Interviews

Wacom’s Doug Little talks about the present and future of tablet technology
By Michael Lafferty

“Computer advancements, user needs, and Wacom’s technology expertise have helped push the pen tablet and interactive pen display forward over the past decade”

Credit the Nintendo DS for creating a new way of controlling games. The touchscreen, with the stylus input, though hardly unique in the world is now giving gamers new ways to play.

But a “stylus” and “touchscreen” has long been a part of the PC playground – just not an application that has found its way into gaming on that platform.

Will that change? Maybe. The technology is in place with the Wacom Cintiq tablet (which has the tablet doing double duty as a monitor). Of course, the tablet itself has a myriad of other applications, from use as a graphics tool to Web surfing, just to name a few. Is the tablet the tool of the future? Microsoft seems to think so, incorporating tablet-support with the forthcoming Vista operating system – a system that will really bolster what gamers can do.

GameZone.com felt it time to check in with Wacom, a worldwide leader when it comes to tablets and their many uses. Doug Little, public relations manager at Wacom Technology Corp., talked to GameZone.com about the present and future of tablets.

Question: Wacom has a long respected history when it comes to tablet interfaces for the personal computer. Obviously to stay at the forefront of the field, you have to not only provide options and support to current consumers, but track and predict trends and adjust to the current and future markets. Without getting into trade secrets, where do you see the tablet industry expanding within the next five years and what has to happen on the developer side to realize the full potential of the tablet interface? What do you see as the primary factors in Wacom's continued respected standing in the industry?

Doug: Many software developers have a tendency to see the pen as an opportunity for new kinds of tool support for such things as ink mark-up, annotation, paint, and photo editing. As pen input proliferates into the market, software vendors see the pen as a user interface methodology. This evolution expands the thinking beyond tools to consider more generally what the pen can bring to the experience of using software and operating system(s). We already see signs of this in Microsoft’s upcoming Windows Vista operating system, which has added “Flicks” and TIP (Tablet PC input panel) icons wherever text input occurs. On the Apple side, we see this with applications like “Motion.” which has implemented pen gestures to allow users to quickly access shortcuts and modify application modalities. Another example would be Microsoft’s ribbon user interface in Office 2007, which plays extremely well to pen display and pen tablet users who are used to absolute positioning.

Wacom is a company that prides itself on providing an experience, not just a piece of technology. We continually work with software providers to understand what is possible and to jointly develop solutions that make the seam between hardware and software blend into the background. This is what will continue to differentiate Wacom in the long term.

Q: The Cintiq incorporates both tablet technology and monitor aspects. What programs are they capable of running at present? How hard was it to create a "monitor" that can withstand the use of a tablet?

Doug: Wacom’s Cintiq 21UX takes the concept of the interactive pen display to a new level of sophistication by eliminating the barriers and distractions that have historically hindered the creative process and disrupted the digital workflow. Using a pen directly on screen avoids the hand-eye coordination challenges associated with most other computer input devices. Pen input on the Cintiq works with virtually any program or application that a traditional mouse would work with. It is important to note that over 100 applications from such software manufacturers as Adobe, Corel, Autodesk and Avid support pen pressure, thus greatly enhancing creative control.

Wacom puts great thought and resources into the development of its pen tablet and pen display products. Earlier models, engineering expertise and customer feedback contributed to the Cintiq 21UX design and its huge success since being introduced in February, 2005. Color accuracy, viewing angle, resistance to pooling, mechanical design and electromagnetic tolerance are all elements that need to be considered when building a LCD pen display.  

Q: Are your Cintiq systems replacing monitors or are they an adjunct to a monitor? If an adjunct, what do people have to do to their systems to create that dual screen working environment?

Doug: This really boils down to personal preference and workflow. The Cintiq is comfortable being on its own or working side-by-side with other monitors. It’s up to the user to define how he/she wants to work. The 21.3” display provides a large format, high-resolution active work area for creating and editing images in great detail.

Q: The Nintendo DS has now taken the gaming market into a space where touchscreen elements are a part of the gaming experience. Of course, not every developer is creating a game that incorporates that technology. With the technology available now on the personal computer, do you see that as a viable untapped market? What would be the advantages, in your opinion, of this kind of technology being in place?

Doug: Wacom does not speak publicly about future plans. Naturally, we closely monitor trends like you mention above and realize that there are pen input opportunities in virtually every market. Wacom works closely with developers to innovate for the longer term and to optimize the overall end-user experience.  

Q: Vista - which is going to bring a lot of new elements to the OS for gamers - will be incorporating tablet-specific applications or options. Can you tell us a little bit about that from the Wacom perspective? What has you most excited about this? What does it inspire you to do, from the developer standpoint, to make using a tablet a much richer and deeper, not to mention user-friendly, experience?

Doug: Windows Vista introduces significant pen input features for a faster, easier and more efficient computing experience. Wacom pen tablet and pen display users will enjoy intuitive new Vista-enabled note taking resources, handwriting recognition, and time-saving gesture control options. The combination of Vista’s built-in support for pen input and Wacom’s capabilities as a source of advanced input technology will also enable software developers and other hardware manufacturers to integrate compelling pen and touch input capabilities into future products. The net result of these symbiotic relationships will be the delivery of future computing experiences that are highly intuitive and organic.

Q: Of course, when people look at peripheral devices, they want quality in a price that is affordable. How does Wacom position itself to serve both the casual novice user and the high-end user? Who is your target user?

Doug: From the novice pen tablet user or digital photo enthusiast to the serious graphic artist or professional animator, Wacom has a pen input solution for everybody. Starting at $99, Wacom’s Graphire4 pen tablet for consumers is ideal for those looking for an alternative input device, or a creative way to have fun with digital photos. With its higher resolution and increased pressure sensitivity, the Intuos3 pen tablet line offers amazing creative control, comfort and productivity to serious artists, designers and photographers. Wacom’s flagship product, the Cintiq 21UX, allows users to work directly on screen, providing a natural and intuitive experience.

Q: Aside from the technology of the Cintiq system, have there been a lot of changes in the tablet market in the past decade? Aside from connectivity, if a person purchased a small personal tablet 10 years ago, is it still as viable today, or has technology outgrown that older system?

Doug: Computer advancements, user needs, and Wacom’s technology expertise have helped push the pen tablet and interactive pen display forward over the past decade. Tablet resolution and pen sensitivity have made leaps and bounds. Programmable keys and touch strips have been added to tablets to minimize the use of the keyboard for application shortcuts and modifier keys. Two-handed control offers reduced repetitive motion by using the pen in the dominant hand and using the non-dominant hand to dynamically control functions such as zooming, scrolling, panning and changing brush size. In addition, better industrial design has helped bring cleaner geometry and thoughtful detailing to the pen tablet so that it offers a bridge between different computer platforms.

Q: If there was one game out there that you wish you could use a tablet-style interface and the pen-stylus control scheme with, what would it be and why? What is the application you most often use the tablet on?

Doug: How about a flight simulator game where the pen’s tilt, bearing, rotation, pressure-sensitivity, and programmable switching capabilities are used to control flight and other dynamics? The pen support within Vista will certainly help foster imaginative ways for developers to make the pen the centerpiece of control and Wacom looks forward to helping evangelize the benefits of pen input. I use my pen tablet for all applications, not just one in particular. The speed at which one can navigate, the accuracy, the creative control, and the reduced repetitive motion all contribute to the joy of pen input.