Alternatives to a MacBook touchpad?

I'm about to enter my first summer with my MacBook Pro, and as the humidity ramps up here in NJ I can already feel the tackiness of my fingers against the Mac's touchpad. I was a mouse user when I was using a PC for editing, but I'm very curious about the pen controlers I see in all the Photoshop videos. Anyone use one of these, and are there any particular recommendations?

I'd love to eventually set up an editing station with a nice big monitor and detached keyboard and mouse/controler, but I'm working my way up to it.

We trialed some Wacom graphics tablets a while ago at work, not sure how far they've come since, but I think their Bamboo range was eventually chosen: Bamboo Pen Tablets | Wacom

§am said:

We trialed some Wacom graphics tablets a while ago at work, not sure how far they've come since, but I think their Bamboo range was eventually chosen: Bamboo Pen Tablets | Wacom

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So, did they have a long way to go, or did they work well?

I think they worked well for the use we (well the users) needed them for, but I never got to really try them out in anger so to speak.

If you do a lot of post' in PS a good pen and tablet is absolutely the way to go. Once you get a feel for it you won't want to go back to using a mouse. Ever. You will give up a limb before you give up your pen. In my opinion if you're going to do this just do it right the first time. Remember the old adage, "When you pay for quality you only cry once."

Translation: Get a Wacom Intuos 5 pen tablet.

Thanks. Don't want to cry quite that much - but I hear ya. LOL

I did some research and decided I'd grab a bluetooth mouse first and see how that goes. When I get my office redone by the end of summer I'll look again.