I've been selling "interactive" Whiteboards since 1992. I sold Smart (Brand name for an interactive whiteboard) for nearly 13 years and a company called Microfield Graphics; which became Polyvision. I'm very educated on Smart, Polyvision, Interwrite and Hitachi Corporate companies, the product lines themselves and the support around each.
While selling Smart (we dropped Microfield Graphics), I picked up two other "like" products and found there to be MAJOR differences in the technology. I want to point out a few of the MAJOR differences of the Smart (touch sensitive) vs. the electro magnetic technology. I will compare the top three manufacturers in this industry - Smart, Promethean and Interwrite Learning.
1)Resolution - A Smart Board has roughly 70 lines of resolution per inch, compared to 500 of Promethean and 1,000 of Interwrite. Resolution shakes out to be accuracy. You'll note that when the higher resolution Boards came out, Smart put out a marketing spin as to why resolution really wasn't all that important. Basically comparing the resolution of their Board to the resolution of a projector. This is false information and a complete marketing spin on the truth behind the story.
Do you know how many teachers I've watched over the years try to use their Smart Board? For example: You're working within Microsoft Office. You want to click on File, but because of the accuracy and constant need to re-calibrate a touch sensitive Board you're "off" and unable to click directly on File to open a document. This isn't an all the time problem, this is a most of the time problem.
2.Touch Sensitive vs. Electro Magnetic: Smart's technology is 16 years old. They have not changed their technology in 16 years. How many of you would purchase a 16 year old computer for use in your classroom? I don't know of one educator who would, however they continue to purchase 16 year old technology because of a name. Touch sensitive is old and has fallen behind the newest technology available; electro magenetic. Promethean and Interwrite Learning offer the electro magnetic Boards - and they are all comprable in pricing out of the gate. Smart is a Canadian owned company (they keep their tax dollars out of U.S. eductor's hands), Promethean is a UK owned company (same deal with tax dollars) and Interwrite Learning is a U.S. owned company. When all the employees and bills are paid - they still pay the U.S. Government a hefty chunk in taxes. Which of course, helps teachers in the U.S. purchase technology and other needed items for their classrooms.
The touch sensitive technology does not allow you to use a pen and touch the Board at the same time. When a student first starts Kindergarten, they are taught to hold down the piece of paper with one hand and write with the other. You then expect them to engage a large, interactive whiteboard in a hands off manner. This isn't fair to the student and/or educator, because it isn't natural? How many teachers do you see at the end of the day, with dry-erase marker on the base of their hand from writing on the dry-erase board? A lot...why? Because it's natural to write this way. You can't with a touch sensitive Board, but you CAN with an electro magnetic Board.
Did you know that dry-erase markers will stain the Smart Board? I've seen this quite often over the last 15 years, and continue to see it today. They aren't designed for dry-erase capabilities. Throw in the occasional mistaken PERMANENT marker and you're in real trouble. Gone on vacation for a week and return to find permanent marker all over your Smart Board, you're in trouble. I don't know about Promethean, but this comes off of the Interwrite Board. Durability is crucial in your classroom, you've procured this technology with funding. When you ruin it, funding is what will replace it - not the Manufacturer's warranty.
Oh, the battery operated myth. Of course, Smart will put out a marketing spin on this technology. Why? Because they are losing major market share to it. If you're losing out to it, and you can't switch to it - your only other option is talk it down. Promethean uses a non battery pen, seems to work great. Interwrite Learning has changed to a rechargeable pen, they used to operate on AAA batteries. The rechargeable comes with a small docking station that mounts to the side of your Board. No need for batteries. Guess how many pens I've had to replace because they were either lost or stolen? ZERO! That's a myth too, the old if you lose the pen you still have your finger trick with Smart. Smart wants you to use your finger, so that you won't be prone to actually touch the Board. If you touch, you can't write with a Smart Board. If I did have a customer contact me about a lost pen (mind you, none in four years with 1000's or products in the field) I would replace it free. Why? Customer service is crucial to our business.
