January 2014, What’s New

January 2014, What’s New

apps

Audiolio
(www.escapevelocityapps.com)

The Audiolio app has been updated with a fresh look and iOS 7 support, and is now available for free. The app helps users organize recorded notes from classroom lectures or meetings. Students can record notes, and return later to add bookmarks, notes, or sketches to key sections of the recording. The app can also be used to organize and annotate podcasts and audio books.

Belkin Stage App
(www.belkin.com)

Belkin has updated the Stage App, which combines the convenience of a document camera with the power of an interactive whiteboard. Educators can sketch and annotate over live video for engaging tutorials. They can also display objects using the iPad camera with the ability to sketch, write, label, or laser point to objects in real time. With a connection to a projector or second screen, iPad creations can be shared with the classroom.

Lerner Digital eReader App for Android
(www.lernerbooks.com)

Lerner Digital has launched an eReader app for Android devices. With more than 3,000 eBooks available across age levels, interests, and genres, this app allows educators, parents, and readers to easily select, download, and read from among Lerner Publishing Group’s eBook collection, including nonfiction series and single titles, illustrated picture books, graphic novels, chapter books, and young adult novels.

Loot Pursuit: Tulum
(www.dig-itgames.com)

Dig-It! Games has released Loot Pursuit: Tulum, a free iOS app for students ages 11 and up. The game challenges players to solve curriculum-aligned math problems—ranging from arithmetic and long division, to place value and comparison problems—in order to recover historically accurate artifacts stolen from the Maya site of Tulum in Mexico.

Pinnacle Studio for iPad 4.0
(www.pinnaclesys.com)

Pinnacle has updated its Studio app to feature 31 additional montage and title templates. The app has been redesigned to support add-ons that offer more templates and enhanced cloud support. Additionally, changes to the media on the user’s iPad are automatically detected and updated in the library, and audio/video files can now be directly imported from email and other apps.

Shop and Pay
(www.n2y.com)

n2y, the developer of the special education curriculum Unique Learning System, has launched the Shop and Pay app for the iPad. The app helps students with special needs learn money skills through simulated real-life experiences of shopping and paying for items. Students take a virtual trip to a store, pick up items from a list, and learn how to count money to exchange it for goods. The app automatically records performance data as students progress through various levels.

Shutterbugs: Wiggle & Stomp
(www.ssec.sci.edu)

The Smithsonian Science Education Center has partnered with Filament Games to create a free app, Shutterbugs: Wiggle and Stomp, that teaches 3 to 5-year-old children how to describe movement and motion while showing them exotic animals at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park. The app includes a virtual camera to take pictures of the animals as they perform motions. The game responds to individual players, adjusting the difficulty depending on the child’s progress. Aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards and CCSS, the app is available for both Android and iOS devices.

Tales2Go Android App
(www.tales2go.com)

Tales2Go Inc. has released an Android version of its app. Tales2Go is a Netflix-like subscription service that streams thousands of audio book titles from leading publishers to desktops, laptops, and mobile devices in the classroom and beyond. The app incorporates a listening component to reading instruction to help raise reading scores.

World’s Worst Pet
(www.i-Ready.com/IPAD-APPS)

Curriculum Associates has announced a series of apps for the i-Ready Diagnostic & Instruction product line. These apps will target the skills that are essential for achievement in reading and mathematics through game play. The first app in the series, World’s Worst Pet, is designed for grades 4-8 and focuses on tier two vocabulary words within the CCSS. Teachers can measure students’ progress when used in conjunction with i-Ready.

software & online

ALEKS Placement, Preparation, and Learning
(www.aleks.com)

McGraw-Hill Education recently launched ALEKS Placement, Preparation, and Learning, an online assessment and remediation tool that uses adaptive technology to assess each student to determine their “ceiling of knowledge”— or where their mastery ends—in a particular subject.

Atomic Learning LTI
(www.atomiclearning.com)

Atomic Learning has introduced a Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) feature that enables educators to embed the Atomic Learning search library within their learning management systems and easily integrate videos into courses. Teachers can view the accompanying series of online training videos to help users understand how the LTI Tool enables simple and easy integration of Atomic Learning resources into an LMS, such as Blackboard, Desire2Learn, or Moodle.

