Software provides key data to reduce costs and offer greater return on investment
CALGARY, Alberta --- February 28, 2012 --- SMART Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: SMT) (TSX: SMA), a leading provider of collaboration solutions, announces that SMART Vantage technology-management software, an easy-to-use application that gives administrators and technology directors access to key usage data, is now available. SMART Vantage software enables administrators to manage SMART Board® interactive whiteboards and SMART projectors and understand how they are being used. By logging in to a web-based interface, they can access data on the products in individual classrooms, throughout schools and across entire districts. Such comprehensive insight into SMART product use helps administrations reduce operating and maintenance costs, decrease hardware downtime and make more informed decisions about professional development opportunities. Beta users have already experienced positive outcomes with the software, citing the intuitive interface and revealing usage data as beneficial to managing their SMART products and planning for professional development.
SMART Vantage software is the first product from SMART to enable technology administrators to inventory and proactively manage their SMART Board interactive whiteboards and SMART projectors. Projector lamp life can be monitored in order to anticipate failures, reducing lesson disruption. With the intuitive user interface, administrators can see how frequently individual SMART Board interactive whiteboards have been touched and which software applications are used most often. This information can assist in ICT planning, including determining training and professional development opportunities, and enabling administrators to gain the highest return on investment from their SMART products. For more information on SMART Vantage technology-management software, and to watch a video outlining its advantages, visit smarttech.com/SMARTVantage.
“Managing and monitoring the large number of SMART products across the school district can be a challenge, and SMART has the only software that allows us to do this and measure their effectiveness,” says Travis Taylor, Instructional Technology Specialist, Little Rock School District, Arkansas. “SMART Vantage allows us to monitor how often the interactive whiteboards are being touched, assisting us in assessing teacher and student engagement, and the ability to monitor lamp life and to shut off the machines remotely saves us time and money.”
“As more and more schools around the world continue to adopt ICT solutions into classrooms, administrators require tools to manage those solutions efficiently, within their budgets, and also to have a comprehensive understanding of their return on investment,” says Linda Thomas, Vice President, Products, SMART Technologies. “SMART Vantage software allows educators to gain instant insight into how, when and in what subject areas SMART Board interactive whiteboards are being used, helping them to make informed decisions that will support teaching and learning at all levels.”
Features
Inventory management – Identify and manage SMART Board interactive whiteboards and SMART projectors
Profile configuration – Use administrative rights to add, delete and edit information and grant additional users report-only access
Power maintenance and scheduling – Set system power schedules and assign start-up and standby events to reduce energy consumption when systems are not in use
Projector lamp warning – Proactively manage overall projector lamp life through an e-mail notification that indicates when a projector lamp should be replaced
Customized reports – Create reports on a daily, monthly or yearly basis, with customized options that provide insight into SMART Board interactive whiteboard usage. Choose between hardware usage in aggregate, comparative hardware usage and software application usage reports.
Easy setup – Quickly add SMART Board interactive whiteboards and SMART projectors to the inventory with software that automatically finds the equipment and adds its information
Pricing
The MSRP for SMART Vantage technology-management software is US$75 for a one-year subscription. Volume pricing is available. Prices outside the United States vary by country. For purchasing information and a list of authorized SMART resellers, visit smarttech.com/wheretobuy.
About SMART
SMART Technologies Inc. is a leading provider of collaboration solutions that transform the way the world works and learns. We believe that collaboration and interaction should be easy. As the global leader in interactive whiteboards, we bring more than two decades of collaboration research and development to a broad range of easy-to-use, integrated solutions that free people from their desks and computer screens, so collaborating and learning with digital resources are more natural.
###
For more information, please contact
Public Relations
SMART Technologies Inc.
Phone +1.403.407.5128
E-mail pr@smarttech.com
smarttech.com
© 2012 SMART Technologies. SMART Vantage, SMART Board, smarttech and the SMART logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of SMART Technologies in the U.S. and/or other countries.
Please note that SMART is written in all capital letters.
