On Behalf Of... Chromebooks!

I wanted to speak on behalf of Chromebook. I really just said that, but Luis went a bit hard on this option. I think it has an audience, that's all I'm saying because... a number of people only use the internet and web-based apps (that's all). When they aren't home, they don't carry around a laptop... they're on a phone. So... why spend more when you can get what you need? Quality matters if you want it to go far, but... find a good balance.

I believe the average person who uses a laptop and doesn't require heavy editing or use a lot of offline programs, won't notice a difference because everything is there that they may need. The women I know who edit photos, mainly use Canva.

There are 2-in-1 Chromebooks that can give some users what they want, that's why they're still around. You get the option to draw with a pen. the Lenovo USI Stylus Pen is compatible with the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i.

Apps for Drawing on Chromebook:

Clip Studio Paint

Krita

Sketchbook

Ibis Paint X

Infinite Painter

ArtFlow: Paint Draw Sketchbook

Medibang Paint

Concepts: Sketch, Note, Draw

Apps for Photo Editing on Chromebook:

Canva: Design, Photo & Video

Pixlr - Photo Editor

BeFunky

Adobe Lightroom Photo & Video Editor

Adobe Photoshop Express Photo Editor

+ More

Apps for Video Editing on Chromebook:

Videoleap - Video Editor/Maker

Kapwing

WeVideo

Sumo Creative Suite

Splice - Video Editor & Maker

+ More

Apps for Audio Editing on Chromebook:

Amped Studio

BandLab

Incredibox

+ More

Google Chromebooks are pretty quick because they don't require a lot and most of the time they're affordable. I think the only time you will notice a slowdown is when you have a bunch of tabs open. When you get into the more expensive options, you are better off looking somewhere else because you're possibly looking for something that can do more (offline). If you're an artist who wants a Chromebook... because of its affordability, and you use Google on a daily basis, then a Chromebook like the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i might work for you. Compare the options, speed, memory, storage, ports, pen compatibility, and price.

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook | $408

Intel Core i3 3GHz

13.3" FHD Touch Display

8GB RAM

256GB Storage

Chrome OS

4.53lbs

Lenovo USI Stylus Pen | $31.91

4096 Pressure Level Sensitivity

150-Day Battery Life (AAAA Battery)

If you're okay with spending a little more for a detachable keyboard, then the Lenovo Idea Pad Duet 5 Chromebook could work. Keyboard included. The cover gives it that Microsoft Surface feel.

Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook | $449.99

Snapdragon SC7180 2.55GHz

13.3" OLED FHD Touch Display

8GB RAM

128GB Storage

Chrome OS

4.02lbs 

If you go with a good Chromebook that's priced well... you win if you go in knowing what you're getting. You can also use your Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Luna, and Geforce Now to stream games. Make sure you have a good connection and you should be satisfied. 

By the way, if you're heading to Orlando or Tampa this year... we're promoting major discounts to Aquatica, Sea World, Busch Gardens, and Adventure Island for up to 49% Off.

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Laptops vs Tablets: What will you buy in 2023?

Laptops are better than tablets for me, but I understand why people are drawn to tablets. They're useful to some of you, but a laptop is just a better fit for some of us. I want to type on a physical keyboard when I want to type and I don't want to use the touch screen if I'm not on my phone. The best tablets are the iPads, but even they don't compare to a good laptop in my opinion. Relax, I'll explain.

iPads are better than Chromebooks as far as capability. Chromebooks are popular in schools because they're an affordable way for students to access the educational software they need, but they're not as good as traditional laptops. It goes right back to capability.

When deciding whether to purchase a tablet or a laptop, it is important to weigh the pros and cons of each option before you shell out the money. Tablets boast efficient battery life, a user-friendly operating system, they're more portable and lightweight, and the camera is usually better on something like an iPad. However, the touch keyboard uses screen space, external accessories can be costly, and the device can overheat with overuse. Laptops, on the other hand, offer a physical keyboard, more processing power, and a larger screen. To the credit of tablets, laptops are typically heavier and bulkier.

Ultimately, the decision comes down to personal preference and what type of tasks you will be using the device for.

If you need a larger screen? Laptop

Need something more portable for taking notes? Tablet

Need to type more often than not? Laptop

Need a lightweight device to mount and control devices from? Tablet

Need to work on multiple things at once? Laptop

Need a lightweight device to do your artwork? Tablet

Gaming? Both! Streaming has made it easy for us to access our favorite console-quality games from any device, but you're paying more if you want to hardwire a tablet.

