Earlier this week we announced the new Interact 2.2.1 software for Windows was available for eBeam Projection users. If you are using the new eBeam Edge, also know as System 5, go ahead and download the new Interact 2.2.1. For all eBeam System 3 users, who use the boomerang on the corner of your whiteboard, stick with the Interact 2.2 for now. There is a compatibility issue with the Interact 2.2.1 and Capture 2.1 software for Windows. A software update for Capture is coming soon that will alleviate this issue. We’ll post when the upgrade is available.
PC Software Update – Interact 2.2.1
Posted July 29th, 2009 by melissa
For all PC users who love their eBeams, you will definitely love the updates available in the new Interact 2.2.1 software update. Besides a few enhanced capabilities in the software, the Interact 2.2.1 for eBeam Projection users is now integrated with 3 new eBeam products!
Luidia is now offering MyScript handwriting recognition software with all eBeam purchases in place of ritePen software. The MyScript software has better text editing capabilities and the interface is easier to use. When launching your Interact 2.2.1 software, you will notice the welcome screen is different as well. You now have 3 options to choose from: detect device, activate a software license or join meeting as a remote participant.
Interact 2.2.1 is now integrated with the eBeam Focus Document Camera, the eBeam Inscribe Wireless Tablet and supports the new eBeam Edge System. To download the new Interact 2.2.1 software for PC, go to Download Software
Summer Institute 2009
Posted July 13th, 2009 by melissa
Come see us at Summer Institute 2009 at East Hickman High School in Lyles, TN from July 14-16. Every year the Tennessee Educational Technology Association holds Summer Institute as a designated time for teachers and technology coordinators to come together and explore technology. Adams Business Center, Inc. will have a booth demonstrating our eBeam Projection System, eBeam Respond, Epson Powerlite 78 Projector, Wacom Graphire 6×8 BT Tablet, and 2 new products from Luidia. Making their debut at this year’s SI 2009, the eBeam Inscribe 200e Wireless Tablet and eBeam Focus 150 Document Camera will be sure to impress.
While you are at our booth, make sure to enter to win a FREE eBeam Projection USB! On Thursday the 16th, you can catch a breakout session from one of our eBeam representatives on The eBeam Interactive Classroom held in room 275 from 2:00-3:00. So make sure to come out to Hickman County this week – you won’t want to miss it!
Mac Software Update – Interact 1.2
Posted July 6th, 2009 by melissa
At the end of May, a software update for Mac was released for eBeam Projection users. The new Interact 1.2 for Mac OS X (10.3 or higher) has several features that Mac eBeam users have been asking for! Three of these new features include image based objects, an updated image gallery, and the PowerPoint/ Keynote Toolbar!
Every image that is imported into Scrapbook is now an image based object. Click once on your image with the pointer located on the Scrapbook Wheel and handles will appear allowing you to enlarge, minimize or rotate your image. When using the camera to capture an image or a selected area of an image from a website, the snapshot that is imported into Scrapbook is now able to be manipulated and positioned on the page as you desire.
Have you been utilizing your eBeam Image Gallery? In Scrapbook, click on the blue butterfly icon on the right hand side of the menu bar. The Image Gallery holds educational images to dress up your Scrapbook lessons. Download the latest release and you will notice your gallery has expanded! Some of these images include a Periodic Table, alphabet chart, U.S. currency and math tools.
The long-awaited PowerPoint Toolbar for Mac is here! Click on the PowerPoint icon located on the Desktop Toolbar, open an existing PowerPoint or Keynote presentation and begin annotating right on top of your presentation. Markings can be saved, emailed or shared. Tip: Make sure to choose “save as” when saving your annotated PowerPoint presentation so not as to erase your original. Interact 1.2 for Mac is integrated with Microsoft PowerPoint 2004 and 2008, as well as Keynote 2004 and 2008.
To download eBeam Interact 1.2 for Mac, go to Download Software
The End of the Overhead Projector
Posted January 7th, 2009 by melissa
Clean hands are not the only thing Jeff Caswell, a 7th grade math teacher at Arlington Middle School, has gained from using the eBeam. Caswell’s class which began with a calculator, paper and pencil, has since evolved into an interactive teaching environment where he incorporates a MacBook, projector, the eBeam, videos and the internet into his daily regimen. Caswell calls the eBeam “the end of the overhead projector.” Caswell uses the eBeam stylus to create lessons in a Word document and then captures it into scrapbook with the camera. Caswell loves using the different marker colors available on the scrabook wheel. “I incorporate colors as much as possible as an extra advantage (to the students).” He shows me a slide where the fractions are written in red, the decimals in green, and the percentages in orange. Caswell remembers last year leaving school every day with a rainbow of colors on his hand from marking on the transparencies.
