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APRIL 10, 2008 Genius Pensketch 9x12 Package Contents: CD Includes: Remember I have no experience using this type of accessory so don’t blame everything that I went through on the Genius Pensketch. I am sure I would have had similar issues with others. I had the entire Pensketch Connected to the Lenovo ThinkPadand set up and running in no time. My first project was learning how to be comfortable moving the pen or mouse. This was not easy. Pen/mouse movement was slow and, at times, jerky. I seemed to have problems covering the entire 9 by 12 area with any kind of fluidity. When I wanted to click to open a program that was at the left side of the tablet and I started from the right side it would not reach. I lifted the pen and tried to move it in the air as I would the mouse on my other computer. The arrow pointer still moved as it continued getting direction from the mouse/pen signal. I was able to adjust the speed on the pointer so things moved faster. I am sure there are ways to change other settings so as to have better control over the pen/mouse movements on the tablet. The Pensketch Series manual included on the CD is not specific to this unit but it is very helpful as a getting started tool. I recommend you read it carefully and keep it open while setting up and getting acquainted with the Pensketch. This is not a product that passes my install and use without a manual test. The Pen Under SCOPE you can set the screen area, ratio, and something called “reserve edges.” Pen pressure measurements can be set as well as click sensitivity and the color used by the pen under the Pressure tab. Looking at the top of the tablet surface you will see twenty clickable (by pen) buttons. Fifteen of these are dedicated to functions already and five buttons are left for you to decide what you want them to do. Setting these up are quite easy The five unassigned buttons can be set under the Hot Cells tab. I set two of mine to open Photoshop Elements 6 and Word. I left the others for future use. Preset buttons include many of the functions you would normally use like NEW, OPEN, SAVE, PRINT, CUT, COPY, PASTE, UNDO, REDO, PAGE UP, PAGE DOWN, BACK, FORWARD, FIND, and ENTER. The presets can be changed to fit your own needs but are limited in the type of actions available to them. They do work as I tested many of them as well as the custom ones I set up. You can also set Keyboard shortcuts for many of these options in the same software area
Below: Before and after using the pen with the Lasso tool in Elements on the lion
Using the included Mouse PenSuite Software PenCommander allows you to control your computer with simple graffiti on your screen.
This was an educational experience. On the one hand I can see the reason professionals would need a Pensketch/Tablet and this one would seem to fill the bill. On the other I think my requirements, as with many others, are not even close to the capabilities of the Genius Pensketch 9x12. If you are curious I suggest trying one of the smaller Genius units as a test before investing in this one. There are many tutorials on the web that can help you get up to speed. If you are a beginning designer, artist, or need annotation the Genius Pensketch 9x12 is very capable. At $149.00 MSRP it will save you many dollars over competing products. Professionals will know better than I if the Pensketch is for them.
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about using a Pensketch or Graphics Tablet. When it was suggested I try one I said “No thanks.” Then it came up again and I changed to “Why not?” So I asked for a small one maybe the size of my current mouse pad. When the box came it was very big but not too heavy. I opened the box to and found a Genius PenSketch with a 9’ by 12” work surface and an overall size of 13.7” by 15”. Not quite what I asked for. I closed the box and thought about it every so often but was overwhelmed by other articles. Lets face it I was also chicken. Hearing from a persistent marketing person every once in awhile has caused me to get it out and give the 