If you want to settle for something in the middle, both roads cross at a good lightweight 2-in-1 but be prepared to pay. A good 2-in-1 can easily cost you over $1,200 unless you score a factory refurbished option, which on a side note are the laptops that you end up with anyway if you have a warranty and you're outside of a particular window. 

If the system is a brick out of the box, they owe you a brand-spanking new replacement. If the system is past a certain period, you're getting a factory-refurbished replacement. You can't go wrong because any issues are no longer an issue due to the part(s) being fully replaced with a new one. The exterior is usually pre-existing, but little to no marks may appear on the product. Companies won't tell you this, but that gives you an idea of what goes on behind the scenes.

I'm a traditional laptop guy, but another member of the team prefers a good 2-in-1 as long as he can actually draw on the screen. So that's where the benefit for tablet users comes in. If you can't use a pen on the screen, you're better off sticking with tablets like the iPad, but if a 2-in-1 can marry the things you need from both devices you have the best of both. 

I think Microsoft comes the closest with the Surface Pro because you can detach the keyboard, it runs standard Windows, and it has a pen.

Here are the specs for the Surface Pro 9's $1,399.99 option:

• 12th Gen Intel Core i7
• Intel Iris Xe Graphics
• Windows 11 Home
• WiFi
• 13" Display (2880 X 1920)
• 16GB RAM
• 256GB SSD
• 2 USB-C Thunderbolt 4 Ports
• No Microsoft Office, although I prefer a one-time purchase over 365
• Weight 1.95lbs
• 15.5 Hour Battery
• 1 Month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
  
  
• Surface Pro Signature Keyboard - $107.99 (Additional)
• Surface Slim Pen 2 - $92.99 (Additional)

You're looking at $1,600.97 if you want to get the true 2-in-1 experience.

What we know as the traditional 2-in-1 is usually a laptop that cannot detach the keyboard, and one that I've identified in a similar price range is from Lenovo.

Here are the specs for the Yoga 7i's $1,399.99 option:

• 12th Gen Intel Core i7
• Intel Arc A370M 4GB GDDR6 Graphics
• Windows 11 Home 64
• WiFi
• 16" Display (2560 X 1600)
• 32GB RAM
• 1TB SSD
• HDMI
  
• 2 USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 Ports
• 2 USB-C Thunderbolt 4 Ports
• SD Card Reader
  
• Weight 4.19lbs
• 65W Power Supply, 4-Cell 71 WHr Battery (Is my guess since that's the one in a lesser unit)
• 3 Months Xbox Game Pass

• Lenovo Active Pen 2 - $44.99 (Additional)

You're looking at $1,444.98 if you want to add the pen and make it worth it.

I don't want to crap on other tablets, but I don't want to serve up any fluff either. So I'll acknowledge some other tablets worth considering:

Galaxy Tab S7 FE, delivers a very nice Android experience with an S Pen included at no extra charge. This tablet has a good 12.4" LTPS 60Hz display, a Qualcomm SDM778G Octa-core processor, up to 8GB RAM, and a Li-Ion 10090mAh battery. This tablet weighs in at 1.34lbs, which is $552.16 before taxes. If I needed a tablet, I would go for something like this if I couldn't score an iPad.

Amazon Fire HD 10 Plus (2021), is an affordable tablet that gives you a pretty good battery life to enjoy eBooks, web browsing, enjoying shows, gaming through Luna, mobile games, and notable apps at $179.99. You can't use an active pen on these tablets, but Amazon needs to get with the program if they want to make the device even better. The Fire HD 10 Plus has a 9.73" X 6.53" screen and weighs in at 16.5oz.

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Rick and Morty: The Complete Fifth Season... Reviewed!

Before I jump into this crazy review... I have to give a shout-out to Warner Bros for supplying a copy of the product. My opinions are my own, now let's walk through this green portal, a party's on the other side!

What do you get when you pack a season full of raging baby batter, doomsday parties, a Voltron-esc character vs a gigantic baby, Captain Planet's female counterpart, a bootleg Aquaman, and Rick & Morty vs Rick & Morty vs Rick & Morty, etc? Well... I gave it away 10 times over, but if you can't guess... I'm talking about the fifth season of Rick and Morty. 