Caswell is enthusiastic to show me a lesson on the Mexican peso crisis. He begins highlighting key information in the word problems using the eBeam. Caswell looks for real life examples to teach his seventh graders how to analyze data, understand a graph, and work with percents. “The eBeam opens up so many opportunities,” replies Caswell. At the end of each class, Caswell posts the notes on his school website. He likes to teach his students responsibility; if they miss a class there are no excuses.
Caswell said the biggest challenge he faces in the classroom is motivating the children. “If I lose the kids, I can get them back with the eBeam.” Caswell recalls a recent lesson on where the eBeam’s spontaneity allowed him to bring in an image of a pizza from the internet and discuss pizza toppings as it relates to possible outcomes. “I take a lesson and turn it into a show,” says Caswell. Just last month, Caswell added the Wacom Graphire 6×8 Bluetooth Tablet to his instruction which lets him teach from anywhere in the classroom.
Caswell’s advice for the new eBeam user:”start simple with a warmup at the beginning of the class.” Warmups at the start of each day, also known as bell work and early birds, are a great way to introduce the eBeam technology into the classroom.
When I mention an update for the eBeam Interact software for Mac is coming soon, Caswell shakes his head as if he can’t believe more features are on the way. Looks like it is just the beginning of many more interactive shows for Jeff Caswell’s classroom.
5 Hidden eBeam Wheel Features
Posted October 16th, 2008 by melissa
This week we have 5 not so obvious eBeam wheel features to share with you. This will be especially helpful for new eBeam users but maybe helpful for old pros as well. These features are found in the PC version of eBeam Interact version 2.1. Some but not all of these features are present on the Mac software.
Textbox:
Ever wonder how you change the size and font type in a textbox? This is easily overlooked. When you have the textbox selected in scrapbook simply click on the text icon in the center of the wheel. Up comes a mini wheel allowing you to choose the font, style and size of your choice. In addition, at the bottom of the window you can check to underline and select an alternative color from the drop down!
Finger Pointer:
The finger pointer is a simple hand pointing. This feature is buried under the mouse icon on the eBeam wheel and is only available when sharing your lesson in a meeting. Quick tip if you do not want to share your lesson but do want to use the finger pointer follow these steps:
- Click on the Share/End Meeting icon in the scrapbook toolbar
- Share the lesson with a password
- Now the pointer will be active
- Position and Place the pointer however you like
New Slide Shortcut:
An easy way to add a new slide is by tapping the ‘new slide’ icon in the scrapbook toolbar. Well you can make it even easier by adding the same icon to the eBeam wheel. Just tap and hold down on the camera – a sub menu will appear with the new slide icon to the left. Select it for an even easier way to add a new slide.
Specific Feature Help:
Ever wanted quick help or how to information for a particular eBeam wheel button? You wish is our command – select the button you want to know more about. For an example select the highlighter – then right-click in the center of the wheel, choose ‘about highlighter’. You can do this for each button on the eBeam wheel.
All Shapes and Sizes:
Like the New Slide shortcut there is a shape library button hidden under the textbox button. Select it and at your fingertips are basic shapes you can scale and color.
Have you been surprised and delighted by a little nugget feature within eBeam recently? We would love to hear about it!
Cool new eBeam features for PC
Posted October 1st, 2008 by melissa
You may not be aware that a major update of eBeam Projection for PC was released in August. Christened version 2.1, the software comes with many feature enhancements. The three major feature updates include: Flickr search integration, Video recording to Flash and WMV and Scrapbook Image Writer.
Let me briefly explain each of these:
Flicker search integration
Everyone uses and loves the image gallery, it is a great way to quickly and easily dress up your lesson slides. However the image gallery has had one shortcoming – you are limited to the images you have loaded into the image gallery. What if you want a specific image not already in the gallery? You have to search your computer or internet for it and then import it to the image gallery before even using it. Well we have a novel solution to all that hassle – Flicker image search is now integrated into the image gallery in scrapbook. Say you need an ‘airplane’ image – just type it into the search box and the image gallery will draw applicable images in real time off Flicker’s online image database. Scroll through the results and simply drag and drop onto your lesson slide!
Video Recording to Flash and WMV
Many teachers like to record their lessons as they teach. eBeam’s scrapbook has featured video and audio recording for some time. However we had only given one video format option which tended to create large files that do not work well on a website. So we have added to new video format options. The common WMV – windows media video and more importantly Flash. Flash is the standard video format on the internet today – small file size and good quality make it excellent for web use. Also, youtube and common blogging platforms use Flash video. I encourage you to give it a try with your next lesson!
Scrapbook Image Writer
This is a simple feature but can be very useful. Now you can print to scrapbook from any software on your computer. For example – open a file in Microsoft Word and select print. Select another printer – ‘Scrapbook Image Writer’. Print – now your Word document should show in scrapbook. Neat, huh?
If you have not picked up version 2.1 for PC yet you can download it here now: Download Software