Digital Artist's Hard(ware) life... part 2, the new digital artist's tools

I've been talking of software and computers in Part 1 post, but the central point for all digital illustrators and painters had always been the input system: without a graphic tablet and pressure sensitive pen, none of us could never work seriously.
Personally, after years of using the tablets I have just moved to a Wacom Cintiq 21X, it took me a while to get used to but now I work 100% on it, and I am looking forward to try the new Cintiq 24HD (not available in Europe yet, as far as I know ..).

My Atelier in the Old City of Antibes, on the French Riviera

But what is taking place now is a major change in the supply of tools for artists, illustrators, storyboard artists: if for twenty five years from the time of Paintboxes the combination tablet-PC did not have alternatives, some new tools appear now on the market to differentiate and to offer customized solutions, even as the price.

The illustration I'm working at in my atelier's picture

Some artists have refused, for example, the high costs imposed by a traditional computer-tablet setup and are working on iPads (maybe with a dedicated pen or digital pencil), and although it may seem difficult, you can get excellent results, as you can see on this video that shows the work done "live" by French artist Stephane Kardos, art director at Disney, California, at San Diego Comic-Con in 2011.

Visit this Stéphane site, and his blog: beyond the undoubted artistic quality of his artwork, it is interesting how he manages to exploit the iPad like a notebook, a sort of digital Moleskine.

Coming out now there's the Inkling system, supposed to be even faster and cheaper, it is basically a pen that records the sketch done on paper and transfer it directly to a computer: I'm looking forward to have a try on it.

A shooting board frame made on-the-fly: is it going to be possible with Inkling?

And at the end, a description of my current setup: Macbook Pro 15" laptop and a 2011 Mac mini with lots of RAM and fast HD that drives a Wacom Cintiq 21X. And, at last, a good waterproof and solid Kata Pro Bag!