Easy-to-use whiteboarding appliance improves productivity and reduces costs

CALGARY, Alberta — June 12, 2009 — SMART Technologies announces SMART Hub VE220 digital whiteboarding appliance, the latest in its line of meeting-room and collaboration appliances, which also includes SMART Hub SE240 and PE260 collaboration platforms. Designed to bring whiteboarding into the digital age, SMART Hub VE220 connects to a meeting room’s projector and interactive whiteboard to enable sharing of digital materials from a laptop, taking digital notes, drawing diagrams, brainstorming and saving work for easy reference and distribution. The appliance manages the projector and interactive whiteboard to ensure a walk-up-and-use experience. Simply touching a button on the pen tray will immediately activate the appliance and enable digital whiteboarding. It is perfect for meeting rooms without a dedicated computer, but where meeting participants need whiteboarding space and a digital record of their work. SMART Hub VE220 eliminates time spent transcribing flipchart and dry-erase whiteboard notes, which increases meeting productivity and provides basic in-room collaboration. Ideal for the occasional user, the VE220’s intuitive interface allows meeting participants with virtually no digital whiteboarding experience to be instantly productive.

SMART Hub VE220 is the entry-level SMART Hub and is ideal for in-room, face-to-face collaboration and brainstorming. As a low-maintenance, easy-to-use digital whiteboarding appliance, SMART Hub VE220 works with or without a connected laptop. With a connected laptop, users can work with and display their own applications and files. Without a connected computer, users can quickly and easily capture meeting and brainstorming notes to a USB flash drive for easy sharing and distribution. The VE220 enables basic digital whiteboarding functions such as writing and erasing digital ink, and saving work in digital form. A simple menu bar is visible on-screen, allowing users to navigate to functions such as Open and Save. Functions can be displayed in English, French, German, Spanish or Italian. The SMART Hub line also includes the SMART Hub SE240 and PE260 collaboration platforms. The SE240 connects to any SMART Board interactive display, allowing local and remote meeting participants to work together as though they were in the same room. The PE260 connects multiple PCs and interactive displays in the same room or over distance. All three hubs are compatible with all SMART Board interactive whiteboards and displays. For advanced collaboration, the VE220 can easily be upgraded to a SMART Hub SE240 with a simple firmware download. The SMART Hub VE220 will be available June 22, 2009.

“Today’s busy professionals are looking for efficient, easy-to-use meeting room tools that engage participants, enable brainstorming and provide for instant dissemination of meeting notes,� says Nancy Knowlton, SMART’s CEO. “SMART Hub VE220 helps meeting participants make the transition from paper-based flipcharts and dry-erase whiteboards to digital whiteboarding, which saves time and takes meetings to the next level.�

Features
Walk up and use – Single-touch button on the pen tray to activate the appliance

Ultra-low maintenance – Virtually no maintenance

Laptop connection – Easy connection to laptops through VGA input

Easy upgrade path – Simple firmware download for upgrading the VE220 to an SE240, adding powerful collaboration features for distributed teams

SMART product integration – Easy integration with all SMART Board interactive whiteboards and displays, SMART’s corporate product line and SMART Notebook software

Pricing and availability

The SMART Hub VE220 is available globally from SMART authorized resellers on June 22, 2009, at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price in North America of US$1,199. Outside North America, retail prices will vary depending on applicable taxes, duties and importation costs. For more information, specifications and a list of SMART authorized resellers, visit www.smarttech.com/corp.

Image
Download an image of SMART Hub VE220 here.

About SMART
When SMART Technologies introduced the touch-sensitive SMART Board interactive whiteboard in 1991, the company began a tradition of creating innovative, easy-to-use products that has earned worldwide recognition and trust. SMART is the global leader in the interactive whiteboard product category and has a strategic alliance with Intel Corporation. The company’s ever-expanding line of powerful technology solutions has put collaboration and learning at the fingertips of millions of people. With a simple touch, SMART’s products help teams around the world work together and share ideas.

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For more information, please contact:

Sandra Semple
Senior Public Relations Specialist
SMART Technologies
Phone +1.403.407.5083
Fax +1.403.228.2500
E-mail SandraSemple@smarttech.com
Web www.smarttech.com

© 2009 SMART Technologies ULC. SMART Board, smarttech and the SMART logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of SMART Technologies ULC in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other third-party company names and products are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Please note that SMART is written in all capital letters.