Benchmark Now!
(www.naiku.net)

Naiku has added Reading Comprehension tests to Benchmark Now!, its free online assessment application that helps teachers identify students’ CCSS knowledge and skills. Benchmark Now! runs on Naiku’s cloud-based assessment engine, allowing students to use any Web-enabled device and giving teachers automatic scoring and immediate, standards-aligned reporting.

Blackboard Learn
(www.blackboard.com)

Blackboard has introduced an integrated virtual classroom within Blackboard Learn, its flagship learning management system, that allows instructors to create and use Web conferencing tools such as video recording, instant messaging, and voice discussion boards, in their online classes.The virtual classroom leverages the capabilities of Blackboard Collaborate and has the same look and feel as the core LMS.The company has also redesigned its mobile learning app for Blackboard Learn, with a focus on simplifying content consumption for greater productivity.

Casper Suite
(www.jamfsoftware.com)

JAMF Software has announced the Casper Suite management software for Apple OS X Mavericks. The latest version offers additional enterprise management features, security capabilities, and zero-day support for Apple’s newest operating system. The Casper Suite provides mobile device management, settings management, software distribution, imaging, inventory, package building, image management, remote updates, and a powerful framework for automated support.

Cloudera and Udacity
(www.university.cloudera.com)

Cloudera and Udacity have partnered to deliver training on Cloudera Hadoop and Data Science through Udacity’s online education portal. The course curriculum is designed to equip students with fundamental technical and analytical skills. Students can complete coursework at their own pace and interact with Cloudera’s instructors when they have questions.

Conceptua Math
(www.conceptuamath.com)

Conceptua Math has announced the addition of Fact Fluency to its math curriculum for grades 3-5. These adaptive computing modules use personalized learning algorithms along with visual models to build students’ speed and accuracy in math facts. Conceptua Math provides curriculum support to help students learn both the topic and processes outlined in the Common Core standards.

Destiny 11.5
(www.follettlearning.com)

Follett has updated its library management system, Destiny, to provide an improved eBook experience and increased integration between Destiny Library Manager and Titlewave, Follett’s collection development, curriculum support, and online ordering tool. The improved Destiny Library Manager/Titlewave integration also allows library staff to easily see suggested or recommended titles on Titlewave. The new version also offers book cover viewing when checking books in or out to support self-service and improved accuracy.

Discovering World Geography and Geography: The Human and Physical World
(www.mheducation.com)

McGraw-Hill Education has announced two new geography titles for McGraw- Hill Networks, the company’s digital social studies program for middle and high school students. Discovering World Geography and Geography: The Human and Physical World help students gain a well-rounded understanding of key topics and issues in today’s global society. Through Networks’ customizable platform, teachers can personalize lessons by adding their own content, managing and tracking the progress of individual students, developing presentations, assigning homework, and tailoring assessments.

DyKnow
(www.dyknow.com)

DyKnow, creator of classroom management and interactive learning software, has launched its new Web-based interactive learning product. Teachers and students can access DyKnow across all mobile devices. The analytics let teachers assess student attention through polling, status requests, and after-class analytics.

EarthLink 365+
(www.earthlinkbusiness.com)

EarthLink, Inc. has upgraded its EarthLink 365+ collaboration suite to bring together cloud versions of Microsoft communications and collaboration products, such as Exchange, SharePoint, and Lync. EarthLink 365+ also delivers the ability to use a real single sign on with active directory integration, so administrators can use their existing active directories. It also offers 28 on-premises Microsoft Exchange features in the categories of security, administration, applications, client access, compliance/ archiving, and directory.

ExamSoft Rubrics Assessment Platform
(www.examsoft.com)

ExamSoft has announced a new rubrics assessment platform for the 2014 spring semester, designed to help teachers capture assessment data on subjective student work such as essays, papers, presentations, and class participation. The addition of rubrics to ExamSoft’s suite of software offers a comprehensive picture of each student’s performance, regardless of the assessment type or delivery method.

FLVS Social Media Course
(www.flvs.net)

Florida Virtual School (FLVS) now offers a course in social media as a language arts elective. This is a new course code proposed by FLVS and approved by the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE). The focus on responsibility stresses students’ roles as citizen journalists and the impact social media has had in creating historical changes around the globe.

FRONTROW Teacher Edition App
(www.gofrontrow.com)

FRONTROW has released a Teacher Edition App for the iPad and iPhone, allowing teachers to manage their AV technology from anywhere in the classroom. Teachers can turn on the EZROOM projector, change inputs, set audio levels, freeze the screen, and call the office from their iPad or iPhone.

