I am delighted to announce that the AVerMedia V355AF Visualiser has won the prestigious Worlddidac Award 2010. The Worlddidac Award was created in 1984 with the objective to encourage manufacturers of educational materials to continuous innovation. Today the Worlddidac Award is the most recognised international prize in the Global education sector. It is presented every two years to innovative and pedagogically valuable products with a high potential to improve learning or teaching.

The evaluation criteria included the overall quality, safety, eco-friendliness, ease of use, aesthetics, multi-functionality, design and technological innovation, all of which shone through in the AVerMedia V355AF. Used extensively in schools around the world, Visualisers work alongside established equipment such as interactive whiteboards and digital projectors. Already one of the stars in AVerMedias product line up, the V355AF Visualiser features a ‘one touch’ record to USB stick capability. By using this feature, high quality audio /video, can be recorded, direct to a USB drive. The one-touch record function is a boon for recording evidence of pupils /students work and with a powerful 80 x zoom and a 5 megapixel camera, which gives 1080P resolution, stunning images can be recorded.

So what makes the award so fulfilling? well we are incredibly honoured to receive this award which recognises the hard work and dedication of our staff, both here in Europe and our overseas colleagues. The V355AF Visualiser is user-friendly, easy to operate and can give proven benefits to both teaching staff and Students alike. Visualisers offer real benefits in the classroom, bringing full interaction and spontaneity to even the most difficult subject matter. In addition, Visualisers can be used for so much in the classroom, from simple ‘show and tell’ exercises to peer-to-peer assessment and student portfolio applications. The beauty of the Visualiser is its straightforward installation, portability and ease of use, which few classroom technologies can compete with and that is a feature which was noted and appreciated by the Awards committee.

A unique trophy will be presented to us during the Worlddidac Exhibition in Basel, Switzerland, in October 2010. it has also been recognised that AVerMedia is officially the the market leading Visualiser manufacturer in Europe, following a recent report into the market by independent research company, Futuresource. Over the past 10 years AVerMedia have been paving the way in gaining the acceptance of Visualisers in the Education sector and it is great to start getting recognition for the efforts which have been made over the years.  

UK Specialist educational televison channel Teachers TV recently featured AVerMedia Visualisers in their programe, Time Savers Special. The programme shows how an integrated ICT backbone can save teaching staff valuable time.

At the centre of the ICT integration at Broadgreen International School, Liverpool, is its learning platform. It lets teachers easily access pupil and class information, set work for individuals or groups, do all reports online, upload lessons and resources, and access all the information they need when they work from home In class, the school employs extensive use of ICT such as Visualisers, voting pads and Flip video cameras, which are used for such things as staff training, peer assessment and presentations.

To show how the use of ICT saves time, the video followed one teacher through the working day as she shows the reality of extensive use of ICT in school, both in and out of the classroom. AVerMedia Visualisers are extensively featured and the examples show their use in English, Mathematics and Geography. Of great interest is the Geography example, as it features Pupils who have hearing difficulties. 

The programme, which lasts 30 minutes, is extremely interesting, covering a wide spread of AV products. AVerMedia Visualisers feature from 6.00 minutes onwards.

http://www.teachers.tv/videos/time-savers-special-saving-time-with-ict

AVerMedia have recently announced the release of its new collaborative learning tool, AVerPen, to the Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg) Region. This product compliments the existing AVerMedia Visualiser range, which have become the leading brand for education throughout Europe. Later in the year the product will be phased in to other European countries, including UK, Germany, France and Italy.

So just what is AVerpen? Put simply, AVerPen combines Wireless Slate and Student Response System into one complete product. By combining the intuitive features of these technologies into a mobile, collaborative learning solution, it allows teachers and students to work together for group engagement and immediate feedback. An added bonus is that AVerPen works on virtually any non-reflective hard surface in the classroom or lecture theatre making it truly mobile! At the BETT exhibition AVerMedia asked visitors to their stand a 'pre-production' unit for themselves and it was fascinating to watch as people become comfortable with its 'feel'. Unsurprisingly, children were the first to get to grips with this new technology and were soon writing, drawing, dragging and dropping! Adults appeared to have a slightly longer learning curve, but in time felt confident to use it. Since showing it at BETT, the boffins in Taiwan have tweaked the AVerPen to make it even more responsive.

So why is AVerpen an important new tool in the Classroom? AVerPen has been developed to further increase the interactivity between teacher and student while providing innovative new tools combined in an easy-to-use product. AVerPen allows the teacher to move freely around the classroom, whilst being kept in full control of the lesson. Using student pens alongside the teacher pen allows the class to collaborate and problem-solve together, while the built-in Group Response System provides immediate assessment.

So how does AVerPen Work? Simply connect your PC or laptop to your digital projector, install the AVer+ software supplied with every AVerPen, connect the AVerPen cradle to a USB port and the pens will communicate with the cradle and your computer via Radio Frequency (RF). Once connected, the pens from anywhere in the room, without needing to have a direct line-of-sight to the cradle. You are now ready to teach, interact, collaborate and inspire your students through 360 degree mobility. Teacher pens are able to control all features as well as activate, limit, or expand student pen functions.

AVerPen comes with the new AVer+ software. The new software is compatible with all AVerMedia Visualisers and most proprietary Interactive Whiteboards. Aver+ allows users to create projects using full annotation capability, image capture, video recording, multimedia importing, and more. Users can even share work with other AVer+ users through an in-house local area network for complete class collaboration.

