Cintiq Killer coming from Lenovo

[darkmagistric]

Lenovo is preping a new product that could be a pretty serious game changer.

http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/06/l...obile-monitor/

This LT1423p is a 13.3 inch/IPS display tablet with uses Wacoms Penabled Technology.

It can be connected to your computer via USB or they have a Wireless model that has a battery pack that can last anywhere from 5-10 hours.

Now since this is from Lenovo and aimed at the Bussiness Market....it won't have the extra bells and whisles Wacom throws in.

Pressure will be 256 levels
No Tilt or Rotation Control
No super sensative tip sensor
And no express keys

It would be like using a Tablet PC....only being powered by your desktop or whatever computer you connect it to...so in Program perfromance with the likes of Z-Brush and Photoshop....should work much faster and smoother then on any Tablet PC.

But the real game changer is the price.

$350 for the Wired Model.....$450 for the Wireless

Yeah its using decade old tablet PC tech (which is still more then suitable for art creation).....but at that price....this is an impulse buy. I just recently purchased a Cintiq 21ux....and even I might still get this.

Wacom hasn't unveiled their new 12 or 13 inch Cintiq refresh yet...although I'm gonna have to guess it will be quite simmilar to Lenovos....but with all those afromentioned bells and whisles tacked on. I doubt Wacom will go anywhere near lenovo's price....they'll probablly still keep it at $1000.

But if anyone wants to try On-screen digitial drawing/painting without plunking down a grand or more....this looks to be a very serious alternative.

[T3mporaryGold]

Pressure will be 256 levels
No Tilt or Rotation Control
No super sensative tip sensor
And no express keys

I would say thats lacking a bit more than "bells and whistles".

[darkmagistric]

Pressure will be 256 levels
No Tilt or Rotation Control
No super sensative tip sensor
And no express keys

I would say thats lacking a bit more than "bells and whistles".

We'll have to agree to disagree on that front. I have Tablet PCs, Intuos, Graphires, Bamboos, and a Cintiq. For me the Pressure levels from 256 to 2048 means nothing. My brush strokes look exactly the same regardless. If I make a painting on my Samsung S7S tablet PC...its gonna come out looking exactly the same if I made it on my cintiq.

The Rotation option is specific to the Intuos/Cintiq Art pen, so unless you have that pen, its not an issue. and The tilt feature I don't even use. While I know people do use it...the general consensous is that its not really a make or break feature.

Intuos 4 also started Wacoms new tip sensor which lowered the required pressure needed to activate a brush stroke. Truthfully...I can't even tell the difference...and much like the tilt control....its not really a make or break feature. Intuos 3's don't have that tip sensor either and they are still highly recommened.

The only feature that I really wish would make a comback are express keys... they've gone extinct on Tablet PCs too. Thats prehaps the biggest weakness. But in all honesty...there are other options...you can probablly use a USB/bluetooth keyboard or device like the Nostromos Gamepad...or any programable key device to enable shortcuts. There is also an in-screen program that gives the shortcuts on the screen. And if worst comes to worst...they is bound to be a volume rocker on the thing that you can probablly re-program.

Also keep in mind...The Older Cintiqs like the Cintiq 15/18...as well as earlier Intuos/Graphire tablets all had these same restrictions too. the Cintiqs even used the exact same digitizer....and digitial artists still managed to make art just fine. The Penabled Digitizer....although it is wacoms current bottom of the barrel....it is still the base digitizer nessicary to create art on. All the additions that came with Intuos 3, 4, etc...nothing more then bells and whisles.

[Portus]

The price is excellent for the features, it would be an awesome reference screen too, I don't like tablets because they're too weak, with this you could run whatever application you want and stream it. This is exactly what I wanted.

[darkmagistric]

Thats precisly why this is a cintiq killer. Since most Tablet PCs use ULV or other low voltage processors....with this device you can use your full powered/ Quad Core i7s, 16 GB of ram and run any demanding app or canvas size you wish.

Now Wacoms offered Non-Cintiq Penabled Displays for years..using this same digitizer.....but they all still broke $1000. The cheapest was $1200.

