SMART Notebook 11 Review, part two

As promised in my last post, here is a brief word on some of the minor changes sound in SMART Notebook 11.  For a discussion of the major changes, go back and read my last post.

Before mentioning these changes, let me comment on one other issue that may crop up as you begin to use the SMART software with your Windows 7 computer.  I have found that using the SMARTBoard often triggers the Windows 7 software that is intended for use when Windows 7 is installed in a touch screen capable computer.  That is to say, on onscreen keyboard appears and can become quite an annoyance.  If you’ve seen this keyboard, find it as annoying as I do, and want to get rid of it, let your

friendly ITRT know and we can get rid of it forever.  

Now, on to the minor changes in the new Notebook software.

On the menu bar, you’ll find a couple of new options under “insert”.  One is an Internet browser—you can now browse the Internet without leaving SMART Notebook.  If you are used to the toolbars on Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, etc. you may not want to use the SMART Browser.  But, I think it is worth the adjustment to be able to click on the next Notebook page and have a website instantly appear with all of its functionality.  It took me a minute to figure out how to close the browser, but the thought is that you won’t close it, you’ll just go on to the next Notebook page.

By clicking on the “pen” tool, a drop down menu appears which now offers a crayon—I’m sure some of the elementary students will enjoy coloring or drawing with—probably some of the older students too if they are given that chance. 

SMART tells us that the “fill” tools have become easier to use and will now fill any closed object.  I’ll admit that I’ve sometimes had a problem with the fill tool in the past, I can’t honestly say that all those problems have been corrected—I still had a hard time getting it to fill some of the objects I tried to use it with.

Other minor changes:

·         Grouping objects can now be done with fewer clicks.

·         You can now select any object to become the pattern in a “creative pen” –which could come in handy, but is certainly not anything critical.

·         Formatting tables and the fonts within table has been made easier. 

A couple of final notes:  First, you’ll be glad to learn that all of these new features are explained in a notebook file which opens when upon your initial use of Notebook 11.  After that it can be accessed from help menu.  Finally, the non-notebook tools have changed,   “Smart Aware” has become “Smart Ink”.  Perhaps I’ll review that in some future post.

Speaking for all the ITRTs, just let us know if you still have Notebook 10 and you’d like us to come around and install Notebook  11 for you—or download and install it yourself by clicking here.  Also, let us know if you’d like some help becoming familiar with any of its features.

I intend to do one final post on Notebook 11—a post in which I discuss the new gallery, and the 3D objects.  See you then.