Promethean have released version 1.2 of their ActivInspire software. This version of the software brings Promethean back to the top of the pile as the very best IWB software money can buy. The main (and very annoying) flaw of the previous version was that they had gotten rid of the resource finder feature. This was such a big deal that I didn’t bother upgrading from ActivPrimary.
Is Promethean Gone?
I’m getting a bit concerned about Promethean. I went along to their web site and found that it is no longer there. Promethean Ireland’s web site just states that it is under construction. I don’t know if it has anything to do with Clarity’s €1m investment into Promethean or not but something doesn’t seem right … Read more
Ok, so it’s not going to be free, but Promethean’s new software, to be released in March can be summed up in one word – sexy. Daryl, their software guy, allowed me to have a sneak preview at it at IPPN and there are some excellent improvements. The other great news is that if you own a different IWB, you can download the software restriction-free for €99. For a piece of software that was up until now worth (in my estimation) about €400-500, this is a bargain. 
Are my dreams about to come true? Last summer I met with two Promethean representatives and I spoke to them about SmartBoard’s Notebook software and advised them that they offered it for free. I suggested to them that ActivPrimary may do something similar never thinking it would happen as it is one of the best pieces of software for Interactive Whiteboards around. A collegue of mine emailled with the following statement from Ian Curtis, the head of Promethean in the UK and Ireland:
I’m a member of a mailing list for principals and the topic of Interactive Whiteboards and value for money came up for discussion. One of the most heartening things for me was the amount of interest and knowledge that other principals had. One such principal gave some fantastic advice which would save a school thousands in costs. This principal works in Blanchardstown in Dublin and has installed 11 IWBs. He has given me permission to display his post, which I thank him for.
An interactive whiteboard can cost you and your school a lot of money. The most expensive one I can find costs nearly €6,000. The marketing people say it’s the cream of the crop – adjustable height, short-throw projector, excellent after-sales service, free training, etc. etc. However, when you can buy an Interactive Whiteboard for less than €2,500 that does everything anyone would want an Interactive Whiteboard to do, is the extra €3,500 worth it? I don’t think so. And…furthermore, is the sub €2,500 Interactive Whiteboard any worse than the €6,000? In a word, no. So, here’s what you need for an excellent Interactive Whiteboard.
I often wondered how Promethean pens required no power whatsoever to work. Most other solutions require you to stick an AA battery in them and you’ll get a year or so out of them before having to replace the batteries. Promethean pens will go on for ever and ever relatively. So I asked the head of development and he told me that there is a coil of copper wiring through the pen which reacts to the wiring inside the whiteboard. This got me thinking about a touch screen Promethean board.