SMART Unveils New Features for More Integrated, Sustainable Interactive Displays

CALGARY, AB, Jan. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SMART Technologies, the edtech company with a 35-year track record of pioneering learning solutions that enable millions of educators to build connections that matter, will debut at the Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC) an array of innovative features to support schools around the world with sustainable, connected, active learning.

SMART is pleased to announce new interactive displays that will include these new and updated features:

• Integrated microphone array: providing high-quality audio capture for clear sound in any learning environment
• NFC login: allowing teachers to log in with the tap of a card for simple, fast and secure access to their personalized setup
• Industry-leading upgradability: ability to upgrade over-the-air to Android 11, meaning investments made today with available funding will not require additional spend from schools to maintain top-of-the-line functionality in the future
• Up to 40 points of touch: providing the most seamless and robust multi-user experience ever - with SMART's best in class touch and ink
• Two 65W full-featured USB-C ports: connect any USB-C device to your SMART display for video, audio, touch, data and charging with only one cord
• Environmental sustainability: longer overall product life and an automated update process that doesn't require purchase of new displays or parts
• Greater Security: privacy and security are core tenets of SMART's product design. Android 11 further protects teacher and student data by providing secured storage and better app permission handling

SMART's latest interactive panels now feature industry-leading upgradability, providing users with a simple, environmentally sustainable way to upgrade displays without the need to purchase anything new or provide labor-intense manual updates. This also means that investments made today with available funding will not require additional spend from schools to maintain top-of-the-line functionality. iQ, SMART's purpose-built Android-based platform, provides exceptionally robust and easy-to-use functionality designed for education. SMART's continual in-house feature development for iQ - based on feedback from teachers and education leaders – means today's technology investments will continue to meet the changing needs of teachers and classrooms while simplifying jobs for IT and support functions.

All of the latest 6000S and MX panels will support Android 11 when this over-the-air update is released later this year.

"The teaching and learning experience today is reliant on the smooth integration of tech," said SMART CEO Nicholas Svensson. "This drives us to create the highest quality products that give teachers more instructional time to foster learning and build the connections and relationships that matter most. District leaders can also feel secure in their investment knowing that SMART offers greater security, functionality, and longevity to sustainably support them long-term."

Without additional subscriptions or costs, SMART interactive displays help teachers provide seamless, effective lessons, working with student devices. Students can easily connect and collaborate with lesson material on the iQ whiteboard from any web browser on any device, including using tools for student annotation and contribution. Students can also easily use browser-based SMART Mirror screen sharing to share student work to the SMART Board. With full teacher control over what content is shared and by whom, screen sharing with SMART is safe and works on any network configuration with iOS^®, Windows^® and Android™ devices, including Chromebooks that use Google Cast. Students can engage with content and send their input and ideas to the display no matter where they are.

To foster greater interactivity in and outside of the classroom, the newest SMART interactive displays feature the addition of an integrated microphone array, two 65W full-featured USB-C ports, NFC login and up to 40 points of touch. Thanks to these features and more, the 6000S and MX V3 panels are simple to deploy, install, implement, and adopt.

Tested and optimized to work anywhere in any classroom, the new built-in microphone array provides high-quality audio capture for clear sound in any learning environment, making it even easier for teachers to connect with students by capturing lessons for later review, video conferencing, and more.

SMART Board 6000S displays will allow teachers to log in with the tap of an NFC card for simple, fast and secure access to their personalized setup. No more typing out long passwords at the front of the class. With their favorite tools and personalized settings easily accessible, including files and lessons, cloud storage, apps, bookmarked favorites, and custom widgets, teachers can quickly start teaching from the moment they tap their card.

About SMART Technologies Inc.
SMART is a world leader in education technology, providing interconnected solutions to help every person discover and develop the greatness within them. The first SMART Board launched in 1991, and has continued to innovate through SMART Notebook^®, the world's most popular collaborative learning software, and through Lumio, the award-winning cloud-based learning software. With a full range of products used by millions of educators and students around the world, SMART creates connections that matter. To learn more, visit smarttech.com.

SOURCE SMART Technologies