Thereβs a reason the red pencil endures: itβs the most efficient way to communicate markups on a document. Trouble is, you need a printer and a red pencil if you want to truly mark up a doc. If your home office is without a printer, annotating and marking up documents with a mouse takes all of the pleasure, art, and efficiency out of the process.
Good news: you donβt need a printer to annotate and mark up a doc. You can grab a Wacom tablet, like the Intuos, or a Wacom One, if you prefer to write on screen and get your red (or blue or green) digital pencil working.
How to annotate digitally
In Microsoft Word or Microsoft PowerPoint, head over to the Draw tab and simply pick your pen. Then start marking up the doc. Both programs also allow you to use Windows Ink to create math equations using a pen instead of a mouse or keyboard and in Word, you can embed a drawing canvas right into your Word doc. Save your doc, and your ink is saved too.
Which Wacom products are best for annotation?
For those who want to write on screen, the Wacom One is the best pick. Itβs designed to feel good β the screen isnβt cold or sticky or smudgy like other tablets β and the pen is ergonomically designed thanks to 30 years of researching the way artists hold their pencils and paints. And itβs also a great choice for students who have a lot of math homework, or who want to continue to develop their art.
For those who want the same ergonomic benefits and more customizable buttons, the Wacom Intuos is a great choice. This one comes with three free pieces of drawing software and is light and small so you can throw it in a drawer when the home office needs to transition back to the dining room table.
Wacom products are available atΒ Wacom Estore.