Wacom releases an updated version with Bluetooth wireless connectivity. Available only in the medium-size version for about US$399, US$50 more than its USB-only twin, the Intuos4 Wireless becomes a great option for artists and illustrators on the go–or even sedentary ones with an aversion to wires.

The Wireless model runs off a replaceable lithium ion battery that charges via the USB connection. You have to charge it before going wireless, as well as be physically connected to install the driver. After that, Bluetooth setup is fairly typical. You switch the tablet on and press a button to initiate the “I’m here!” broadcast and wait for your system to discover the tablet, which is essentially treated as a mouse. Note that the tablet doesn’t ship with a dongle, so if your system doesn’t have Bluetooth you’ll have to deal with that separately. Unlike the wired-only version, the Wireless tablet has two tiny lights on one side: yellow/green to indicate charging and battery state and blue to indicate connected state. The wireless model also has a perk the wired model lacks, a snap-in pen holder.