Wacom wants to make the classic pen and paper a little more high tech. How? By making pictures and notes drawn and written with a paper and pen uploadable to the cloud, thanks to its new Bamboo Slate, Folio, and Omni.
The Slate and Folio basically allow you to draw and write like you would on standard paper with a pen, after which you can convert your writing to digital files with the simple push of a button. The Omni works a little differently, turning your iPad or tablet into a smart note-taking device. The Omni is basically just a smart stylus, which works with your tablet to capture your ideas.
The devices work with the Wacom Inkspace app, which is available for both iOS and Android. Wacom is quick to point out, however, that if you’re not near your device when you’re drawing or writing, don’t worry — the Slate can store up to 100 pages onboard for sync later on.
While you can use any old paper, you can’t use any old pen — you’ll need to use the “smart” ballpoint pen included with the device. When you run out of ink, you will need to buy an ink refill. However, the device comes with one extra so you shouldn’t need to shell out any extra cash for a while. The cartridges are cheap enough to buy at office supply stores or online.
The only difference between the Slate and Folio is design. Both the Slate and the Folio have the same underlying technology, but the Folio comes with a cover designed to be a more comprehensive solution. For example, it includes slots for business cards and extra documents. The Slate, however, is a little sleeker, and while you won’t get all that extra space, you will get something that can more easily fit in a bag or sit on your desk.
The Slate comes in two sizes — small, which fits A5 paper, and large, which is for A4 paper. The Folio, on the other hand, only comes in the A4 size.
