PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
SMART Technologies, the inventor of the SMART Board, has unveiled three new products: the SMART Board Mini interactive podium designed for colleges, universities, and businesses; the SMART Board M Pro High secure series TAA Interactive Display for government and privacy-sensitive industries; and the SMART OneLaunch meeting tool for more seamless, connected hybrid meetings.
A recent SMART survey of IT directors and professors revealed critical challenges in instructional spaces impacting higher education and businesses:
- 52% of respondents indicated the need for real-time feedback features: Instant feedback emerged as the top priority for engagement in person and online.
- Need for annotation capabilities: The ability to annotate presentations directly is crucial for simplifying complex concepts and making training more interactive.
- 30% of higher education campuses still use outdated technology: Legacy projectors no longer meet the needs of modern learning environments.
The new SMART Board Mini interactive podium aims to address these needs in modern instructional settings and workspaces. It lets presenters more freely face and engage their audiences with robust tools for real-time collaboration, industry-leading digital inking that can be saved and shared, and high-quality audio and video for hybrid meetings and instruction.
Key features;
- Present seamlessly with a complete video conferencing solution that includes a 4K AI-enabled camera, 8-microphone array, 12W sound, and 27” 4K UHD display, ensuring engagement for both in-person and remote participants.
- The ONLY interactive podium with an integrated OPS PC module slot for Windows and Google-licensed appliances, ensuring that any user can connect and work in a familiar, consistent environment.
- Bring interactivity anywhere with a single cable connection. Touch and digital ink are enabled on connected secondary screens or projectors, mirroring content to any external display via the integrated HDMI or USB-C output— no extra splitters or switches needed. When paired with a SMART display, both the SMART Board Mini and the display can interact with content simultaneously, enabling real-time collaboration and touchback functionality
- Seamless integration with SMART Ink means users can write directly into PDFs and Microsoft Office files and save them with notes embedded in the file.
- Designed for versatile use as a free-standing display on a table or desk, with options for mounting on monitor arms or embedding in lecterns.
Pre-orders open March 1, 2025.
Also being demonstrated at ISE is the new SMART Board M Pro High secure series TAA interactive display.
Designed to meet the stringent security requirements of the US Trade Agreements Act (TAA) mandated by judicial, executive, and legislative branches, as well as the military and high-security industries, the M Pro High secure series TAA has already garnered significant interest. It offers interactive tools that help attract, recruit, and retain top talent while maintaining robust cybersecurity and uncompromising security standards.
SMART OneLaunch, powered by Airtame, is a gateway to hybrid meetings – providing access to Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Webex, and other cloud UCC platforms. Just touch the join button on a SMART Board interactive display or join directly from your personal device using a secure code to participate, screen share, and manage hybrid meetings. It’s the simplest way to join a meeting and ensure consistency, no matter what meeting platform is being used – with no additional hardware, dongles, or complicated setup required.
These releases will make their debut at Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2025, running from February 4 to 7, 2025. Visit SMART at Stand 1C170 in Hall 1 to explore how these innovations elevate collaboration in meetings, learning environments, and hybrid workspaces.