Gale UDA Model
(www.gale.cencage.com)

Gale has launched a Usage-Driven Acquisition (UDA) model for library e-book purchasing. The model allows libraries to purchase e-books via Gale Virtual Reference Library (GVRL) based on actual usage, allowing libraries to perform evidence-based collection development. With an upfront deposit, libraries get complete access to the full line of Gale and Gale imprint e-titles for six months. Afterwards, e-books with the greatest usage will be automatically added permanently to the library’s GVRL collection.

Impulse Point and iboss Network Security
(www.impulse.com)

Impulse Point and iboss Network Security have announced an integration to support K-12 schools in deploying BYOD and 1:1 initiatives. The integration allows school districts to establish Web content policies and adjust access for different users, defined by role (i.e., faculty, staff, student, or guest), or by granular characteristics like grade levels or location.

KetabStudio 4
(www.ketabstudio.com)

Ketab Technologies has introduced KetabStudio 4, a specialized authoring, presentation, and content-generating tool. It’s compatible with any interactive device, including whiteboards, projectors, and LED screens. The software includes advanced features and apps for easy integration with existing classroom devices.

Knovation Professional Learning Program
(www.nettrekker.com)

Knovation has launched a new professional learning program for districts using netTrekker, a solution that delivers a digital resource library. The program is available in many formats: online, interactive webinars, on-site sessions, or custom packages. Participants will learn how to maximize the use of digital content to better address the new requirements and the depth and rigor of the Common Core state standards.

Learning@Cisco Courses and Certification
(www.cisco.com)

Learning@ Cisco now delivers IoT education courses and certifications that map to new career opportunities across multiple industries. STEM education collaborations will provide fundamental skills needed to support a sustainable workforce on a global scale.

Lectora Express
(www.lectora.com)

Lectora has released Lectora Express, a cloud-based, on-demand learning management system that lets users easily host, deliver, and track e-Learning content without enlisting the help of IT staff. Users can quickly deploy formal and informal learning across their organizations, from graded AICC/SCORM e-learning content to video and Web-based content.

Lightroom 5.3 and Camera Raw 8.3
(www.adobe.com)

Adobe announced the availability of Lightroom 5.3 and Camera Raw 8.3 as final releases on both Adobe.com and through the update mechanism in Photoshop CC and Photoshop CS6. This release corrects issues reported in earlier versions of Lightroom 5 and Camera Raw 8. In addition, raw file format support is added for 20 new cameras, including the Nikon Df, Nokia Lumia 1020, and the Sony a7.

Lumosity Education Access Program
(www.lumosity.com)

The Lumosity Education Access Program (LEAP) provides free Lumosity subscriptions to teachers. The program serves as a research platform for teachers and Lumosity researchers to investigate the effects of cognitive training on students’ cognitive capabilities, behavioral characteristics, and academic performance.

Make It @ Your Library
(www.makeitatyourlibrary.org)

Instructables and the American Library Association have partnered to launch a program called Make It @ Your Library, bringing DIY to local libraries. The Web site connects users to projects based on library-specific search criteria. The projects are found in Autodesk’s Instructables Web-based community, where users share DIY instructions.

Making Schools Safe for LGBT Students
(www.scenariolearning.com)

Scenario Learning has launched a new online course, “Making Schools Safe for LGBT Students,” to help school staff create a safe and positive environment for all students. The course addresses the challenges that LGBT students face, offers tips for speaking with students and making them feel respected, and suggests ways to foster a positive school culture.

Meru Networks Bundles and MEG Wi-Fi
(www.merunetworks.com)

Meru Networks has announced six new education solution bundles designed to simplify budgeting, ordering, and upgrading networks. Schools pay only for access points, and receive access point licensing, three years of support, and their choice of the MC1550, MC3200, or MC4200 WLAN controllers. The company has also partnered with the Douglas Stewart Company to leverage Meru Education-grade (MEG) wi-fi solutions, designed for BYOD environments.

