Products

Best New Hardware

12/19/2012 By:

The following winning products were evaluated by a qualified team of educators, who ran each product through a rigorous set of testing criteria. Only those products that received a majority winning vote were selected. Congratulations to all of the winners.

The DigitalMedia Presentation System 300 is an all-inone presentation control and signal routing solution. It combines a control processor, multimedia matrix switcher, audio DSP, amplifier, and mic mixer into a single component. One judge described the system as a “very high quality product that combines what typically are several separate components” that normally cost more and are more difficult to configure. The judge recommended it for a lecture hall, conference room, or boardroom.

EcoBright ZX210ST
Optoma Technology Inc.
www.optoma.com

Optoma’s EcoBright ZX210ST incorporates a short-throw design and weighs a light nine pounds. It offers wireless capabilities, and its Crestron certification allows for remote management and control. Judges raved over the high picture quality, sharp focus, and 3D capability. One judge particularly liked the keystone brightness on a remote, and the integrated presentation remote.

AVer W30 Wireless Document Camera
AVer Information Inc.
www.avermedia.com

The AVer W30 displays zero lag video, so teachers can move the camera anywhere within a 45 foot radius of the W30 base unit and display crisp 1080p video. Judges liked that it was small, compact, and wireless. One judge found it extremely easy to use and set up.

Labdisc for General Science
Globisens
www.globisens.com

The self-contained Labdisc data logger for K-12 science has up to 15 built-in sensors (including GPS), enabling mobile science investigation in environmental science, physics, biology, and chemistry. One judge remarked upon the compact, trendy appearance, and liked the built-in sensors. Another judge saw the product as a means for very costeffective automatic calibration.

Lightspeed Filtering and Reporting Solution (next-gen UNIX)
Lightspeed Systems
www.lightspeedsystems.com

The Lightspeed Systems next-generation Web Filter is everything a K12 content filter needs to be: safe, fast, mobile, collaborative, and easy. It includes flexible CIPAcompliant filtering for desktop and mobile devices, a user-friendly, streamlined interface, and more. Our judge said it was very effective for school use, and praised the easy-to-follow instruction and set-up manual. The judge also remarked upon the “fast, helpful, and friendly” chat support.

PN-L802B
Sharp Electronics
www.sharpusa.com

This digital meeting solution offers full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution, providing a higher quality image display than a traditional projector, in addition to the touchscreen capabilities, creating a truly handson experience. The PN-L802B uniquely incorporates the interactive whiteboard with a television, earning high marks from judges. Several judges said they could see the product replacing interactive whiteboards and ceilingmounted projectors.

TW675UTi-3D
Optoma Technology Inc.
www.optoma.com

The TW675UTi-3D provides a complete, all-in-one solution, including a 3D-capable projector with an interactive pen and software. One of our judges said the lamp cools quickly, and cited the projector’s high image quality. The judge also appreciated the variety of input options available.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2
Samsung Electronics America Inc.
www.samsung.com

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 is a dual-core tablet that runs on the Android 4.0 operating system. Judges liked the lightweight nature of the tablet, as well as its large, 10.1-inch screen and crisp display. They also reported that it has a very accurate touch screen, and appreciated the variety of apps available through Google Play.

Samsung Series 5 Chromebook
Samsung Electronics America Inc.
www.samsung.com

The Samsung Series 5 Chromebook combines Samsung’s engineering expertise with Google’s simple, secure, Chrome operating system. It measures less than an inch thick and weighs 3.3 pounds, making it an ideal laptop for carrying between classes or from home to school. Judges said this would be perfect for a classroom that uses Google apps. They also had good experiences setting up and using the Chromebook right out of the box.