Let's jump into this review by talking about the steelbook first... wubba lubba dub dub baby! This season the team sent over a steelbook with some really cool (I want to say... ) Holiday-themed color to it.

This is Rick and Morty, so... outside of the color, I can't say this has anything to do with the holidays in terms of theme (not even a little). Regardless of that, the red and green steelbook is sure to deliver some warm cozy somethings for anyone who gets it this season. 

Story: Rick and Morty: The Complete Fifth Season comes crashing into the first episode... literally after escaping the cluthes of yet more pending doom. If you didn't know the franchise, you'd think the madness stopped there, but not quite... because that was just a crack in the glass holding back all hell from breaking loose.

This episode wasn't just crazy because they ended up taking on the bootleg Aquaman, but because of what Morty had to go through in a short period time to keep the peace in a situation taking place on the home front. I found this episode really interesting because while it only took a few seconds of Morty's time to step through a portal to do something... decades had passed for the being in the other world. Generation after generation there Morty's legend grew bigger and bigger, then he would become a myth until he popped back up, and then something else would happen that caused the people to prepare for his return. It was a really interesting concept, and this wasn't the only episode where the concepts shined.

Episode two was interesting enough also, you didn't know who was who... which we've been there before as far as not knowing if the real Rick and Morty would stand up... but this was an all out clone war with character variations. The homefront always makes an appearance to keep things somewhat grounded, no matter how crazy things get... but home doesn't exactly feel like it's where the heart is as much as previous seraons. The characters are more cold hearted... which stood out to me. They still delivered as far as the family bumping heads and working things out while on their adventures, and they even made time for turkey day (in the craziest way possible).

It was still a good season overall, but... I think if things were pulled back into the realm of normalcy because something occurred that axed Rick's ability to just create any and everything that came to mind, it could give it a breath of fresh air. It doesn't have to be something done every season, but if he had to figure things out on earth with his relationships + life, and even how to deal with beings seeking revenge... that would be cool. It would also be good to see Morty go back to school a bit more and bring more charm back to the show with local life. How that's going to happen based on the way things ended in episode ten, I have the slightest idea... but the team always thinks of something.

One thing I do have to keep in mind is that the pandemic happened, and I was reminded of that with one I watched. They were even talking about... hmmmm, actually I won't say anything, you can check it out in the special features.

Visuals: Visually when it comes to the Rick and Morty art team, they definitely find creative ways to maintain the art style. You have civilization after civilization, underworld beings, out of this world freakazoids (hello), and the list goes on in this action-packed season.

The art style remains recognizable throughout the season, but you will notice during multiple episodes that the depth was of the visuals were heavier than others (even in the same episode). Compare the shading above, compared to what you see below. I salute the team for pulling off all that animated action... because Rick and Morty is certain a show that puts your creative skills to the test I'm sure.

Audio: The zaps, explosions, teleportations, and other special effects were delivered in 1080p DTS-HD Master Audio.

DTS-HD Master Audio: This is the top dog of DTS audio formats, and can be thought of as DTS’s equivalent to Dolby’s TrueHD. Master Audio provides up to 7.1 channels of uncompressed surround-sound audio. - Home Theater For Dummies, 3rd Edition

Price: Pricewise, you can get Rick and Morty: The Complete Fifth Season on DVD for $24.98, Blu-Ray + Digital Copy for $29.98, and the Steelbook (Blu-Ray) + Digital Copy for $39.99. The $39.99 steelbook version is definitely for the collector's out there... but regardless of the MSRP, you can get the hook up at the links above. The extras make the price worth it, especially for artists looking for inspiration from professionals in the industry.

Bonus Features include:

• "Fighting Gravity": The Making of Season 5 (Exclusive to Set) - In this feature, co-creator Dan Harmon and the team reflect on the challenges of completing season 5 in the middle of a pandemic + the creative process behind the biggest revelations in the story. I'd recommend avoiding any bonus features until you watch the season.

• "Inside the Episode" (Available for every episode)

• B-Story Generator Vol. 1

• B-Story Generator Vol. 2

• Backgrounds (Calling all artists, they're showing love in here)

• Animation and Compositing (artists will enjoy this)

• Coloring Rick and Morty (artists will also enjoy this too)

• Directing 'Mortyplicity'

• Directing 'Rickmurai Jack'

• Season 5 Hype

Story 3

Visuals 5

Audio 5

Price 5

4.5 out of 5 Cool Points

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Xencelabs Pen Tablet (Medium)... Reviewed!

