Just before I published the June Interactive Whiteboard review, I came across
the Teamboard IWB. I said that as soon as I had some time to play around
with it, I’d give it a review. I contacted the company who sell the
board, Sight and Sound, who are based in Dublin, and they lent me their demo
board for the summer course I gave.
I also mentioned that the Teamboard looked like a decent prospect and guessed
that it cost around €3,000-€3,500. I was absolutely right. The
Teamboard is very very similar to the Traceboard but it costs €3,200 with a
long-throw projector. So, this board allows the user to interact with
their finger or a pen but also allows him/her to use dry wipe markers on it.
There’s a couple of other nice features on this board. I like the way
you do a “right-click” with your finger - simply press down on the board and
wait a couple of seconds. I also like the feature that you can turn the
projector off and use some “special” markers, which show up on the board.
However, as well as simply showing up on the board, if you’ve got your laptop
plugged in, the laptop recognises the writing and saves it into a flipchart.
This is an extremely useful feature and very impressive. I don’t think
there’s another board out there that does this. I will try and film a
video of this in action to explain better.
The downside of this board is minor and represents the downside of almost
every IWB - the software is fairly poor. I loaded Promethean’s excellent
ActivStudio on it and it became a super IWB! The only other little irk is
the price, which is nearly €800 more expensive that the Traceboard.
I
see this Interactive Whiteboard as one of the best quality that I’ve seen.
I would go as far as saying that it is about as good as the Hitachi
Starboard and marginally better than the Traceboard. Essentially, if this
board cost €750 less, I would put it top of the table. Moreover, the
board comes with an excellent guarantee and service. Smartboard - beware:
the touch-based IWB market is growing and you’re losing ground.
NB: Since this article was written TEAMBOARD have taken on board Simons
comments and brought the cost down so that it can now compete well with most
other boards who have lesser features.
TEAMBOARD INFORMATION
Cost of 77" Diagonal Teamboard is reduced to €1595 + VAT
TeamBoard
is an interactive electronic whiteboard, providing all of the functions of
a traditional white board and many more. TeamBoard is easy to use. Simply
connect it to a computer and information can be captured and saved during
a meeting. It provides opportunities for audio-visual and data
conferencing and it's great for training and presentation rooms when used
in conjunction with multimedia projection equipment.
TeamBoard
Capture Mode Connect TeamBoard to your computer and what you write on it is
displayed simultaneously on your computer. This is an excellent tool to
augment traditional teaching methods, especially for training rooms and
classrooms. You simply use the TeamBoard as a regular whiteboard but your
computer captures everything you draw or write, which you can save, print,
e-mail or fax from your PC. There are no information delays.
TeamBoard
Projection Mode
Used as a projection screen with a multimedia projector, TeamBoard's
touch-sensitive surface allows you to use your finger as a mouse.
Participants can see you present effectively and you will benefit from
their full attention. This is especially relevant for those involved in
technology training. TeamBoard, utilising resistive touch-sensitive
technology, features a durable, dry-wipe marker writing surface which has
a low gloss level, ideal for projection. Once computer images are
projected onto the TeamBoard surface, you can use the included annotation
software to draw or write notes over your image. These can be saved and
then printed for handouts. This means that presentations are exactly that,
rather than note taking sessions.
TeamBoard Distance
Learning & Communication
With TeamBoard distance learning is easy. Whether you're video or data
conferencing you simply connect the TeamBoard computer to your network
and whatever you draw or write is seen instantly by all participants.
TeamBoard is designed to interface with T.120 data conferencing
packages like Microsoft's Net Meeting, DataBeam's FarSite and a wide
variety of others.
TeamBoard Options
TeamBoard comes in two sizes, 60" diagonal and 74" diagonal.
It can be supplied for Wall Mounting, Track Mounting or on a Mobile
Stand. Wall Cabinet versions are available on special order.
TeamBoard 5-Year
Limited Warranty
TeamBoard is constructed to a very high standard, incorporating a
honeycomb core lamination derived from aircraft technology and a
patent pending tension-control system. The separate controller has
been tested and proven in industrial environments but can be easily
and inexpensively replaced on location if damaged. TeamBoard carries a
5-Year Limited Warranty.