MimioStudio
(www.mimio.com)

The MimioStudio platform for creating and presenting interactive lessons on MimioClassroom products now allows students to practice for the open-response test items that will be part of the upcoming Common Core assessments in 2014. Teachers can create open-response, short-essay, and numeric-response assessment questions, and students can respond using mobile devices equipped with the MimioMobile app.

myON and Disney Publishing
(www.myon.com)

myON has announced the addition of digital books from Disney Publishing Worldwide to the myON reader platform. The reading platform includes over 1,600 titles across a range of subject areas, genres, and reading levels to enhance and supplement a school’s annual subscription. All titles include reading supports and are leveled using The Lexile Framework for Reading.

Neebo Student Network
(www.thecopia.com)

Copia Interactive has introduced the Neebo Student Network, a customizable learning and content network that supports both print and digital content. The resource features a virtual classroom, a collaborative online community, and an interactive digital reader for students and faculty in higher education settings.

Nepris
(www.nepris.com)

Nepris connects students and their teachers with professionals who work in STEM careers through interactive online sessions that show students how to solve real-world problems with skills taught in the classroom. The professionals engage students with discussions and questions, and show them products, design plans, and videos.

NetSupport School for Chrome
(www.netsupportschool.com/chrome)

NetSupport School for Chrome is a classroom management software product that enables teachers to connect to each student’s Chromebook from their desktops and to interact and monitor screen activity. Instructors can lock a student’s mouse and keyboard, send instant student surveys, block FTP access, and perform bi-directional chat with any selected student.

OpenEd Educational Catalog
(www.opened.io)

OpenEd has launched its free educational catalog for K-12 students, offering teachers and parents a searchable database of over a quarter of a million standards-aligned videos and games curated by educators. Although the resources can be used from any learning management system (LMS), OpenEd also provides its own free LMS, enabling teachers to create courses with multiple topics while leveraging OpenEd’s recommendation engine to find relevant material.

Pathways: Science
(www.pathways.eb.com)

Britannica Digital Learning has launched a new version of Pathways: Science, an online supplemental curriculum program for middle school students that addresses science misconceptions through inquiry-based learning. The new version is more flexible, especially for small groups of students working independently in the classroom.

Performance Matters and Measured Progress
(www.measuredprogress.org)

Performance Matters has teamed up with the assessment company Measured Progress to offer Measured Progress Common Core content, including a new item bank, targeted testlets, quarterly benchmarks, and online professional development that guides teachers as they prepare students in grades 3-12 for the CCSS. Using the Performance Matters assessment and data management system, teachers test students online or via plain paper scanning. The systems allow teachers to drill down into students’ understanding of specific strands and domains of the CCSS and use that information to guide their instruction.

PresenceLearning CASL Evaluation Tool
(www.presencelearning.com)

Presence- Learning has added the Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language (CASL) evaluation tool to its online speech therapy platform. Online speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can now administer the standardized assessment to determine speech-language disorders.

Safe Schools
(www.absolute.com)

Absolute Software has launched Safe Schools, a comprehensive security and management solution that secures mobile devices through protection and recovery. The solution works in conjunction with Absolute Computrace and Computrace Mobile Theft Management software. The Safe Schools solution provides rapid response resources after a theft of a protected device—the Absolute Investigations and Recovery Services team will conduct an investigation and will work with local law enforcement to recover devices.

Schoology Resource Apps
(www.schoology.com)

Schoology has introduced Resource Apps to the Schoology App Center, featuring content from third-party vendors like Google Drive, Dropbox, Evernote, Khan Academy, and SkyDrive Pro. Resource Apps turn the content into an interactive item that can be viewed, moved, and attached to other items within Schoology for fully integrated learning.

Sparticl.org
(www.sparticl.org)

Sparticl.org, created by 3M and Twin Cities Public Television, is a new online and mobile destination that guides teens to STEM resources. The Web site prepares students for high school science education and STEM career opportunities through articles, videos, photos, blogs, games, and hands-on activities. Sparticl.org offers content from sources such as PBS, National Geographic, Scientific American, Discovery, and the Smithsonian. As students rank and share content, test their knowledge, and recommend new content, they’re rewarded with points, status, and badges.

SToodle
(Stoodle.org)

Stoodle provides students with a no-charge, ad-free collaborative digital classroom featuring a real-time whiteboard with tutoring tools, voice conferencing, and text chat. The Stoodle. org classroom allows students and tutors to invite others via URL or social media to begin the tutoring experience (no account needed).

