Hey, all! I'm looking to get a new tablet, a "class 2" variety by this post's standards:
https://cgcookie.com/articles/big-idea-digital-tablets
The one I'm currently looking at is an Ugee 19", which has its buttons of to the bottom right (helpful for me as I am left-handed). The problem I'm running into though with this tablet and all of the other ones I'm looking at is the pen's button positioning. Not only is the pen quite thick, but the button position is very low and thus would force my hand into an unnatural position just as my current tablet does. I can't find any large lefty-friendly monitor tablets with good pens, though. Please, can anyone provide any suggestions for tablet or pen alternatives? It would really make my day.
Could you provide some examples of how you prefer to hold your pen versus how the buttons are forcing you to hold your pen? Holding the pen hasn't been an issue with me, so I'd like to see how you're holding it and what's changing. Alternatively, you don't have to use the buttons, as convenient as they are for certain actions. I don't ever use the "Erase" function on my pen because I just use the shortcut key for that. It's faster for me to hit some keys than to flip the pen over. But whatever fits your workflow.
silentheart00 Honestly it's been so long since I held the pen correctly it'd take some getting used to again before I could fully remember how it sits most naturally for me, but this is the gist.
This is closer to how I'd like to hold it (though not exact), with the pen tip further away, but this way I keep accidentally hitting the buttons. I can't really reprogram them easily either, there's some weird thing going on with my Linux distro where it both does and does not recognize my tablet so I can use it, but not configure it.
This choked-up position is how I have to hold it now, to avoid the buttons. It isn't as natural for me, so my hand tenses up a lot more than it used to using it this way.
The bandages are because my carpel tunnel is acting up lately. :/
fairestmoss Ah, I see! That certainly helps, thanks! Have you tried rotating it around so the buttons aren't being pressed by any fingers? Since it sounds like there's an issue with the buttons anyway, essentially making them useless, it's less critical for you to be able to access the buttons.
I tend to hold mine like in this image with the top finger pointing out along the pen and the thumb slightly under the buttons. Maybe give that a try to help relieve some of that choking up. Keep experimenting and find a way that suits you better.
Sorry to hear about your carpal tunnel! I hope it heals soon, or enough that it won't hinder you.
silentheart00 That's how I'd started out and I kept accidentally twisting the pen and hitting them anyway. D: Honestly the buttons do work, but at this point I kind of wish they didn't. Like you I've taken more to using keyboard commands instead.
I have actually tried that as well, but as I use my middle finger for control and stability it really screws with me. I can try it again once my hand has healed, but I am in no shortage of past attempts at figuring out different ways to hold my hand/pen.
Thank you~
fairestmoss Fair enough. I wish you luck on healing and finding something suitable for you!
fairestmoss Hi! I googled a bit and read a lot of post about people who also have trouble with the buttons. Most of them say they just removed the buttons. Also the rubber grip if it has it and it bothers them, to get a thinner grip. They say it's pretty easy to do.
Don't know which tablet you will go for in the end, but I found a random example of a Wacom pen on YouTube:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XlKQwMPqfLE
Once you made your decision you could look for YouTube clips for the specific brand you've chosen.
Don't know if the buttons trouble you so much you want to do this, but wanted to give you the option :)
Hope you get well soon, and good luck in your tablet search!