A quick heads-up. Smart have put the beta version of their Smart Notebook Express up onto the internet for people to try out.
The idea (I think) is to have a simple online way of accessing Smart Notebook files via your browser with no need to install anything on your computer.
You only get simple access – you can view, move and draw onto pre-made smart files. But it would be a very useful tool for teachers who have downloaded some resources from the internet and want to check their suitability, but haven’t got Smart Notebook on their home computer
It’s still in beta, so usual disclaimers apply. This may not work, or may not open every file. I also don’t know how long it will be available online in this format before being removed and tweaked for final release.
But do go and take a look : http://express.smarttech.com – it certainly looks useful.
I did a quick run through and found that for me…
– I could not open the files I tried with flash animations
– the writing tool would only produce dots
– the text tool worked ok but I could not change colors
doesn’t look like it is working for me – don’t know if operating system makes a difference
I’m struggling to be excited by this alpha? product.
Am I alone?
Depends what you think it is and what it can do Neil.
I see it as a viewer – in much the same way that Promethean has one you can use to view files without having access to their software.
I know a lot of teachers don’t have their IWB software at home but want to get resources from third-party websites that make notebook/flipchart files. This at least lets them open them up and view them to check suitability.
Also would mean that students could open up notebooks made in lessons that had been put onto school VLE’s so they can look at them for revision purposes…
I think it’s an OK tool. Not amazing exciting, but quite a handy release. And to be fair, its still in development so will work better once its been tested some more.
If SMART have sacked all the Notebook 10 programmers, I would understand, as it is a shameful piece of software that makes our 2 month old board look 20 years old. I use a lot of software on my Mac and Notebook is very poorly implemented. All I want to know about is Notebook 11.
If Notebook Express is slowing the development of the native software I would be very disappointed. If they can’t guarantee that better and innovative software will be made for Macs and Windows computers using their boards then we will not be investing in SMART again.
On the plus side, assuming it works with no drivers, it means my colleagues with Windows computers can’t complain about not being able to install/configure the software, or that the software has crippled their computer.
I used it and although there are limitations, being able to view notebook files at home with a computer that does not have the notebook software is of benefit to me. For now I will view with notebook express but use the the notebook software at work to develop IWB classroom activities.
Any other suggestions?