StudyBlue Study Guides
(www.studyblue.com)

StudyBlue, a mobile learning platform that features crowd-sourced study materials, has launched Study Guides to offer one organized package of notes, curated by students, for a specific class. As students add notes to their own accounts, they are automatically added to the class Study Guide, in the order the material was taught. StudyBlue Study Guides are updated as each classmate adds new material. Students using a Study Guide will receive a push notification on their device for instant access to new information. They can then review the notes, take practice quizzes, and track their progress.

Study Boost
(www.studyboost.com)

With the Study Boost mobile study platform, students and teachers can study through text messaging and instant messaging. Teachers can upload questions and have them deployed to students’ cell phones by text or instant message. Teachers can also track data from those questions, to see where students need additional help.

StudySync
(www.studysync.com)

StudySync, the Common Core literacy curriculum from BookheadEd Learning, has expanded its library of SyncTV episodes, video lessons that model study group interactions, and analyses of a range of fiction and nonfiction works. Additionally, the library now includes video lessons for students at the elementary school level.

SylvanPlay
(www.sylvanlearning.com)

Fingerprint and Sylvan Learning have partnered to create SylvanPlay, a customized mobile learning network. SylvanPlay will launch on iOS and Android with a suite of four apps created by Fingerprint and its developer network. Each will foster reading and math skills for students in grades 1-4. SylvanPlay will also feature a parent engagement dashboard, collaborative play options, and safe chat functions enabled by Fingerprint’s technology platform.

Tab Pilot 3.0
(www.tabpilot.com)

TabPilot Learning Systems has launched TabPilot 3.0, with features such as remote monitoring of student tablets, class screen freeze, district-level management, automatic wireless synchronization for apps and files, and support for Nook tablets. The screen monitoring feature allows teachers to view thumbnails of multiple student tablets at the same time, select any tablet for a larger view, and print the screen capture along with the device name, date, and time stamp. The screen lock feature freezes the screen on a class set of tablets and displays a custom message from the teacher to gain students’ attention.

TechSmith Snagit and Camtasia Updates
(www.techsmith.com)

TechSmith is introducing features to enable creating, sharing, and accessing content across desktops, mobile devices, software, and platforms. The first phase includes Snagit for Google Chrome, Google Drive integration in Snagit and Camtasia, and TechSmith Fuse, an app to share content from mobile devices to Snagit and Camtasia.

Time To Know Digital Teaching Platform 7.0
(www.mheducation.com)

McGraw-Hill Education has launched a new, data-driven, differentiated teaching and learning platform for math and reading, the Time To Know Digital Teaching Platform. The system integrates Common Core-aligned content and services for math and English Language Arts into a personalized educational experience.

Triumph Learning and Clever
(www.triumphlearning.com)

Triumph Learning has partnered with Clever to integrate student information system (SIS) data with its online digital learning tools, including Readiness for Common Core and Mastering the TEKS Online. Student and teacher data will be updated as it changes throughout the school year, saving teachers time on data management. Clever securely connects to a school’s SIS, pulls student enrollment rosters and demographic data, and automatically syncs that data with Triumph Learning resources. Additionally, users can now access all Triumph Learning resources through a single logon.

Truenorthlogic
(www.truenorthlogic.com)

Truenorthlogic’s K-12 Talent Management system, a professional development resource, has been updated with a new look and feel for the platform’s evaluation interface. Enhancements include modernized screen layouts and significant performance increases across the evaluation system.

Varsity Learning Tools
(www.varsitytutors.com)

Varsity Tutors has launched Varsity Learning Tools, a free, online assessment system with over 10,000 practice problems across all subjects, along with test-creation and analytic tools. Teachers can design exams using content from the Varsity Learning Tools library as well as outside resources, with the option to integrate images, passages, and instruction into the fully customizable tests.

Verizon Cloud
(www.verizonwireless.com)

Verizon Enterprise Solutions has introduced Verizon Cloud, a cloud-based Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) platform and storage service. Verizon Cloud has two main components: Verizon Cloud Compute, the IaaS platform, and Verizon Cloud Storage, an object-based storage service.

The Virtual High School
(www.thevirtualhighschool.org)

The Virtual High School (VHS) and ReadSpeaker have partnered to integrate ReadSpeaker’s text-to-voice technology into the Virtual High School course curriculum on the Desire2Learn platform. VHS students can have all course Web pages and documents read to them and download audio files into an mp3 format for playback on mobile devices.

