Wacom's Graphire3 offers budding artists the chance to play with their creative side, or destructive children the opportunity to squiggle moustaches on everything. Read our Australian first take.

Looking for additional traction in the consumer space, Wacom has launched two consumer-oriented tablet devices under the Graphire3 branding. Coming in 4x5" and 6x8" sizes respectively, they retail for AU$135.95 and AU$264 respectively.

The Upside: Most users are familiar and comfortable with a pen, and the supplied software allows you to write, draw, create and modify quite easily. The tablet plugs in via USB, and that's all you need; the pen is battery-free, and an optional mouse (AU$26.95) even manages this trick too. As it uses an electromagnetic field, it doesn't care what's under the surface, so the display side of the tablet can be customised with any printed image you care to place there.

The Downside: While it's good for visual work, navigating around a computer screen with a pen can initially be a very hit-and-miss affair. If you're the type who constantly has a messy desk, finding somewhere to place the tablet can also be a touch tricky. While the sapphire and silver tablets are quite attractive, we can't see a big market for pink tablets.

The Verdict: It's a very cheap way to add Tablet PC-style functionality to your notebook or desktop, and an ideal way to waste numerous hours just drawing. Stay tuned for our full review very soon.