SketchBoard Publisher: KB Gear Interactive Price: $60 Rating: (3 1/2 out of 5 faces)

A "CAP & Dad" Review

I was first introduced to KB's SketchBoard at MacWorld Expo 2000 in San Francisco and wasn't at all impressed with it, and had a few bad things to say about the person demonstrating it (he was rude, didn't know how to use it, more interested in chatting with female expo attendees, crashed the computer he was using, etc...). With my bad experience at the expo, I certainly wasn't interested in purchasing anything they had, but alas, I found this product at an open box sale and couldn't resist the bargain.

Before we could get started, I had to go to the KB Gear web site to download the Mac drivers so we could use the SketchBoard (only the windoze version is enclosed). Once the needed software was downloaded and installed, it was an easy step to disconnect the USB mouse and plug in the USB based SketchBoard.

The template on the Sketch Board mimics the enclosed art software (Disney Magic Artist Studio), making it easy to look at the board and make the selections you want with this specific program. By gently moving the end of the SketchBoard's pen across the tablet, you are moving the selected item (brush, pen, cursor, etc.) across the screen. Clicking the button on the side of the pen does the same as clicking the button on your Apple-style single button mouse.

Outside the enclosed art program, moving the pen across the tablet and clicking the pen's button acts just like a standard mouse and I found it could be used as a replacement for the mouse with every program we have. A nice extra benefit, I just wish there was an additional program to turn screenshots into interchangeable templates.

Final Thoughts

It is a nice kid-type drawing tablet, it is a shame their expo representative was so lousy at his tasks. It seems as though their Mac support was an after-thought (no enclosed SketchBoard software) and their media representative has yet to return my call (they only had a week to do so before I had a change in our phone number).

With this said, this is a nice child's product. It just makes me wonder what type of support they'd give if we ever experience any problems with any of their products.

Pros: Nice and easy to use USB interface. Works like a mouse within all programs. Cons: Bulky pen and the cord gets in the way. No included Mac drivers. Needs a way to make more tablet templates.

The Reviewing Team
CAP = A three and a half year old "handsome" young man.
DAD = Better known as R.P. Phillips of the Phillips Files

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