RNWK--mimio boardCast Revolutionizes Presentations and Online Learning With Ink-plus-Audio Streaming Media for the Web -- New Solution From Virtual Ink Streams Whiteboard Handwriting Plus Voice to RealPlayer 7 Users --
PR NEWSWIRE - April 18, 2000 06:01
COMDEX/Spring 2000, CHICAGO, Apr 18, 2000 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Virtual Ink Corporation announced today at Spring Comdex mimio(TM) boardCast(TM), a breakthrough Web content creation tool for the RealNetworks(R), Inc. RealSystem(TM) G2 platform. boardCast synchronizes handwritten ink from any mimio-equipped whiteboard with voice, and streams it over the Web to RealNetworks RealPlayer(R) 7 users.
A new class of Internet appliance, mimio instantly turns any whiteboard into a digital tool that captures handwritten, color drawings and text as real-time data for use anytime, anywhere. mimio boardCast can be seen in booth 1002 at Spring Comdex in Chicago.
"Together, mimio and boardCast offer an easy and affordable way to turn the whiteboards most teachers, trainers and professionals already use into powerful Internet presentation centers," said Greg McHale, president and CEO of Virtual Ink. "Adding voice to ink and streaming them together as a complete presentation offers a new experience for Web-based distance learning and business presentations."
With boardCast, Virtual Ink has created a new custom datatype for the RealNetworks RealSystem G2 platform. boardCast requires very little bandwidth, ensuring high quality levels even at low connection speeds. Presenters can stream boardCast media live, archive it for on-demand viewing, or both.
"Virtual Ink is bringing a brand new dimension to the RealNetworks RealSystem G2 platform with mimio boardCast," said Ben Rotholtz, general manager, System & Tools at RealNetworks, Inc. "Streaming ink with audio opens up tremendous possibilities for one-to-many presentations over the Internet. Virtual Ink's boardCast dramatically demonstrates the power and flexibility to extend RealNetworks RealSystem G2 platform for innovative solutions."
boardCast is a true Internet-age tool for corporate presentations and training, distance learning and online education, or any other setting where information must be distributed to many recipients. Because boardCast media can be streamed live or stored, it eliminates many of the time and place restrictions associated with traditional presentations.
"Information drawn on whiteboards is typically a form of tacit corporate knowledge because it is difficult to preserve or share with others," said Brian McDonough, Senior Research Analyst, Knowledge Management and Intranet Strategies, IDC. "With mimio and boardCast, Virtual Ink transfers whiteboard- based knowledge to a digital format and establishes an infrastructure for integrating it into a variety of useful applications like distance learning, conferencing and enterprise knowledge management."
"boardCast is definitely a winner," said Janna Gilbert, Administrator at The Potter's School, an online home-schooling education institution based in Connecticut. "Here at the Potter's School, we use video conferencing extensively but until now, there was no way to capture a lecture if a student missed it. boardCast gives us the capability to save live lectures complete with audio and whiteboard for them to view at a later time."
mimio boardCast and viewing tools
mimio boardCast media is created with a software plug-in for the base mimio 1.1 software. The boardCast viewer is a free, plug-in (less than 150K in size) for any RealPlayer 7 or RealPlayer 7 Plus client running on the Microsoft Windows(R) platform, and is available on the RealNetworks AutoUpdate server. Virtual Ink plans to support the viewing of boardCast media on Macintosh(R) RealPlayer within 90 days of the release of the Windows version.
System Requirements
To create content, users need mimio boardCast, a mimio capture bar, mimio software version 1.1, a PC, and a microphone input. On the server side, boardCast media can be streamed live from any Windows NT(R), Windows 2000(R) or Unix(R) RealServer(R). Archived recordings can be streamed from RealServer for Windows NT or 2000; support for streaming archived recordings on Solaris and Linux will soon be available. Virtual Ink also plans to offer future boardCast versions compatible with other streaming media formats.
Availability
boardCast is scheduled for release in June 2000, at a suggested retail price of $249. Free evaluation copies will be available at that time. The boardCast viewing plug-in automatically installs into any Windows RealPlayer 7 or RealPlayer 7 Plus viewer, and will be available on the RealNetworks auto- update server by the end of April, 2000. At that time, users will be able to view web-based demonstration samples of mimio boardCast. See mimio.com for information about the availability of the viewer plug-in and demonstrations.
About mimio
Weighing less than two and a half pounds, mimio fits in a standard briefcase or computer bag, sets up in seconds, and requires no special training. Users simply attach the 24-inch capture bar to the side or top of any existing whiteboard, plug it into a PC, and slip a common dry-erase marker into a mimio stylus jacket. mimio has an estimated street price of $499 and includes unique software that allows users to review, edit and export images directly into popular PC applications like Microsoft Office(R), eliminating time spent transcribing notes and producing handouts. Available as a free download, mimio software version 1.1 includes a direct plug-in to Microsoft NetMeeting(R), and optional handwriting recognition and USB support.
About Virtual Ink
Founded in 1997, Virtual Ink Corp. is the leader in the development of intuitive collaboration technologies for e-business; e-learning; and traditional business, education and government settings. The first in a family of collaboration tools from Virtual Ink, mimio turns any existing whiteboard into an Internet appliance that captures, manages and shares information anytime, anywhere. Virtual Ink received major funding from CMG@Ventures (the affiliated venture capital arm of CMGI), an investor in and developer of Internet companies, and IDG Ventures, an $160 million early-stage venture capital firm that invests in privately held, start-up companies in specific Information Technology (IT) markets. Privately held, Virtual Ink is based in Boston, Mass., and can be reached at 617-623-8387 or on the Web at mimio.com. The company distributes its products worldwide and has offices in Singapore and Tokyo.
boardCast, Virtual Ink, mimio, and Digital Meeting Assistant are trademarks of Virtual Ink Corporation. RealNetworks, RealSystem, RealServer and RealPlayer are trademarks or registered trademarks of RealNetworks, Inc. All other product names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.
SOURCE Virtual Ink Corporation |
