Hey, Elli. Here from newkidfan's post to toss in my (quickly devaluing) two cents. I have a dirt cheap Super Pen tablet (http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/input/5ede/) that's served me well for a couple of years, now. I'm drooling like mad over the Cintiq, but as far as reliable tablets go? My super basic tablet is surprisingly great. I use it instead of a mouse, for handwriting recognition, as well as for graphics. It's fabulous for vectoring and painting, but I can't draw very well with it. I think that's my deficiency, though, rather than the tablet's. ;)