With the integration of technology, the contemporary classroom has changed beyond recognition. Just as students are more at ease these days with e-learning and educational apps, so teachers have graduated from blackboards to projector screens and multimedia lectures.
These changes have brought about a holistic change in the education landscape, which is more open innovative technologies than ever before. Understandably, tech brands are responding to this demand through their education-oriented products and services.
ViewSonic, a California based electronic displays manufacturing firm, has recently launched an interactive smart panel display, called ViewBoard, which is especially designed for classrooms and conference rooms.
Available in three sizes—65 inches, 75 inches and 86 inches—the ViewBoard features 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) resolution and 20-point touch screen capability. The screen responds to normal touch and can be used with a stylus as well (all ViewBoard models come with a stylus).
The ViewBoard is equipped with anti-glare tempered glass that makes it long-lasting. It can linked up with an application called myViewBoard, with which users can avail of numerous cutting-edge online features, like connecting with several people simultaneously and setting up virtual classrooms.
The display comes with pre-installed Windows 10. So it can be connected to your tablets, smartphones, laptops and so on. Functions like writing, drawing, editing documents, emailing etc. are part of View-Board’s basic capabilities. It also has an inbuilt camera for video conferencing.
Powered by 1.5GHz Quad Core processor, the ViewBoard is Bluetooth-friendly and can easily form data-transfer links with phones and laptops. It comes with two inbuilt speakers, 16W each, and can also be connected to external speakers as per the convenience of the user.
The ViewBoard has 2GB RAM and 16GB of storage which supports a range of file formats, including pptx, docx, pdf, iwb, png, jpeg, wmv and mp4. The content can be saved directly on the device or uploaded to Google Drive. And unlike Samsung’s Flip Whiteboard, ViewSonic’s ViewBoard can be connected to iPhones and MacBooks. So that’s an added benefit.
About their new product, Muneer Ahmad, Business Head, ViewSonic India, said, “Our strength is our hardware and software compatibility among all platforms. ViewSonic ViewBoard and myViewBoard (application) is the only platform that allows users to work and save their data on major cloud platforms.”
Talking about key features of ViewBoard, Ahmad said, “Some unique features like AI Pen, multiple-screen, quick cast and an array of options to save work and collaborate in various platforms are what make us stand out.”
Ahmad also spoke about the difficulties that the brand faces in the Indian market. He said, “Frequent pricing struggles. We are in a price sensitive market with a lot of competitors in the local market. But, we believe that we have been able to differentiate and come out on top with our features and quality.”
So what else is the brand coming up with this year? “We have a wide range of improvements in the myViewBoard software ecosystem with constant updates on AI pen, annotation, Quickboard, embedding features and so on. Other than that, we have an exciting and innovative range of LED smart lamp-free 4K projectors coming up, which we will be revealing soon. This will be followed by a series of new monitors and projectors that will stand out in the market. We have a wide range of products that will cater to home, business and education markets,” Ahmad told Guardian 20.
The three variants of this product, 65 inches, 75 inches and 86 inches are priced at Rs 3,50,000, Rs 7,00,000 and Rs 9,00,000 respectively