If Lenovo was offering this for $1500....I wouldn't exacly be calling it a Cintiq Killer.....the Fact that this price undercuts all of Wacoms other options by a pretty massive margin is the key. Not even just a Cintiq Killer...this may even canabailze Wacoms Intuos Sales since this more on level with the Pricing of the Intuo 4/5 Large.

[philofmars]

I don't like that it's glossy, but you're right, it's cheap for something that is essentially a tablet for my computer. You could sketch, ink, colorize, work in illustrator. It may not be as responsive like someone said in photoshop or painter, but what it CAN do is awesome for that price. I wonder if the wireless one has usb too. That would rock.

[thegiffman]

That's really encouraging - not so much for what it is, but what it signifies. Microsoft itself, according to Jeff Han (inventor of multitouch) last November, said that a whole slew of pen-and-touch devices are on their way from MS and their OEMs. Between this and the Surface Pro, these are exciting times for digital artists.

[sigmadog]

That's really encouraging - not so much for what it is, but what it signifies.

Yes. Competition! If Lenovo finds success with this product, perhaps more developers will enter the market, which might force Wacom to be more competitive with their pricing and service.

One can always hope.

Personally, I think the product sounds like an interesting entry-level art tool. If I wasn't already involved in a love affair with my new 22hd, I'd by buying LT1423p drinks in a local bar, hoping to get lucky, and subtly suggesting she change her name to something sexy.

[darkmagistric]

Personally, I think the product sounds like an interesting entry-level art tool. If I wasn't already involved in a love affair with my new 22hd, I'd by buying LT1423p drinks in a local bar, hoping to get lucky, and subtly suggesting she change her name to something sexy.

Who's to say your 22hd might not be up for the threesome?

Think of this scenario....I've only had my 21ux for a little more then a month now...but one thing that gets to me is late in the evening when I'm drawing/painting on it...while my computer chair is compfy...after 3-4 hours....you kind of just want to lie down after a while. Wouldn't it be nice to just bring your Cintiq in bed or on the couch and just lie down while using it? yeah....you could throw it on USB drive and then open it on a tablet PC....but then your files/brushes are all different....etc.....but with this....

Once you've exhausted from using your Cintiq/desktop.....turn the Lenovo on and just take your work right with you anywhere in the house. No need to save...just literally pick up where your cintiq left off. If your hungry for pasta....take it into the kitchen and continue while you wait for the water to boil.

Or alternatively...if montezuma's revenge should ever befall you....you can take your artwork right into the throne room with you.

[Griffonnage]

That sound great (I laugh so hard at the last sentence) ! Darkmagistric is right, everyone who own a cintiq or an alternative device may need something like that, just because you can move around with it. I just dream to be able to work from my garden during summer... That could be really great at office too, while sitting at a meeting, making early sketch with everyone around ! (plus it end the time when your manager was trying to avoid you while you are looking for his opinion, nyahaha !)

But I have two concern about it : will this device work as tablet with ALL computers (including mac OS and other windows OS) or only lenovo product + win8 ? What about the wifi signal power decreasing (if you are behind something or just too far away) : will the informations being partially lost ?

Anyway, I'm SO happy to see some innovations coming with this bunch of Win8 tablet ! There is no way artists can't find something that fit their needs !

[Bondok]

This has peaked my interest. I'm a hybrid photographer/artist that also wants something for entertainment (although my iPad has fit that department).
My only hesitation about Lenovo produts is their digitizer's on previous Tablet PCs like the X210 started off not so great (see TabletPCReview under Lenovo). At least in comparrison to a LE1700, hands down I would probably prefer to just buy a J3500/3600 for on the go processing power.

Side topic: Has anyone ventured into any of the new SamSung Windows 8 computers? They are toting something around 1024 depths of pressure sensitivity with their S-Pen, but unsure of software compatibility that would make it worth while for artists like us.

[Portus]

You'll need Windows 8 for the touch to be enabled. Other doubt is how would you sketch/paint with it without a keyboard next to you? Panning and changing tools would be very inconvenient.

[Arshes Nei]

You'll excuse me for having my doubts of it being a "Cintiq" killer

The 256 levels vs 2048 is not noticeable is bullshit. I notice it every time. Even more so since I adjust the pressure curve per program basis.