EDUCATION-JAN10-PG36:Page 6 04/01/2010 14:12 Page 36
BETT Highlights
The real classroom of the future
The worldwide launch of the CleverLCD Touch Plus all-in-one interactive LCD display with PC
and Blu-Ray player at BETT 2010 heralds the arrival of real interactive classroom of the future.
W
ith more than 75% of UK classrooms
equipped with interactive whiteboards and
projectors, interactive technology has become a
familiar part of 21st century teaching and learning.
Most teachers wouldn’t want to be without
interactive teaching technology but most would
welcome advances in technology that left behind
the problems inherent to the current products
and made interactive technology easier to select,
install and most of all to use.
Despite new versions of whiteboards and
projectors with short-throw lenses that could be
boom-mounted above them, it was the arrival of
the interactive LCD flatscreen in schools that
appeared – at last - to answer the needs of
schools, teachers and their students.
Sahara Presentation Systems were the pioneers
of the interactive LCD screens into education,
launching the CleverLCD Touch at BETT 2009, a
65-inch diagonal, high definition LCD display with
an integrated touch screen.
This year’s BETT saw Sahara launch the
CleverLCD Touch Plus, the result of a year’s
experience of the early adopters of its first
interactive LCD and their feedback with extended
capabilities.
The new era of classroom interactivity: CleverLCD Touch Plus combines a Full HD interactive LCD screen
Over the last 12 months, Sahara and its reseller
with a powerful PC and Blu-Ray player – no projector dazzle, no shadows, no trailing cables.
partners have been working with the education
Indeed, all you need to turn a classroom It also makes CleverLCD Touch Plus comparable
community and have installed multiple systems
interactive is built into CleverLCD Touch Plus, to the total cost of hardware and installation of
across the UK, including a number of schools for
which can be placed on a table, a stand or hung an interactive whiteboard with projector and
Cumbria Education Service.
on the wall. It has just one mains plug and needs audio system.
The authority’s John Nixon was quoted as
only one cable to connect to a school network for Experienced users of projection-based
saying: “The advantages of an interactive LCD
Internet access. Even that can be dispensed with if interactive whiteboards will also be well aware
display over the traditional pairing of an
a wireless network is in place. that running costs of interactive whiteboards and
interactive whiteboard and a projector are
All the cables connecting the built-in elements projectors add substantially to the purchase cost.
apparent for both staff and students. The
are contained within the LCD screen so it is quick Adding the cost of regular filter changes and
CleverLCD Touch is useable in all lighting
and easy to install and set-up. Unpack it. Put it on replacement projection lamps to the cost of
conditions. The shadow if the teacher does not
table or the optional mobile stand or hang it on repairing aging whiteboards means interactive
obscure the content displayed on the screen, and
the wall. Plug it in and switch it on. whiteboards get progressively more expensive to
the health and safety concerns posed by projector
No screen calibration is needed and in the maintain over time.
dazzle and projectors suspended on boom arms,
unlikely event of a problem, it is all covered by a In contrast, interactive LCDs represent an initial
or from ceilings, are much reduced.”
single support call and a single warranty. capital cost and require minimal maintenance
Feedback from schools over the past year has
Like its predecessor, CleverLCD Touch Plus has a over their lifetime.
helped Sahara in the design of the CleverLCD
bright TV-like screen with a crisp and clear image so The all-metal screen bezel of the frame
Touch Plus, an all-in-one interactive LCD with
there is no need to close the blinds. There are no surrounds a screen of 4mm toughened safety
powerful PC and a Blu-Ray Disc player (capable of
bright lights to dodge and no annoying body glass that can withstand a 0.5kg steel ball being
showing Full High Definition content) built into
shadows to obscure content and since the LCD swung into its face, ensuring it is capable of
the widescreen format Full HD screen, which can
screen does not need a high powered fan to keep it surviving the rigours of the tough classroom
be 55-inch or 65-inch diagonal.
from over-heating like a projector, it is virtually silent. environment.
The powerful built-in PC is supplied with a
This is good news for teachers and students The backlight of the CleverLCD Touch Plus
choice of Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7
that use interactive technology daily in the screen has a 60,000+ hour life, which is 15 times
operating system, the latter having the advantage
classroom but the more significant advantage for longer than a projector, Sahara suggests,
of supporting multi-touch. While CleverLCD
schools and local authorities is the price of the providing a screen operation life of up to 25
Touch Plus can be supplied with Sahara’s
new CleverLCD Touch Plus. years.
interactive Lynx software pre-loaded, schools are
Despite the obvious advantages, it has been Sahara says that it is these qualities which have
free to run any third-party interactive software
the price which has kept interactive LCD beyond led independent studies to conclude that over a
they choose.
the reach of many education buyers looking to 10 year period (the typical life expectation of an
An amplifier and stereo speakers have been
replace their ageing whiteboards. interactive whiteboard) the CleverLCD Touch Plus
built-in to provide sound and a microphone port
Sahara has put an end to that limitation, is far more cost effective.
enables a teacher mic to be added. The provision
setting very affordable pricing levels of £4,500 for
of VGA, DVI HDMI five USB ports and 6-in-1 card
the 55-inch and £6,799 for the 65-inch version.
reader also means there are plenty of options for
This is significantly lower than the combined
connecting other devices such as a digital TV or
costs of the CleverLCD Touch Plus elements - the
satellite receiver, a printer, visualiser, laptop, USB
LCD screen, the interactive touch interface, the
memory stick or memory card.
PCD, Blu-Ray player, amplifier and speakers. u020 8319 7777
uwww.saharaplc.com
36
www.education-today.co.uk January 2010
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