IWBUsers.com - International Interactive whiteboard user forum - users of all brands are welcome to share lesson activites between teachers for all types of subjects and schools.

SMART have launched SMART Board 480 a hard coated steel surface entry level board which has touch. All controls are done with finger or pen and this board works also with dry-erase markers and are able to put magnets on when not used.

The SMART Board 480 uses SMARTs DViT technology to make it work with touch.

SMART also launches in Europe a projector called V25 that is a short throw projector that comes with 2 year lamp warranty as well as ability to buy extra warranty if needed. The SMART V25 is 3D ready and comes with a wallmount and remote control.

SMART new flagship the high end SMART Board 800 series is now available which gives two users ability to work together to solve problems and come up with new ideas. With the built in touch recognition you can write, select, move or erase with the ease of your finger or pen withouth doing any selection in the software - just do it!

Gestures that has come with the SB800 series as well as the SB8070i 70" LCD touch screen gives you a HUGH "ipad". Use your fingers to zoom, enlarge, rotate, swipe, scroll with ease.

See a demonstration below of colaboriation on the SB800 series SMART Board.

SMART has release their own "office" but instead you might call it "scool" package. The SMART Classroom suite includes the award winning SMART Notebook, SMART Sync, SMART Notebook SE (Student Edition) and SMART Response CE. Together, these software applications support the key stages of teaching and learning – from lesson creation and delivery to student assessment. SMART see the different software used in several ways.

SMART Technologies announces SMART Notebook Express – a light version of SMART Notebook collaborative learning software – and a new SMART Exchange. Together, they consolidate all of SMART’s education content, community forums and support networks in one place, easily accessible on the Web. These new collaborative tools will enable educators to find, evaluate, use and share high-quality digital resources in an open environment. Resources include lesson activities, images, manipulatives and interactive flash files. Teachers and students will be able to access thousands of free resources regardless of operating system, file type or brand of interactive whiteboard. Any teacher with access to the Web can freely use SMART Notebook Express and SMART Exchange to access the resources and download and edit engaging lesson activities.

Both SMART Notebook Express and the improved SMART Exchange will be available in fall 2009.

Read more at www.smarttech.com

Smart Response LE has now been sent out press information about.

SMART Response which is a Junior version of SMART Response (prevoulsy Senteo) has five colorful buttons with signs so that it can be used for lower grade students as well as special need students.

Read more at SMART for this solution which is expected to start selling by the end of the year.

Click her for a video showing the possibilities at Teacher Tube.

Educators from around the world can sign up now to download the beta and provide feedback on their experience with the product. SMART Notebook Math software is the only software for teaching math on an interactive whiteboard that provides the digital tools needed to create content, and to recognize and graph equations within the context of a lesson.

The application has all the functionality and features of award-winning SMART Notebook software, with math-focused content and tools for middle, secondary and post-secondary educators.

SMART Notebook Math comes with dynamic graphing tools that enable educators to create their own graphs or graph mathematical functions or tables of values. It is also easy to launch any Texas Instruments calculator emulator. The application also features a handwriting recognition function that recognizes individual math symbols and full equations, and can then solve equations.

Sign up for the Beta here www.smarttech.com/SMARTNotebookMath

SMART Technologies announces the addition of Touch Recognition to SMART Board™ 600 series interactive whiteboards. The feature is the first to automatically detect the difference between a pen, finger and palm of the hand. Users can now, for example, use a pen to write or draw on the interactive whiteboard, a finger to manipulate words or pictures and a palm to erase work. Previously, users had to return the pen to the SMART Pen Tray in order to switch modes.

Touch Recognition advances usability because interaction with the interactive whiteboard more closely resembles the way people use traditional whiteboards and chalkboards in classrooms or meeting rooms. When a pen is touched to the board, ink appears. When touched with a finger, the board automatically switches to touch mode and the finger acts like a mouse. When the eraser or a palm is used on the board, ink can be erased. With its Pen Tray interface and SMART Notebook software, the SMART Board interactive whiteboard has long been considered one of the most user-friendly interactive whiteboards available.

SMART has taken ease-of-use a step further with the addition of Touch Recognition. For users new to the SMART Board interactive whiteboard, Touch Recognition will help them produce presentation, brainstorming and collaboration results faster because the feature reduces time spent learning the technology. Users who already use SMART Board interactive whiteboards proficiently will find the new feature saves time and makes presentation and lesson delivery more efficient. Touch Recognition is available for current users of SMART Board 600 series interactive whiteboards as a hardware upgrade from SMART resellers.

“SMART Board interactive whiteboards have always been the most widely installed interactive whiteboards in the world, largely because they are the easiest to use,” says Nancy Knowlton, SMART’s CEO. “Touch Recognition builds on that legacy and makes the SMART Board interactive whiteboard even better.”

SMART has a BETA out for their new SMART Notebook SE (Studen Edition)

scheduled forrelease 2009. This software uses all the benefits of SMART Notebook combined with binders, homepage etc for the student to easy see their homework.
Apparently the files can be set to due dates and the software will be available on a USB wrist strap that will auto launch without installation on any computer.
This will give the students possibilities to access the software from any computer in the school and at home - they can also save their homework directly on the USB stick.
The BETA with limited functionallity is free to download - the full version will be have som costs.
Read more on SMARTs SE homepage.

We at IWBUsers.com have had the chance to try out the new SMART Table almost one year ago at Bett in a Beta version.

Now SMART launches this really interesting product as a big blast.

SMART Table is intended for K6 students and is a Multi touch 27 inch big table with the ability for multiple students to interact.
The SMART Table uses SMARTs DViT Technology also used in SMARTs Flatpanel overlay and rear projection systems. The systen comes complete with a PC stuffed with applications and SMARTs Tool Kit that enables teachers to make their own material that should be used.
Files are easly transfered with a ordinary USB key and can be made on the teachers computer.

SMART Table also works with SMARTs award winning Notebook software.
Speakers are also included in the table for maximum multimedia use.

Students can interact and use multiple fingers to twist and turn objects, resize and other things need to complete the task they are given.

We heard this latest version of the Table will be show in school shows all over the world now - in the Nordics it will be shown in Sweden at Skolforum 27-29 october.

Se a short demonstration in the below video clip.



More information at www.smarttech.com

SMART Technologies has launched a new SMART Board in the Indian market that should be priced 30% lower than ordinary SMART Board models.
Most remarkable with this release is that this SMART Board is PEN driven - yes - hard surface and uses a pen to operate.

The SMART Board V280 interactive whiteboard uses SMART’s patented DViT™ (Digital Vision Touch) technology for the first time in a front-projection, pen-only system.

“Technology can help close the digital divide by providing access to a 21st-century education. The SMART Board V280 interactive whiteboard offers a viable option for areas of the world that want the benefits of SMART’s award-winning products at a more affordable cost,” commented Nancy Knowlton, SMART’s CEO.

In India the price is set to RS 90 000 - not really interesting to convert to Dollars since the ordinary Interactive whiteboards are much more expensive there compared to US / UK / European market.

More information in the SMART Tech Press Release found at Indian PR Wire.

SMART Technologies the inventor of SMART Board now announce that they are entering the audio field as well.

Classroom audio is a wireless audio system that will be used in classrooms to help the student to hear everything being said. And for the teacher not needing to repeat them selves.

To be released soon accoring to SMART , here are some information from their web regarding the benefits of this product.
 

Highlights