Wacom Graphire Bluetooth - TechRadar UK

What's the point of a Bluetooth graphics tablet? Is there any need to do away with wires if you're using the tablet next to your Mac anyway?

Okay, so Bluetooth does enable you to move the tablet around your desk without having to wrestle a USB cable over the keyboard. And it also releases a USB port and enables you to lean back and do a bit of sketching. But along with that freedom comes the problem of re-establishing a connection when waking your Mac from sleep. Still, if you're a Bluetooth devotee, there's much about the Graphire to appreciate.

Power comes from a small rechargeable lithium-polymer battery that sits in the base of this slim A5 tablet. It's charged via a small transformer, so you need to top up the power every 25 hours of use or so. If the battery isn't charged then you can, of course, power the tablet via the adaptor.

The double-ended pen slots neatly into the back of the tablet and provides a nib and eraser tip. There's a rocker button on the pen as well as two buttons on the tablet, which are also programmable.

The Graphire's resolution is a respectable 2,000dpi and the pressure sensitivity of 512 levels is plenty, even for professional users. The A5 work area is easy to get used to and more convenient than Wacom's A6 tethered tablets. If you feel the need, you can use the mouse that comes bundled.

When not in use, the tablet can be turned off and battery power is conserved for later use. Mark Sparrow