Chinese Handwriting Systems

Chinese input is built into OS X, just enable it in System Preferences > International > Input Menu. You get several different input methods for both traditional and simplified Chinese.

I don't know about handwriting Chinese, though.

worse comes to worse can't you use bootcamp/ windows/ pc writing pads? since there are so many floating around... sorry i don't know about mac native ones though.

http://www.chinesesoftware.com/d_apple_chinese.html Not sure if this will work for you, but my, they are awfully expensive!

ironic23 said:

http://www.chinesesoftware.com/d_apple_chinese.html Not sure if this will work for you, but my, they are awfully expensive!

Click to expand...

$200 doesn't seem all that expensive for the tablet and software?!?

B

Worth the time and effort

$200 seems a bit much on the outside.

I have been using the tablet for a while now. I purchased it in Hong Kong as it was not readily available in Singapore.

Since I have businesses that require correspondence in both Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese, I bought the system to help me input data faster.

Point to note:
I used the HanYuPinYin system avaiable in MacOSX previously. It is good but not smart.
The system available in Windows learns your most oft used words and bring them to the front of the library. This does not happen in MacOSX.

Since purchasing the tablet handwriting system, I can practice writing my Chinese again, have no problems switching between Traditional and Simplified Chinese (and even having them both recognized immediately).
For the older generation that is more used to the writing method of Chinese, this is a big bonus.
However, there is a big thing missing ... that it is not predictive in nature. Thus having a standard chinese phrase (equivalent to english idioms) needs to fully written out. Examples of predictive texting in the standard keyboard input - type "fftq" will give you "fa fen tu qiang" automatically. But you will need to write the whole string when using the tablet input.

It will depend on the nature of the requirement - in this case, to get your parents to start using the computer. If that is the case, then it is definitely worth your while to invest.
Note that apparently it only works with the supplied tablet. The drivers need to be updated - as the original package was meant for 10.2. The drivers are readily available at Wacom.

hope my little input helped!

YesAsia.com also has a few but I'm not sure about Mac OS X compatibility.

anwarasw said:

$200 seems a bit much on the outside.

I have been using the tablet for a while now. I purchased it in Hong Kong as it was not readily available in Singapore.

Since I have businesses that require correspondence in both Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese, I bought the system to help me input data faster.

Point to note:
I used the HanYuPinYin system avaiable in MacOSX previously. It is good but not smart.
The system available in Windows learns your most oft used words and bring them to the front of the library. This does not happen in MacOSX.

Since purchasing the tablet handwriting system, I can practice writing my Chinese again, have no problems switching between Traditional and Simplified Chinese (and even having them both recognized immediately).
For the older generation that is more used to the writing method of Chinese, this is a big bonus.
However, there is a big thing missing ... that it is not predictive in nature. Thus having a standard chinese phrase (equivalent to english idioms) needs to fully written out. Examples of predictive texting in the standard keyboard input - type "fftq" will give you "fa fen tu qiang" automatically. But you will need to write the whole string when using the tablet input.

It will depend on the nature of the requirement - in this case, to get your parents to start using the computer. If that is the case, then it is definitely worth your while to invest.
Note that apparently it only works with the supplied tablet. The drivers need to be updated - as the original package was meant for 10.2. The drivers are readily available at Wacom.

hope my little input helped!

Click to expand...

Hi, may i know if it supports 10.4.7 Tiger? I heard there are compatible issues with Tiger. I currently have a Penpower tablet, however this tablet is a none Wacom. The Penpower software that i have 5.5 doesn't run at all on 10.4.7 although it installs and appears my menu bar.

If it works on 10.4.7 then i won't mind hunting down Penpower's Wacom tablet. BTW i'm in Singapore too.

Compatibility ...

Dear coolcat1829,

I am specifically unable to reply whether 10.4.7 as I am on 10.3.9 (I waiting for Leopard to show its spots and the Intel Duo Mac Pro to stablize - one stone two birds "yi shi er niao")

Anyways, I can claim that when I bought the tablet in HK, the sales staff did not have any qualms in recommending the bundle. Knowing that 10.4 was already well established, I believe there should be no problems.

However, they did give instructions that there are driver issues. The original supplied driver (for 10.2 and before) would not work. Thus, we need to get an updated driver that will allow the PenPower tablet to work. This driver is supplied from Wacom. I believe the PenPower tablet is derived from Wacom's older tablet design.

