May be this Wacom worth to wait...

No it's not a huge deal breaker to have slightly less battery life but that would be the previously quoted seven hours as opposed to the 10-12 hours of most Haswell devices coming out. For the size of the battery and considering the low brightness as well as lack of discrete graphics it better get more than five. But who knows I'm still on the fence really.

 

I don't think I'd get the Windows version, purely because it lacks the ability to act as a connected Cintiq, but the Android is growing on me. The ability to sell my Cintiq 13HD, buy the Android version, have a tablet to sketch on the go, as well as hook up for final production design, is awfully tempting. I just wish it wasn't so expensive.

 

My final verdict (I think):

- Windows version: Really, really tempting. Very tempted. I don't like the fact I'd have to find a compatible external battery thingame and improvise a case that is actually protective, but that's not the end of the world. But the final dealbreaker is the fact that, 3 years from now, it's likely to be nothing but a very expensive paperweight with a knackered battery and specs that are below what the software will expect.

If it had the Cintiq ability, it would be fine: in 3 years, it would be a usable Cintiq I could connect to a new machine (or sell).

If it had user-upgradable battery and memory, it would be fine: 3 years from now, it'd still be usable or sellable.

In either of these cases, I'd definitely buy it. As it is, I couldn't love and shell out for something at this price that is doomed to become useless and unsellable.

- Android version: I just don't see why anyone would buy this instead of a regular Cintiq 13HD plus something like a Galaxy Note. No Android apps will take advantage of the better pen, so it's effectively just a giant Galaxy Note when used in Android mode anyway.

Since, on Android mode, there won't be any significant improvement to drawing (there will still be no user calibration, erratic interpretation of pen pressure by the apps available...), I'd rather carry a regular Galaxy Note around outside the house - it's more portable and much less of a big deal if I lose it or damage it. And I believe the two separate devices work out cheaper than this one alone.

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I really want to like it. I've wanted what this is trying to be for years. I want the idea to succeed, and I want it to be what I want.

Both versions are tempting in a way. But neither actually makes sense as a purchase. One winds up being worse and more expensive than just buying the two devices it is a 'hybrid' of, and the other is a disposable "use then throw away" product priced and marketed as a professional tool.

So, so, so frustratingly close.

Maybe if I was to suddenly find a pot of gold I might impluse-buy the Windows version and just accept that it's doomed to degrade into one day becoming a large useless expensive paperweight.

Or, maybe someone can convince me of a use for a Cintiq Companion with a knackered battery in a future world of 64 bit applications that expect 16gbs of RAM (tea tray? Matte black mirror? Media center? Extreme frisbee?).

 

How does Wacom plan to deal with warranty/repairs for the Companion? When the battery wears out, will there be an option to send it back to them and have it replaced? What's that going to cost?

 

Well that doesn't make it any worse right? You could say the Companion Hybrid is a Galaxy Note with:
a) a bigger screen
b) lower entry level pressure and a smoother pressure curve (yet to be confirmed afaik)
c) the Cintiq buttons down the side
d) the potential that Android apps take advantage of the better pen in the future (they do get updated; see http://forum.tabletpcreview.com/oth.../54385-android-art-software-5.html#post339689)

Look, I have a Galaxy Note right now: The screen is small and the pressure sensitivity has been rather chunky.

If I was buying today, I can't imagine buying the Note and a Cintiq 13HD when I could just buy the Companion Hybrid. Two more pros: (1) I would have the same drawing experience whether I was at home or on the road. (2) One device, because frankly I have enough devices already. I'm hitting the "less is more" threshold in my house.

Although frankly I'm not in love with the Android art software regardless of whose tablet I'm running. The best things I've seen, imo, are MS5, Artrage and Procreate. 2 of those run on both Mac and Windows and the other on iOS.

Re: the Windows version being obsolete in 3 years because of software requirements, two thoughts come to mind:

1) On these forums we see people getting along with older tablets, sometimes > 3 years, with no processor upgrade. Whether or not you will, will be a function of what you want to do and whether you're comfortable running older apps.

2) Obsolescence in a few years, you say? How is that different than any other tablet you'll buy from Samsung or Apple?

I think the better issue is raised by justicejr: What happens when the battery has gone senile? We need to find that out.

Btw what happens when the Galaxy Note battery goes senile? I don't know off the top of my head.

 

On a galaxy note phone, you just buy a new one. They're replaceable (I've got three batteries, handy for traveling). That's for the note original, I don't know about more recent versions or tablets.

Re hybrid vs cintiq plus note, I agree it's a tradeoff - portability vs drawing area, sensitivity to light strokes (assuming the hybrid does have that) vs not having to worry about someone spilling a drink on something worth over a thousand (I don't think the buttons do anything in Android mode?).

 

Did we ever figure out battery life on these tablets?

From what it looks like is each different Hybrid has different battery life. The same is true for the Windows Companion. In each case the larger storage option provides more battery. At least that's what it seems like.

 

http://engtechmag.wordpress.com/201...r-windows-8-and-android-an-annotated-graphic/

Nice infographic for the Cintiq Companion and Companion Hybrid.

 

i hope this isn't the case, as I plan to buy the 256GB version. If they don't give it the same battery I will likely not but it, only because there are already a few short comings that I feel could have easily been included.

 

I'm not sure if it's true, but the specifications and various videos I've seen seem to suggest that different models might have differing battery capacities. Guess it's a "wait and see" thing. This whole market feels that way.