Computing has come a long way since it really kicked off back in the ’70s. We’ve come from giant, ugly boxes of circuitry that could do very little, to slim, elegant machines of style that can do a whole lot more. And in all that time, the mouse has pretty much been the standard method of user interface navigation. But now - as with most things technological, things are starting to change.

Little things called Graphics tablets are starting to creep their way in to day-to-day use. The first home computer tablet was introduced in 1984 - called the KoalaPad, it was originally designed for the Apple II but later spread to other compatible machines. Even then, the main idea behind it was all to do with drawing. In today’s world, that original idea remains, with a few added extras.

But which is better for day-to-day use?

Being a hopelessly addicted tech addict, I love new things. I decided that, after receiving some money for my birthday, I’d buy something. After I eventually narrowed it down, the choice was between and external hard drive and a graphics tablet. The sensible option, of course, would be the hard drive. I never back up, and I should. But where’s the fun in the hard drive? I went for the tablet - it looked ‘cool’ and I was sure that I’d find some use for it. The tablet I chose was the highly popular Wacom Bamboo - not only is Wacom a brilliant make (the industry leader, I think we can safely say) but it was the cheapest one that I could find that looked decent. At £45 (or $57 in the US) there really was nothing (much) to lose.

Getting used to the tablet is hard. The Bamboo uses absolute positioning (any point on the tablet surface relates to that same point on the screen). Once you’ve mastered that, you’re all set to go. General navigation is in my opinion is slightly sped up, as you can go directly where you want to go in one tap, although I do find myself dragging my hand all the way, like you would with a mouse. You also don’t get the surface problems like you would with a mouse, as, rather obviously, the tablet is its own surface. The field where the advantages of the tablet shine most is image editing. In Photoshop, using the extract tool and lasso tool (to take two examples) is much easier as you’re drawing in a much more natural style. Skitch also becomes twice as fun when you add a tablet into the equation. If you’re the adventurous type, you could even give handwriting recognition a go, but for the 10 minutes I played around with it, the keyboard wins hands down.

A problem that I have had frequently with my graphics tablet is the pen. Misplacing it is so easy. I do honestly think that Wacom, or any tablet manufacturer, should make the pens a bright yellow so they never get lost. Places my pen have ended up include on the floor, in the bathroom, under the bed, in the wardrobe and even in my bowl of cereal. And it’s still going strong.

And if you’re a “I’m-not-clicking-anything” kinda guy, most tablets come with buttons on them for functions that you can set, although I hardly ever use mine.

So where am I trying to get with all this? Well, if you are the casual internet surfing, iTunes listening computer user, you will probably be fine with a good mouse. For those of you with Photoshop on your computer (or indeed Pixelmator) a cheap tablet such as the Wacom Bamboo is something that it’s probably worth investing in. And even me, the casual use, have never plugged my mouse back in in the whole time I’ve had this (except from when people use my computer and don’t know how to use the tablet) and I feel it does help reduce the risk of Repetitive Strain Injury and helps with your hand-eye coordination.