A Visualiser offers real value in times of budget uncertainty

Following an extremely successful first quarter of 2010, AVerMedia has noticed that more customers are being turned on to Visualisers because they offer great performance, matched with unrivalled value for money in these budget strapped times. Visualisers can be used for so much in the classroom, from simple ‘show and tell’ exercises to peer-to-peer assessment and student portfolio applications. The beauty of the Visualiser is its straightforward installation, portability and ease of use, which few classroom technologies can compete with. All AVerMedia Visualisers come with licence free Aver+ software, which has been really well received following its launch at BETT2010. In these times where maximising budget and return on investment are critical, Visualisers can save schools money as Teaching Assistants no longer have to photocopy handouts for every pupil, plus the educational benefits of spontaneous presentations due to the immediacy of the product are well documented and supported by industry leaders.

One of the stars in the AVerMedia product line up is the V355AF Visualiser, which features a ‘one touch’ record to USP stick capability. By using this feature, which in accessible from the front panel of the Visualiser or via the hand held controller, users can record up to 110 minutes of high quality video, direct to a thumb drive. The V355AF features a built-in microphone in the camera held, plus additional mic input in the base, which means that the whole class can have input. The video files are saved in user friendly format and are playable on both mac and PC’s. The one-touch record function is a boon for recording evidence of pupils /students work and with a powerful 80 x zoom and a 5 megapixel camera, which gives 1080P resolution, stunning images can be recorded.

 From the entry level, flexi-neck autofocus CP155, offering 3.2MP camera and 16 x zoom, to 160x zoom to the full featured SPB350 platform Visualiser, AVerMedia offer a range of Visualisers for every application. In addition to great product features and clear benefits to end users, all AVerMedia products include a full 5 year Warranty for complete peace of mind.

As one the Worlds largest manufacturers  Visualiser technology, AVerMedia has spent the past 10 years have been paving the way in gaining the acceptance of Visualisers in the UK and Europe. Working closely with specialist Educational Products Distributor, Steljes, together with a national network of dedicated resellers, they have established excellent working relationships with ICT Specialists and LEA’s around the country. This has allowed AVerMedia to understand the unique requirements of the Education sector and incorporate this feedback into their Visualiser range.

AVerMedia have recently introduced the AVerVision V355AF. This product features many new features which are designed to make Teaching even easier. I recently tried out the product and it is simplicity itself to use as a standard Visualiser, with a powerful 80 x zoom and clear images provided via its 5MP camera. All functions can be accessed via the touch panel on the camera base or with the wireless controller, which also has a built in laser pointer. The V355AF can also shoot an A3 object which for the first time means whole book spreads can be shown to your audience.

These features are very useful, but the one which really stands out is the 'One Touch' record function. This function allows you to record audio and video (up to 24 frames per second) content directly to a USB stick; ideal for recording students work for assessments. This can be done by simply pressing the 'one-touch' button on the camera body or hand controller - its as simple as that! Once pressed, a 'record' icon appears on the screen and a maximum of 2GB of data can be recorded. How much is that in real terms? approximately 111 minutes worth, in AVI format. The camera head also has a built in microphone which is of good quality, but if you want to record sound from the rear of the classroom, an external mic can be connected.

All in all the new V355AF from AVerMedia is a highly specified Visualiser which incorporates an excellent range of useable features which are simple and quick to use. The V355AF comes complete with AVerMedia’s new Aver+ software, which is a brand new interface which allows users to draw, annotate, record video and audio as well as setting up multiple-user networks and much, much more. User friendly menus give quick and easy access to hundreds of features giving you complete control of your V355AF Visualiser, whether you are a Mac or PC user. As with all of the latest AVerMedia products, the V355AF comes complete with a 5 Year Warranty for complete peace of mind.

Successful BETT Show sets up huge interest in Visualiser technology

Leading Educational Visualiser manufacturer AVerMedia has noticed an increased interest in their Visualisers following an extremely successful BETT 2010. The show, said to be the worlds largest Education Technology event, attracted visitors from far and wide, with many making tracks to the AVerMedia stand. “from the very first day, despite the wintry weather, we were inundated with visitors wanting to find out more about our Visualisers” said AVerMedia Marketing Manager Nigel Roberts. “In these times where maximising budget and return on investment are critical, Visualisers can save schools money as Teaching Assistants no longer have to photocopy handouts for every pupil and the educational benefits of spontaneous presentations due to the immediacy of the product are well documented and supported by industry leaders”, he added.

AVerMedia used the BETT Show to launch three exciting new additions to their range, all of which now come with autofocus as standard. “We believe in giving our customers what they want and following feedback from users up and down the country, we have completely revised our product portfolio for 2010 in line with our ethos of offering easy to use, practical, user friendly products” commented Roberts. “from the entry level CP155, offering 3.2MP camera and 16 x zoom, to our V355AF, which features 80 x zoom and ‘one-touch’ recording to USB stick, we believe our products give end users the features they want,  in a simple package” he added. In addition to the increased features available on AVerMedia products, they have also included a full 5 year Warranty for complete peace of mind.

AVerMedia is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of Visualiser technology and over the past 10 years have been paving the way in gaining the acceptance of Visualisers in the UK and Europe. Working closely with specialist Educational Products Distributor, Steljes, together with a national network of dedicated resellers, they have established excellent working relationships with ICT Specialists and LEA’s around the country. This has allowed AVerMedia to understand the unique requirements of the Education sector and incorporate this feedback into their Visualiser range.

AVerMedia will be showing its new range on their stand, R49, at The Education Show, NEC, Birmingham, March 4^th-6^th. Manned by their helpful, friendly sales team, their stand will feature live products to enable you to get hands-on with the most talked about product in the classroom!