WriteToLearn
(www.pearsoned.com)

WriteToLearn, Pearson’s Web-based literacy tool, now offers enhanced support for English language learners, including writing prompts and feedback that focuses on the fundamentals of writing, language usage, sentence structure, mechanics, and ordering of ideas. WriteToLearn also features word prediction and highlighting tools from Texthelp, along with visual and translational support to help ELLs and struggling learners. Additional language support tools are available through an embedded dictionary with cross-language translation and text-to-speech functionality that reads text aloud in Spanish as well as English.

hardware

Epson (www.epsonbrighterfutures.com) has introduced two new projector series for the K-12 classroom. The PowerLite S17, X17, and W17 are three bright, easy-to-use projectors delivering features including HDMI connectivity and optional wireless connectivity. The PowerLite 97, 98, 99W, 955W, and 965 (pictured) classroom projectors offer advanced network connectivity for simplified control of classroom content, and high image quality.

Acer (www.acer.com) has announced the new Veriton Series commercial desktops with fourth-generation Intel Core processors. They are bundled with a robust security and management suite and are available in expandable mini-tower and compact form factors.

Microscope.com (www.microscope.com) has launched the Explorer Pro handheld digital microscopes. The Explorer Series includes two PC/Mac-compatible USB models with either 1.3 megapixel or 5.0-megapixel resolution and a wi-fi model that can connect up to three iOS or Android devices simultaneously. The two USB models include 10x-50x, 200x variable magnification and include a back-up plastic stand, image capture and measuring software, and a calibration slide to ensure accurate measurements. The microscope can capture live image video or stills. Measuring capabilities include line, circle, area, and angle.

Brother International Corporation (www.brother-usa.com) has introduced the HL-S7000DN, a high-speed, inkjet-based workgroup printer that prints up to 100ppm, while using less energy than conventional printers. Its networking, centralized deployment strategy, and Web-based management tools will increase productivity while decreasing print fleet size and expenditures. It comes with a standard-issue 600-sheet input that can be expanded to hold up to 2,100 sheets via three optional 500-sheet trays. The HL-S7000DN’s ink supply is ISO-certified, making it ideal for printing diplomas, report cards, and certificates.

ViewSonic (www.viewsonic.com) has extended its line of Smart Displays with the VSD241, a 24” HD touchscreen display with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS and NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad core processor. The VSD241 is suited for a stand-alone display option or as part of an extended display operation, and it offers the functionality of a desktop display with the flexibility of cloud computing.

Califone International, Inc. (www.califone.com) has introduced the PA-MBiOS speaker for the iPad and iPhone. With its clear sound, it enables whole class and group learning activities, and supports tablet and mobile learning initiatives. Educators can use the speaker to enhance iPad audio from a Google Hangout, iTunes Radio, a virtual field trip, or a streaming podcast from iTunes U.

Aerohive Networks (www.aerohive.com) has announced two new access points supporting 802.11ac Gigabit wi-fi. The new AP370 (bottom) and AP390 (top) products extend Aerohive’s cloud-managed mobile networking platform, enabling migration to 802.11ac Gigabit wi-fi, whether upgrading incrementally to address existing capacity issues or installing a completely new 802.11ac network.

Sunhillo (www.sunhillo.com) has introduced a rugged, Linux-based thin client for the Avalon terminal server platform. The Avalon provides two USB 2.0 ports to support keyboards and other USB devices and can be disabled or enabled through configuration commands. A low-power ARM Cortex-A8 processor boots the system and application in less than 45 seconds and provides a robust Linux development platform for software and hardware maintenance. Avalon features a DVI-I port for both analog and digital video transmission, which allows use of a variety of monitors, video resolution of 1024x768, and support for all modes for VT-100 emulation.

NEC Display Solutions of America (www.necdisplay.com) has added the EA193Mi to its MultiSync EA Series lineup. This 19”, 5:4 AH-IPS panel, LED-backlit monitor is mercury-free and offers reduced power consumption thanks to its LED backlighting technology. With 1280x1024 native resolution and a 25,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, it makes a great addition to any classroom.

SMART Technologies (www.smarttech.com) has released the SMART Room System for Microsoft Lync, an integrated hardware and software solution that supports the communication application, Microsoft Lync, in meeting rooms. The SMART Room conferencing solution simplifies the collaboration experience for both virtual and face-to-face meeting participants and enables sharing of real-time video, voice, and data.