IPEVO’s Interactive Whiteboard IS-01 is the most impressive piece of technology I saw at this week’s Ohio Educational Technology Conference (OETC) in Columbus. Essentially, it is a “SMART Board” for $149. How is that possible when SMART Boards can cost 10 times as much or more? Well, think of it this way: Both a Kia and a Cadillac can get you somewhere. The Kia is more affordable, but it will not provide all the luxury and convenience of a Cadillac. The IS-01 is the Kia of interactive whiteboards. It works, but don’t expect it to be as nice as a SMART Board. It isn’t, but what it is is a real deal and worthy of your consideration.
A little side note, I taught high school Language Arts for seven years in poor, urban areas of Chicago and Cincinnati. I never had an interactive white board, but I always had a projector. I expect there are many, many teachers in similar circumstances. I eventually bought a Wacom tablet and Sketchbook Pro so that I could use my projector to show hand written material in class. I wrote Venn Diagrams, charts, definitions, etc., but it was always at my desk. Experienced educators know this is a problem. Fast forward to today and let’s discuss the benefits and drawbacks of the IPEVO Interactive Whiteboard IS-01.
What are the benefits of the IPEVO Interactive Whiteboard IS-01?
The first benefit is that the interaction occurs at the whiteboard. Teachers and students can use the Interactive Pen to write or use as a mouse on any flat surface. Want a Venn Diagram? Just draw two large circles and it’s there. The software that comes with the hardware works well; it is easy to write, draw, and erase in multiple colors and styles.
The second benefit is cost. Let’s face facts: It can be difficult at times for teachers to get the technology they need, so teachers resort to spending their own money. If this is going to happen, it better work. The IPEVO Interactive Whiteboard IS-01 worked well for me when I got to demo the product at OETC. The test environment had the projector and USB Sensor Cam closer to the wall than I would have liked, but this was a limitation of the size of the booth. However, I was told that the projected image can be anywhere between 40-100 inches. It worked well at 40 inches, so I will take IPEVO at their word that it will work well up to 100 inches.
What are the drawbacks of the IPEVO Interactive Whiteboard IS-01?
The greatest drawback is that there needs to be a clear line of sight between the USB Sensor Cam and Interactive Pen. This is not the case with a SMART Board. However, most teachers are accustomed to writing with an open stance so as to not have their backs to their students, so I do not see this as too high a hurdle to overcome. I did inadvertently block the line of sight between the USB Sensor Cam and Interactive Pen a few times with a paper that I was holding in my left hand, but this was before I became aware of the necessity to maintain a clear line of sight between the devices. It was not hard then to modify my behavior to account for this vital, albeit invisible, link between the devices.
Another drawback is that your projector should project on a hard, flat surface. This means that the device will not work well with a soft projector screen. If you project directly onto a wall or whiteboard, you should be fine. If you have a screen that unrolls and would move if you were to push on it, you might have a harder time. There is a button that can be used on the interactive pen which can be used instead of pressing on a hard surface, but it is just not as fulfilling as writing directly on a hard, flat surface.
The last drawback is related to luxury. The IPEVO Interactive Whiteboard IS-01 will get the job done like a Kia, but it does not have all the bells and whistles of a SMART Cadillac. That leaves you with an important question to answer: Would you be happy driving a Kia in your classroom?
TL;DR Version: The IPEVO Interactive Whiteboard IS-01 is a real deal at $149 with some minor drawbacks not worth worrying about too much at this price point.
Pros:
- Cheap – $149 (1/10 the price of some SMART Boards)
- Works – Lets teachers and students work at the whiteboard
Cons:
- Line of Sight – Don’t block the invisible line between the USB Sensor Cam and Interactive Pen
- Surface – You must use a hard, flat surface – projector screens are out
- Lacking Luxury – It is not a SMART Board – know what you are buying
– See more at: https://vartek.com/index.php/2011-10-04-20-03-49/vartek-blog/entry/ipevos-interactive-whiteboard-is-01-is-a-real-deal#sthash.2VTBNj1V.dpuf