Magazine
SMART NOTEBOOK 11
6/27/2012 By: MaryAnn Karre
smarttech.com Retail Price: This new version is available as a free download to all SMART Notebook license holders.
The collaborative license for SMART Notebook can be purchased separately for $599 (US).
SMART Notebook, a standards-aligned collaborative learning
tool that operates in conjunction with SMART interactive
whiteboards, has now been updated with many new features that
offer creative and efficient tools for increased interactivity.
Quality and Effectiveness: Improvements to SMART Notebook
software now make it easier than ever to create engaging, interactive
lessons and assessments. Users will find that it is now easier to add
content to Notebook without using additional programs or tools.
Ease of Use: In a more streamlined, easier to read, and more
interactive contextual toolbar, tools are grouped by function, and
options appear when a tool is selected. Object properties all appear
in the toolbar as well as the Properties tab, and the toolbar changes
as objects are selected, so there is no need to switch from work area
to tab and back. The toolbar is more quickly customized, so that tools
that are used often can be added with one click of a button.
Teachers will find that writing on and reusing pages is easier, with a
new Clear Ink button that removes digital ink, leaving the page fresh
for the next class; by using
the Reset Page feature
to bring the page back
to its last saved state,
interactive pages, with
moved or sorted objects,
can be reset for the next
user in a snap.
Creative Use of
Technology: Now it is
possible to embed an
Internet browser into a
page, and preset a Web
site. When the page is
opened, the site will be
instantly available, without
switching from Notebook to the browser. Pin the site and, even after
clicking through to other sites, the browser can be reset to the original
page with one click; add notes, drawings, or highlight the sites with digital
ink, or drag an object easily from the browser to the Notebook page.
With the Notebook 11 download came SMART Ink, with which the user
can write or draw on the screen in digital ink using a pen, over applications,
files, folders, Web sites, even a video or any open window, and then save
or erase those notes. The ink stays with the window, even if it is resized,
moved or minimized. SMART Ink Notes enable writing in digital ink
anywhere on the desktop, on a SMART Ink note that appears and expands
to accommodate the length of the note. SMART Ink Document viewer
enables writing and drawing in digital ink over PDF documents.
Suitability for Use in a School Environment: SMART Notebook 11
makes the SMART Board even more interactive and school-friendly.
Icons in the task bar are identified when they are selected, making
Notebook page creation simpler for even a novice, and the new tools
noted above help teachers create smoother, more engaging lessons.
Especially fun and easy to use is the new Activity Builder. One or
more target objects can be set to accept or reject other objects, making
sorting, labeling and Venn diagrams simple and customizable. 3D
tools are now available for Mac OS X as well.
Overall Rating: SMART Notebook 11 adds some wonderful new
features and capabilities for lesson creation and interactivity.
TOP FEATURES
• The new toolbar gives SMART Notebook
11 a cleaner, more user-friendly interface,
and adds tools that can help even the
novice user interact with Notebook pages
with confidence.
• Being able to embed a Web browser
in a Notebook page helps lessons flow
more smoothly, and allows for additional
content to be added to a lesson with ease,
while the sound recording feature makes
it a snap to add audio to any object.
• Activity Builder is a fun and easy way to
quickly create a customized interactive
activity.