OPINION • SEPTEMBER 5 , 2000
Roundup: The Best of Seybold
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Best Hardware

Best Printer
Epson Stylus Pro 9500
http://prographics.epson.com
This thing wasn't introduced at the Seybold show. Nevertheless, it was the best printer on the show floor. This thing can print on any media up to 44" wide and 1/4" thick. It uses an ink that isn't an ink, but rather a very finely milled solid that can be fed through Epson's inkjet print heads, resulting in the kind of stunning quality we've come to expect of Epson without any restrictions on paper. Simply gorgeous.

Best Input Device
Wacom PL500
http://www.wacom.com
Without a doubt, the Wacom PL500 LCD graphics tablet was the coolest piece of hardware at the show. This 24-bit, 15" (1,024 x 768), pressure-sensitive tablet will make you the envy of all graphics professionals. I've actually had dreams about this tablet. Imagine drawing on your screen in full color with a pen that can even detect the angle at which you're drawing. Sweet bejeezus! If any of you out there had any decency whatsoever, you'd buy me one of these things!

You might have noticed that we stopped at seven awards and that some obvious categories were omitted. Why? Well, few companies had anything new to offer at this year's show, and even fewer had products that really stood out as essential tools for creative professionals.

So were there other great examples of Macerphernalia at the Seybold show? Sure. Cameras, scanners, die cutters—the whole gamut of offerings you'd expect at a Mac-oriented trade show. But the seven products we've named Best of Show this year stand out far above the rest. These companies should be congratulated for the excellent work they've done in the last year.

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