Years ago, a team I was on decided to get wacom tablets to try to do some remote brainstorming. We quickly found that nobody liked it enough to actually continue, because none of us found it natural at all to cope with writing motions on a blank desk surface with results appearing dislocated on a screen. Those devices all found their way into dusty drawers, never to see electrons in their USB cables again.
I suppose somebody must find this interface satisfactory, since the product category has existed so long. But for the most part, we found the human factors part to be too awkward. I realized then that I would not try this again unless I had a stylus+touchscreen device so I could have a more natural writing experience. Even then, I have experienced enough terrible stylus interfaces on point-of-sale equipment to realize that I need quite low latency before it feels natural rather than tortured to write on a screen.
But, for us to buy such a thing for many team members, knowing it will probably only see infrequent use, it would have to be at an entry-level Android phone price level, not at iPad price levels. However, I'd be concerned that something like a phone will not provide an appliance/peripheral-like experience. I want something that works consistently with any software over a matter of years/decades, not something tied heavily to a specific app and platform which may evaporate long before the hardware wears out.
Any of the low-end Wacom tablets would do the trick, and you don't need the current model. Previous to the move to "everything is an Intuos now (and the Intuos all become Intuos Pro because 'Pro')", that would have been the Bamboo Creative, and before that the Graphire. All of them are well more than good enough for the task at hand, and if you can pick up old stock (or used) cheaply, go for it. Note, though, that if you've never used a tablet before, it'll take a bit before your movements coordinate - I've always suggested trying to live as much as possible using the tablet in lieu of mouse or trackpad for about a week. Once you've got the knack, it's pretty much with you for life, but it's easy to give up in frustration when you're not used to absolute positioning that's remote from the screen until the moment it all just sort of clicks.
I suppose somebody must find this interface satisfactory, since the product category has existed so long. But for the most part, we found the human factors part to be too awkward. I realized then that I would not try this again unless I had a stylus+touchscreen device so I could have a more natural writing experience. Even then, I have experienced enough terrible stylus interfaces on point-of-sale equipment to realize that I need quite low latency before it feels natural rather than tortured to write on a screen.
But, for us to buy such a thing for many team members, knowing it will probably only see infrequent use, it would have to be at an entry-level Android phone price level, not at iPad price levels. However, I'd be concerned that something like a phone will not provide an appliance/peripheral-like experience. I want something that works consistently with any software over a matter of years/decades, not something tied heavily to a specific app and platform which may evaporate long before the hardware wears out.