At a recent family dinner, my mother (a history teacher) very excitedly asked me if I’d ever written about whiteboards for Gear Diary. I stared blankly at her, since I didn’t understand how markers and plastic boards were very tech-y. She then explained that she meant electronic whiteboards; her school had recently procured some for the classrooms, and she was excited at the opportunity to really expand what she showed her students.

Unfortunately, not all schools have had budgets for these types of electronic tools. Hitachi is aiming to change that with their newest “Starboard”, a new electronic whiteboard that will be more affordable and easier to use with a new electronic pen.

From the press release:

Every Room Can Be An Interactive Presentation Environment With Hitachi StarBoard FX-77GII

—StarBoard FX-77GII Brings Interactive Whiteboard Technology To New Markets, Broadens Appeal, and Offers Higher Level Of Affordability—

CHULA VISTA, California, November 23, 2009 – Hitachi Software Engineering America, Ltd., today introduced the new StarBoard FX-77GII, making its award-winning interactive whiteboard technology more accessible to a larger community of corporate and educational users. Offered at a price point substantially lower than the original FX DUO, the new StarBoard brings all of the capabilities that have been revolutionized by Hitachi, but with interaction facilitated by the use of an electronic pen.

The wireless 2-button pen device, included with the StarBoard, functions as a mouse that operates and annotates on the board. The board features an electronic-free surface for more durable use and remains fully operational even if there are scratches or dents on the surface space, thus making it ideal in educational environments.

“We are excited about lowering the price of our industry leading interactive whiteboard technology with the FX-77GII.  We believe this will present an opportunity to new users who may have previously wanted to deploy this technology, but may not have had the ability to do so,” stated John Glad, product manager, Hitachi America, Ltd.

With 12 customizable function buttons, the FX-77GII is highly adaptable to the specific needs of each user and their environment. The functional versatility, combined with the StarBoard Software, enables the fast and simple creation of dynamic lesson plans and presentations.

To further empower and engage the educational community with the capabilities of the FX-77GII, users can now utilize the new Hitachi Educator Portal for uploading and sharing lessons, watching tutorial videos, and obtaining additional teaching resources.

To access the Hitachi Educator Portal, please visit Hitachi online at www.hitachi-soft.com/icg/educators_corner/>.

This sounds really great! I wish they had those when I was in high school! Have you had the chance to use one of these in your business, or are your kids encountering them in the classroom? Share any experiences below!