It did take me a while to find the driver required as there is a maze of webpages that seem to have one form of driver or another.

I believe you need to use the Graphire, Graphire 2 or 3 driver
(see http://www.wacom-asia.com/download/download_index.html). I will need to confirm that information.

You can try the various drivers to test if I don't get back to you soon. As it is not too bad an issue with drivers in Mac OS, you can change away with little worry.

Hope this helps!

anwarasw said:

Dear coolcat1829,

I am specifically unable to reply whether 10.4.7 as I am on 10.3.9 (I waiting for Leopard to show its spots and the Intel Duo Mac Pro to stablize - one stone two birds "yi shi er niao")

Anyways, I can claim that when I bought the tablet in HK, the sales staff did not have any qualms in recommending the bundle. Knowing that 10.4 was already well established, I believe there should be no problems.

However, they did give instructions that there are driver issues. The original supplied driver (for 10.2 and before) would not work. Thus, we need to get an updated driver that will allow the PenPower tablet to work. This driver is supplied from Wacom. I believe the PenPower tablet is derived from Wacom's older tablet design.

It did take me a while to find the driver required as there is a maze of webpages that seem to have one form of driver or another.

I believe you need to use the Graphire, Graphire 2 or 3 driver
(see http://www.wacom-asia.com/download/download_index.html). I will need to confirm that information.

You can try the various drivers to test if I don't get back to you soon. As it is not too bad an issue with drivers in Mac OS, you can change away with little worry.

Hope this helps!

Click to expand...

I am right now sitting in my office (on Sunday!) testing out my office's Wacom Tablet on Penpower5.5 and running the latest Wacom Tablet Driver 4.96-3 which i downloaded from Wacom's site.

The driver works fine on 10.4.7 HOWEVER 10.4.7's default INK appears in the system preference once a tablet is detected only shows English, French and German as handwriting recognition options. Even when i switch to Penpower from the language pull down menu, the OS just doesn't recognise any chinese charecters.

I can right now say that perhaps Penpower5.5 which was made in 2001or2 is probably outdated.

I shall go down to SimLim and check out other products if there is.

Thanks.

Must use PenPower tablet ...?

Dear coolcat,

sorry to hear that you are stuck in the office on a Sunday.

Just to let you know I think you HAVE to use the PenPower tablet with the Chinese software, not just any WACOM tablet. BUT because they licenced the technology from WACOM, the newest drivers are necessary FROM WACOM.

Anyways, I don't think there are any writing software for Macs in Sim Lim. I've been through most of the vendors there. They all market to the Windows market, especially for the school going kids. That is why I bought the bundle in Hong Kong - and they have only 1 option for writing entry, so you can imagine that there is scant chance of finding it in SG.

I suggest you try the PenPower tablet with the software.

As for Ink - I have it activated but it doesn't kick in unless I open the "Write Anywhere" and "Show Ink Window" options.

I'm quite sure that you'll get the hang of it once the tablet, software, and driver issue is overcome.

If you feel you want to see the system in action we can arrange to meet up.

Cheers!

anwarasw said:

Dear coolcat,

sorry to hear that you are stuck in the office on a Sunday.

Just to let you know I think you HAVE to use the PenPower tablet with the Chinese software, not just any WACOM tablet. BUT because they licenced the technology from WACOM, the newest drivers are necessary FROM WACOM.

Anyways, I don't think there are any writing software for Macs in Sim Lim. I've been through most of the vendors there. They all market to the Windows market, especially for the school going kids. That is why I bought the bundle in Hong Kong - and they have only 1 option for writing entry, so you can imagine that there is scant chance of finding it in SG.

I suggest you try the PenPower tablet with the software.

As for Ink - I have it activated but it doesn't kick in unless I open the "Write Anywhere" and "Show Ink Window" options.

I'm quite sure that you'll get the hang of it once the tablet, software, and driver issue is overcome.

If you feel you want to see the system in action we can arrange to meet up.

Cheers!

Click to expand...

Sorry i didn't list the complete set up in the office. My office's Wacom is a PenPower tablet. The package comes with Penpower 5.5 for mac (os9 and X).

Tomorrow i will go try in the office again, and i will also try on a 10.3.9 (Panther) system. Worse case scenerio is to downgrade the mac that i want to have the chinese handwriting to a Panther.