3 Training and Support I had found over the many years that we sold Smart Boards that training was not their forte. They claim to offer great teacher training, but like Jerry McGuire - show me the money! I was guilty of it as well. Place Smart Boards in the classroom and forget about it. Why? Smart Boards sold themselves, we didn't have to demo them. A teacher saw one at a show, heard about them, whatever - they just ordered them. We faxed off the orders, the orders shipped (usually delayed shipping because Smart is continually on back order - let me remind you, they ship from Canada) and once the client had the order, we were done. Very little support! Something I'm not proud of. However, we picked up GTCO CalComp/Interwrite Learning products 4 years ago and picked up Hitachi. I think we were still officially able to sell Polyvision, but really haven't. However, once we picked up the Interwrite Learning product line, the desire to support the product changed. First, nobody had really heard about them. Our work was cut out for us, because we had to actually demontrate the Board. The days of grabbing a crayon (that's basically what my finger on a Smart Board is) and writing over a document were gone. I had to show the nuts and bolts of the newer technologies to schools and school districts. That caused two things to happen. 1) I learned all about that technology/software and 2) so did the educator. Do you know how many classrooms I've seen where the Smart Board doesn't get any use? Or it's a projection screen? Or, or, or... complete lack of support. Unless you want a Webex. You can dial an 800 number to Alberta, Canada and get a "teacher" with Canadian teaching credentials to show you how to use your Smart Notebook software via the web.
I know how to not only sell the newer technologies, but effectively train on it. As do the trainers and support staff at Interwrite Learning. The teachers are trainers out of the classroom, with U.S. teaching credentials. If you need/want to take a Webex with an Interwrite trainer, they are U.S. based with U.S. based teaching credentials. You aren't dialing Canada for training.
I haven't seen Promethean's training, but I hear they are awesome. I have seen their software and although confusing, it looks amazing. I would like to carry both Promethean and Interwrite, but that isn't possible.
Oh, Smart. Having sold it for I don't know how many years, that relationship is over. We started selling so much Interwrte Learning technology over the Smart Technology (our conscience got in the way, it's a better product) and because of that, Smart determined we shouldn't be selling their product. No worries, as our largest customers have now standardized on Interwrite Learning. School districts chose Interwrite Learning over Smart, because of the better product, the software is much easier to use and better support from the company.
4 Airliner vs. the Interwrite Pad Hands down, the Interwrite Pad is the better product. Interwrite Learning manfuactures their IW Pad, Smart does not. Smart buys the Airliner from a company called Wacom. Smart puts the Airliner logo on their device, and ships out to the customer. The Wacom/Airliner product is completely inferior, with a low grade battery technology (always needs replaced, and susceptible to damage; over charging can lead to fire and/or explosion - Wikipedia their battery technology) and they use a Class II Bluetooth, compared to Interwrite's Class I Bluetooth. The Class I Bluetooth gives you 300' from the computer and a wireless technology that won't interfere with like devices or wireless networks. The Class II gives you 25' to 30' connectivity and it will interfere with other wireless devices.
If you want to pay less for an Airliner, go ahead. However, you don't get the same technology as the IW Pad. You'll more than likely need to replace your battery at least once, if not more. It doesn't work anything like the IW Pad, and with the IW Pad you can connect up to 7 in a classroom and share them with students in work groups. Or use just the one to control everything in your classroom. The IW Pad works independent of your Interactive Whiteboard, but just like the whiteboard. You can manage your curriculum from anywhere in the classroom, annotate over your documents and allow your students to interact with it as well. Any age of student can use the IW Pad, including those with special needs.
The IW Pad is what converted our older Smart customers over to Interwrite Learning. When it was all said and done, we made the right choice. Smart was losing market share, and continues to lose market share because it's an old technology. They have one thing going for them, and that's their name. Aside from that, they've been left in the dust.
I'm sure Interwrite Learning has something new and great coming. I'm sure Promethean does as well. As they continue to introduce new products, Smart will continue to copy it. Only, they can't put out a better product.
I'd say I'm unbiased, but I can't be - having sold 4 of the products available in this space. I did learn one thing along the way, that just because you're number one (that might be changing) - doesn't mean you have the best product available.
Have fun in the classroom, that's what it's all about!
