Exploring Activsoftware Inspire Edition
Just recently I mentioned that Promethean had released the beta version of their IWB software, Activsoftware Inspire Edition. Like others, I’ve started to have a play around (Chris Betcher seems to be putting the software through its paces). Here’s just a few things I’ve noticed that I like the look of:
Did someone give you a SMART Notebook file to view or use? Whereas you had to previously resort to the SMART Notebook viewer, you can now import the notebook into a flipchart.
Some very common flipchart activities are now available as a quick menu selection, saving you finding the resources in the library to put them together.
Being a Year 1 teacher, I use the hundred chart fairly regularly in Mathematics lessons. Once I choose “100 chart” from the menu, this dialog box appears for me to make my selection.
Finally, something I have been hanging out for. Previously I’ve been frustrated, wondering why I can’t simply insert images, etc. in a similar way to Office documents (after all, it is pretty easy and straightforward). Well now you can, with the Insert Media option. Not only images, but sound, video and more.
Now it is really quick and easy to insert media files directly into a flipchart page.
I’m sure (in fact I know) there are many new features, but there were the first to grab my attention. I look forward to using it some more.
4 Responses to “Exploring Activsoftware Inspire Edition”
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January 26th, 2009 at 9:27 am
[...] (Cross-posted at Think :: Learn :: Do) [...]
January 26th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Cool review, thanks. So, what do you think about the media handling? Images are ok… (I never really noticed that there was no import option in Activ3, since I usually just drag the image files into the flipchart from the desktop). I’m interested to know more about what you think of the video handling though… are you happy with it? If you watched my screencast to the end, you probably already know that I think it’s still unacceptable, but it sounds like you’re happy with it. Does it bother you that videos will not embed into the flipchart?
January 27th, 2009 at 1:49 am
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January 27th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Hi Chris, thanks for the comment.
I must say while the new option does allow for easier inserting of media, the video handling is still poor. I was a bit surprised to find myself clicking an icon, only to launch an external window. It should embed, or as you suggest, at least give us the option to. I can only presume that if you transferred the flipchart over a network etc., that you’d lose the link to the video if you didn’t take it to? I’m just thinking that my colleagues store most of their flipcharts on the school server so they can be shared between classes. Looks like the same nonsense I try to put up with when embedding sound into PowerPoint.
As you say, if SMART Notebook can embed video, then so should Activsoftware; if for no other reason than to allow us to annotate and make notes about the video within the flipchart itself.
Lastly, I remember our former trainer Leah’s catch-phrase of “double-click and give it a tick”. Seems the removal of the old object palette puts an end to that!