Before we jump in, I would like to thank the team over at Xencelabs Technologies for supplying a tablet for this review. As always... my opinions are my own. When this package arrived from Xencelabs, I was both curious + excited so... before we jump in I want to share the unboxing action with you, enjoy!

Now that you've seen the unboxing... let's get into the review.

So here you have the Xencelabs Pen Tablet, and this is the medium one... which is the first on the market (congrats to the team for making it this far). As far as releasing this size first, it makes... Xence as the most commonly used pen tablet size. Rather than just create the next cheap generic tablet that's not a Wacom, Xencelabs stepped it up for the purpose of making a professional drawing tablet... with professional quality and value wrapped into one.

Build: As far as the body of this tablet goes, you have a nice metal underbelly with a durable plastic surface.

I literally had to feel this thing numerous times just to make sure that the top and the underbelly were different materials... and the pen tablet's case utilizes the same durable plastic. It's heavy and could definitely double as personal security if needed. I'm just kidding, or... am I?

Seriously though, I really like the quality put into this case... because it's not exactly the main product and didn't have to be included at all.

Going back to the tablet, the body has rubber feet on the underbelly for desktop drawing, and these areas to the side of the underbelly for you to hold during wireless drawing (thank you for that). I probably would've added some pen grip material to this area... to ensure that the tablet doesn't slip. It hasn't slipped out of my hands yet, but that would increase the chance of it not slipping (x 2).

The buttons of the tablet are also located in an area that just makes Xence in the north location of the surface. You don't have to worry about your grip on the tablet activating a shortcut or something. You have to intentionally press a button... which is just around the corner from the power button located on the top (which is next door to the USB-C port and down the hall from the Kensington lock port).

One thing I appreciate about this tablet is that it doesn't have that... drop-off near the bottom of the tablet which allows you to be able to flow without a potential bump affecting your artwork.

As far as the pens go, the build quality feels as good as my Wacom pen... just to give you an idea of feel. This isn't a plus or a minus but the Xencelabs Pens (6.25") are shorter in size when compared side by side to my Wacom Cintiq pen (just shy of 7").

The thin pen gives you the standard feel of your everyday pen, except... it's digital, and the 3 button pen gives you that pro digital pen feel with one noticeable difference when compared to my Wacom pen. 

These digital pens have grip that extend further, which allow you to hold them as close to the nib as possible... if you fancy drawing that way. 

The 3-button pen's grip is up to a comfortable degree to where you're gripping beyond the thick of it, and the thin pen's grip literally runs all the way down to the nib. Love it.

The erasers aren't stuck out further than necessary either, which prevents them from loosening over time as quickly as other digital pens I've used (even the Wacom pen I currently have). 

The buttons are nice and clicky too, not to a degree where you have to manhandle them to get a response, but you will know that you've clicked them.

The pens are just as important as the tablet, so I appreciate the quality build of both pens, the case that protects them, and the tablet.

Before getting to the extras, I want to highlight one more thing about the case. 

Outside of housing the pens... which gives you access to them anytime you want to switch up, the case also houses the nibs + nib replacer + USB-C adapter + wireless dongle. I know this is the "Duh of the day", but this is great for portability... keeps everything in one place for immediate access.

Functionality: When it comes to functionality, you're able to use the Xencelabs Pen Tablet in both wired and wireless modes. I will personally try to avoid drawing with it in wired mode for the most part and reserve the cord for charging purposes only, but having the option is great for artists in a time crunch. Wireless is a beautiful thing so that you can... break free from the restrictions of the cord. You can draw from a distance when needed, possibly on a larger display for your team (i.e. socially distancing at this time + a group meeting where you may be fleshing something out or explaining something).

By the way, this tablet's drawing surface serves up a native 16:9 aspect ratio for your drawing pleasure.

Also, you may not feel like leaning on a desk or sitting in a certain position, you want to kick back in your favorite chair a draw without the old... cord yank reminding you to reel it back in.

The pen tablet also includes 3 programmable buttons, the Thin Pen also includes the same number of programmable buttons, while the 3 button pen includes... 4 (didn't see that one coming did ya?). Here's a small vid showcasing the Tablet + Pen UI:

There is also protection for your investment by way of the Kensington Lock Port. Feel free to take a look at the Kensington Cable Lock to see how durable it is as far as securing your device from... sticky fingers.

