While the smaller Bamboo tablet does not include software other than the installation disk, the larger Bamboo tablet that we reviewed comes with several full-version pieces of software. This is very impressive given the USD 199 suggested retail price tag of the device. The software includes Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0 for Windows or Mac. This is a great program for editing, retouching, enhancing, organizing, and sharing digital photos. Also included is Corel Painter Essentials 4.0 for creating natural media art and turning photos into paintings. The third piece of included software is Nik Color Efex Pro 3.0. This is a collection of filters that work with Photoshop Elements or Photoshop for selectively applying lighting and photo enhancements with the pen.

If you have Vista or Mac OS X, you can use the tablet for all of your input needs, but it really gets to be fun when you use the included software to create drawings, turn your photographs into works of art, or practice your drawing skills. The included programs let you trace, draw, sketch, and apply artistic filters and special effects.

Many other software programs also have enhanced features that allow it to work with the Bamboo. These include Acrobat Professional, After Effects, CorelDraw, Flash, Paint Shop Pro, SketchUp, and many more. A full list can be found at the Wacom website.

The Wacom tablet includes a one year warranty, and even more impressive is that there is free US-based technical support available Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm Pacific Time (1-360-896-9833).