The What: Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America, a division of Sharp Electronics Corporation (SEC), is shipping its new PN-C Series AQUOS BOARD interactive display systems. Available as a 70-inch Class (69.5 inches diagonal) model, and for the first time at this price point, as an 80-inch Class (80 inches diagonal) model, the new PN-C series is for businesses and schools looking for value-priced interactive displays without sacrificing quality and usability.
The What Else: With the launch of the new PN-C805B and PN-C705B, Sharp introduced direct bonding technology to its AQUOS BOARD interactive display line, allowing for a highly ergonomic touch and feel. This technology creates a user experience designed to simulate the feeling of pen on paper. This is achieved by the protective glass being bonded directly to the LCD panel without any air gaps, minimizing parallax difference and allowing for smooth writing operations and clear visibility. Also, the glass screen is anti-glare and reduces light reflection and fingerprint soiling. Even in brightly lit rooms, documents and teaching materials are easy to read.
Designed for a more intuitive experience, the PN-C series brings frequently used features, such as power on/off and input switching, backlight and freeze, to the front bezel. The new backlight control button allows for energy savings during breaks, and allows users to hide their screens without removing the content, adding a layer of convenience and security for fast-paced business and learning environments. The new freeze function allows users to easily capture a freeze frame from a video to quickly enable on-screen annotation. Another new feature added to this AQUOS BOARD interactive display series is the ability to connect webcams at multiple locations, providing users with even greater flexibility when videoconferencing.
The new PN-C series is engineered to be used continuously for up to 16 hours a day, seven days a week, making it a reliable tool for the classroom or the office.
The PN-C series keeps the entire room engaged with collaboration features common in the PN-L series, including expanded touch points and simultaneous users. The expanded touch points let users share their creative input when inspiration strikes and helps create brainstorming sessions, meetings, and classroom activities that are lively and productive.
The SHARP Pen Software incorporates a menu comprising icons that provide easy access to pen settings and other useful functions. In overlay mode, users can write onscreen annotations or graphics directly onto photos, videos, Adobe PDF documents, and common Microsoft files, such as PowerPoint. Downloadable SHARP Display Connect software allows the PN-C805B/C705B interactive displays to share its onscreen content with up to 50 devices, helping facilitate lively discussions and paperless meetings in both business and educational settings.
Like the PN-C series, the new PN-C805B/PN-C705B interactive displays feature a smart eraser that allows the user to use the palm of their hand to quickly and easily erase, similarly to erasing on a blackboard or whiteboard. The auto-sensing technology automatically senses the difference between writing/drawing touch points versus using a large surface, such as the palm of one’s hand.
“The new PN-C805B and PN-C705B sacrifices little in the way of the usability features found in the PN-L series, while providing more product variety for customers with different cost needs,” said Gary Bailer, director of product management, Information Display Products at Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America. “We’re very proud to introduce a mid-point AQUOS BOARD interactive display solution that fills a need we saw within our channels and customer base.”
The Bottom Line: With more advanced features than the Sharp PN-C703B/C603D and priced 30 percent lower than the PN-L series, the PN-C805B/C705B is designed for presentations and lessons in a variety of settings including corporate and education. The new PN-C series recognizes up to 10 touch points with four-person simultaneous use, up from six touch points and two-person use with the previous PN-C series.
