What Is a Digital Tablet?
A digital tablet, also known as a digitizer tablet or graphics tablet, allows users to draw or write directly to the computer screen. First developed in the 1970s and 1980s, these tablets remained obscure and expensive until they developed better pressure sensitivity and passive signaling that reduced stylus bulk. Artists, graphic designers and many other professionals now use digital tablets in their day-to-day work.
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History
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The 1960s saw the development of primitive tablets for handwriting recognition, called RAND tablets or Grafacons. These tablets used a grid of wires and a magnetic signal to track the movements of the stylus. By the late 1970s and early 1980s, Computer Aided Design, or CAD manufacturers bundled tablets with their products. The first tablets labeled as "graphics tablets" appeared in the 1980s, with the Apple Graphics Tablet. Later tablets developed pressure sensitivity and the ability to sense stylus angles.
Types
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Modern graphics tablets come in three main types. Wired tablets connect to the computer using a USB or other data cable. Wireless tablets send signals to the computer via Bluetooth or similar wireless technology. Interactive pen displays provide direct feedback, allowing users to move the stylus on a monitor display the same way they would a pen on paper. Older tablet models included a wire attached to the pen, but most tablets made since the 1990s have wireless pens that require no batteries.
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Benefits
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Digital tablets allow more natural writing and drawing on the computer than a mouse or keyboard input. They allow for smoother lines and greater control. Digital tablets also provide pressure sensitivity, a feature rarely available with a mouse. Users can sign documents or draw directly into photo editing and graphics programs, without the need for a scanner. Most tablets are lightweight, durable and easy to transport.
Disadvantages
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Most graphics tablets create a disconnect between the user's hand motions and the image that appears on the screen. Many people experience problems learning to control the cursor from a tablet. Digital pen displays correct this problem, but cost and weigh more than their conventional counterparts. High-end graphics tablets require a significant monetary investment, often costing $200 or more for even a small device.
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References
- Photo Credit Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images News/Getty Images
