In September I reviewed the Genius EasyPen i405. Today I am looking at the Genius G-Pen M609X tablet which is a bigger, much more serious version of this genre, one that will likely be of interest to professional users.

Genius G-Pen M609X

The Basics
System Requirements: OS X 10.4 or newer (It also runs on PCs with Windows Vista, XP, or 2000) Installation software for both platforms is included.

In the Box:

• G-Pen M609X tablet
• Cordless pen
• Software
• Power Presenter RE/Free Notes & Office Ink
• Mac Driver (and PC Driver)
• Two extra pen tips
• Pen holder
• AAA battery for pen
• Guide

The Tablet
The drawing area is 5 ½ by 9-inches and it is surrounded by glossy black plastic. At the top are two rotating controls for zoom and scroll. There are several buttons that add one-touch functionality and 26 pen-activated hot keys surrounding the drawing area. There are two active work areas: wide (9 x 5 ½) and standard (7¼ x 5 ½).

Although there are 26 hot keys, some of them are pre-set and can not be changed. The ones along the top are set for things like New Document, Open, Save, Cut, Copy, Paste, and Undo. Things you probably use routinely. The keys down each side can be assigned to launch applications. Once you set those keys, you must remember how you assigned them.

It is very easy to control the accuracy of the pen once you become accustomed to using it in place of a mouse. I enjoy the ability to make minute changes or corrections in documents or photographs in particular. The textured feel of the writing area makes it easier to control the pen also.

Like the Genius EasyPen mentioned above, the drawing surface is actually a flexible plastic sheet that can be lifted. It is semi-transparent which means you can put a drawing or photo behind it and trace the image so that it is recreated on your screen.

One big advantage of this version of the tablet is the pen and pen holder. It is important with a tablet that the pen tip is protected. The M609X comes with a faux ink well that holds the pen in place when not in use. No more worries about the pen rolling off the desk onto the floor where the ever present kitty will think it is a new toy.

Something that sets this tablet apart is the rolling pad which allows for 4D scrolling, zoom in /out, volume up/down and brush-width functions.

The specific features of the tablet were easy to use although some features that are available to PC users are not available to Mac users.

I found different prices for this particular unit. Prices ranged from US$99 at New Egg to $109 at Wallmart on the day that I checked.

The Bottom Line
This is a sturdy tablet with plenty of work space and extras to allow a serious user to get the job done.