cool "ink well" stand is classy and holds 10 extra nibs and the nib replacement tool. You suddenly start signing your name with a flourish. It just feels right! The Intuos4 also includes a wireless mouse that can be used on the pad if you are not using the pen.
Pressure levels:
Bamboo 1024
Intuos4 2048
People said you can't tell the difference, but let me tell you I could, and so did my wife. It may not be the ONE thing you need to upgrade for, but it's one more reason to spend the extra cash, for sure.
Resolution:
Bamboo 2540 lines per inch
Intuos4 5080 lines per inch
Software packages:
Are basically the same, Intuos4 software package must be downloaded though - Bamboo has physical media.
Tablet itself:
Basically same review as the Pens, the Intuos4 is heavier and feels much sturdier and like a professional tool.
Warranty:
Bamboo - 1 year
Intuos4 - 2 years USA and Canada
Although I highly rate the Bamboo Fun, I do not regret moving up to the Intuos at all. I hope this comparison review makes your decision on a Wacom product easier.
Thanks for reading,
Ray E.
48 of 51 found the following review helpful:
Great tool. Easy to learn. (But few remember what it took to learn how to use the mouse).Oct 29, 2009
By Stephen L. Mcconnell
I received this tablet from Amazon in great condition and hooked it up. It acted funky initially, but after reading the instructions in the installation CD, it said to install the software BEFORE you hook it up. Once I did that, the tablet was very responsive to the "Touch" capability. I have a Mac with 3 Monitors and it registered perfectly across all three monitors.
The tutorial that came with it was good for learning the basics. However, it is a "Flash" interactive tutorial and the response is not the same as on your desktop or with apps.
On my Mac running Snow Leopard, I found that all the gestures worked as advertised, except the DRAG feature. The user manual (a PDF on the DVD) said to re-install the drivers and had a link to Wacon to find the latest driver. The re-installation was easy and good, but did not solve the problem. The user manual also had a number for Tech Support. I called it and talked to a Support Person (IN THE US!). They were very helpful and did NOT treat me like an idiot like so many tech support people do. They walked me through several processes to figure out what was wrong, but it did not solve the problem. I AM happy to report that it was not the Tablet's or the Software problem, but MINE. I found that I was not performing the "gesture" quickly enough to Drag items. Once I figured that out, that feature worked as advertised.
I can safely say, that the Touch tablet will be able to replace my mouse. The transition is interesting, however. I have been using a mouse since 1985. People don't remember how long it took to learn the motor skills to use the mouse. Currently I am about 1/2 as productive with the Touch Tablet as I am with a mouse, but I've only had the Tablet 1 day... and I'm patiently getting better and faster.
The scroll gesture works well with Browsers, Email, Adobe Products and Word Processors... so far so good.
I have used the Gestures with a browser and love the Zoom/Zoom out gestures. It also works with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop (so does the rotate object jesture.) However, it is a little jerky and will take some getting used to.
The pen works VERY well with Illustrator and Photo shop. It take a little getting used to because to move the mouse to a location, you "hover" and don't touch the pad until you are ready to select it or draw. But I am rapidly getting used to it over the mouse. (Remember I've only had this thing 1 day.) I can see this as a real bridge between art skills on a pad and paper and tablet and computer.
Overall, I love this tool. People in other reviews are not satisfied with the edge response limitations of the tablet, but one quickly gets used to it, just like the mouse.
My reasons for the 4 rather than a 5 rating have to do with one issue. I am left handed. Although one can set the tablet up for left handed operation (and it works for a left hander in right hand mode - with a couple of concessions), there is a problem when one boots up the computer. Because the preferences for left handed operation are stored IN THE PERSONAL LOG ON, if you use the tablet in left hand mode, the preferences are not turned on before you log on. That means ALL the motions are reversed!!! A real bummer. But, what I have done is keep it in right hand mode (keeping the orientation of the tablet in right hand mode) and then making the consessions after I log in.
Summary.
Great tool. Learning curve about the same as it takes to learn the mouse the first time (which very few of us really remember). Has replaced my mouse. Is working well in Illustrator and Photoshop.
See all 155 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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