As far as the pens go, you have pressure levels of 8192 for both pens and a + 60-degree tilt range... which are professional grades just like other pro drawing tablets. The remaining two sections will further highlight why this is a better buy.

This is my drawing from the live preview seen in the recap below. Just FYI, I'm not big on using drawing tablets without a screen... but this one is easily the best product I've used thus far. I look forward to tightening my skills with it. I thought of doing something extra with this outside of the live preview but... I wanted to stick with everything seen in the live preview so you can confirm that this actual tablet was used.

Extras: Check out this recap of the live preview!

As seen in the live preview... you not only get the obvious tablet and pen, but you get two drawing pens of different sizes. Come on son! Who does that? Xencelabs does that. I'm not trying to fanboy it up... but seriously the option to have both sizes are great and they threw it in at no additional charge.

That comes with the standard Pen Tablet from the company + a smudge protector so that the gunk doesn't build up on your tablet as easily. If you aren't familiar with these types of gloves, they really come in handy... not only from gunk but also it increases the smoothness of your glide.

The Pen Tablet Medium bundle includes everything above in addition to a tablet sleeve with a really soft interior that protects the device. The sleeve also has an additional section for your cord with two pockets for your pen case + the Xencelabs Quick Keys. By the way, the quick keys remote is included in the bundle. Stay tuned for a review of the remote, but for now, I will focus on the package I received.

Price: Pricewise the Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium comes in at $279.99. This is $100 less than the Wacom Intuos Pro - Medium ($99.95 less if you want to be technical), and it comes with more. This isn't to sway your buying decision, but with a new product on the market like this pro tablet... I hope it helps you make a more informed decision.

Build 5

Functionality 5

Extra 5

Price 5

5 out of 5 Cool Points

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First look: Xencelabs Pen Tablet

We had the honor of being invited to a tech reveal... and I had to share the first look at Xencelabs first pen tablet. Shout out to the artists out there.

Xencelabs Technologies Limited is comprised of professionals that have worked in the industry for quite some time, we're talking veterans from Wacom, Autodesk, and other companies.

What I appreciated first and foremost was the fact that they didn't just bring a tablet to market, they wanted to reach out and make sure that they were bringing the right tablet to the market to be competitive. They sought feedback from professional artists in the industry to find out their yays and nays when it comes to pen tablets... and ultimately created the tablet you see here.

The second thing that caught my attention during the presentation... was the battery icon I saw not only for the Xencelabs Quick Keys remote but also for the Xencelabs Pen Tablet. I know it was the duh of the day, but I had to raise my hand and double-check to see if the tablet was wireless... and it is. You can use it while connected to the cord also (second duh), but the ability to move around freely is awesome. YAY!

I could see this being utilized by someone at a meeting to present different concepts, drawing from a distance while using a larger screen, or someone like myself who would move to a different part of the desk or something to get a bit more comfortable (I can even PC hop without unhooking wires. Also, the cords can get in the way at times with hardwired tablets, even if they're in a non-intrusive area of the tablet. If you want to shift those tablets... you can end up with a snag or something, but you can move this tablet around freely and hold it if you desire to do so.

I don't want to put words in their mouth, even if they confirmed questions to a degree but... this is their initial tablet as the company continues to blossom. According to Xencelabs there will be more to come down the road (most likely a screened tablet), but as veterans in the industry... they wanted to come in with a bang (as far as their new company and product is concerned). 

That bang comes in the form of the Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium Bundle:

Yes it comes with a pen and tablet... but it also comes with:

A nice full-sized pen case packed with Nibs (10) + the Nib Extracting Ring

A second pen (one thin pen, and a 3-button pen for 2D + 3D work)

8192 Pressure Levels + 60 degree (both pens)

A dongle to get your wireless drawing on

A Glove Medium (which I'd just use the one I have if that's too small, but... it's free)

A Tablet Sleeve

A Xencelabs Quick Keys device

I'm not giving praise just to give praise... but just like with bundles for games, this is how you make an impression. It's a new company comprised of veterans going into an industry with plenty of options (some of which they were part of), and they decided to take the extra mile to stand out. I think that curve at the bottom of the tablet is going to feel nice, but I can't say whether it is or not... yet. As soon as we get the opportunity to review one, you will know about it.

Check out the available Xencelab options and... game on!

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