The next piece of technology to break down this week? My trusty Wacom Cintiq tablet, which had been an indestructible workhorse for the past ten years. I used this tablet almost every day for a decade, and of all the times it could have chosen to croak, it apparently had to be this week, right after I replaced an expensive piece of hardware in my Mac Pro.
So, I was once again in scramble mode. As a freelancer, any time I have to troubleshoot hardware or software issues, it’s money lost. And it’s been a costly two weeks for me. After researching the market for cheaper tablet options, I decided it was best to stick with a proven brand, Wacom. There are some competing tablet manufacturers who appear to be catching up with them, but from the mixed reviews I’ve read, they aren’t quite there yet. As much as I love Wacom products, I was intrigued with the idea of working in a different (and cheaper!) tablet platform. But to be honest, I don’t have time to do any more troubleshooting, especially with an untried tablet brand that has a history of glitches and incompatibility issues.
At the end of an extensive research, I decided to purchase a new Cintiq tablet 22″ HD that is basically the modern equivalent of my old Cintiq. Plugging this beast in, I’m kind of shocked at how much the technology has advanced since 2010. For now, my old Cintiq is sitting unplugged on another table in my studio, awaiting its fate. I used that Cintiq to create countless designs and illustrations over the years, including all of the art for my previous graphic novel, Saga Of A Doomed Universe. I’m not sentimental about such things, but it doesn’t seem right to just throw the old tablet out. On the other hand, maybe I should just smash it to bits with a hammer.
SR