SMART launches optical whiteboard capture system Hawkeye is first whiteboard appliance to combine digital cameras and an embedded computer

Chicago, IL --- June 12, 2000 --- SMART Technologies Inc. introduces Hawkeye, an optical whiteboard capture system that saves and distributes whiteboard notes reliably and effortlessly. Permanently installed in a room and with a simple appliance interface, Hawkeye is the only complete digital whiteboard capture system available today. Consisting of three cameras on a boom and a control unit with an embedded processor and software, Hawkeye can be installed over any whiteboard surface. Having Hawkeye in the meeting room ensures an accurate record of meeting notes with no set-up time, no need for a separate computer and no changes to work behavior. Hawkeye is the first and only optical whiteboard capture system that combines digital cameras with an embedded processor. When the user presses the capture button on the control unit, Hawkeye takes a snapshot of notes written with regular dry-erase markers on a whiteboard as large as four feet high by eight feet wide. The embedded processor saves these notes as full-color, digitally enhanced JPEG files, available for instant viewing from a Web browser. "Hawkeye is a new way of saving and distributing meeting notes," says Nancy Knowlton, president and COO of SMART Technologies. "With a focus on ease of use and 100 percent reliability, Hawkeye is the ultimate tool for people who need to focus on the meeting result rather than making technology work." Alternate Hawkeye Configurations Hawkeye CAM - For meeting rooms that already have a dedicated PC, Hawkeye CAM connects to any Windows(R) computer and uses the same Hawkeye fixed-camera boom to capture whiteboard notes. Hawkeye Software is included with Hawkeye CAM.

Hawkeye Software - As an inexpensive portable option, the software is available separately. Hawkeye Software turns even dull, hard-to-read whiteboard pictures taken with a digital camera into crisp, clear images.

Pricing and Availability

Hawkeye is priced at a US list of $1,999. Units will ship in August 2000. Hawkeye comes with a standard one-year warranty and can be purchased through authorized SMART dealers and distributors. Hawkeye CAM is priced at a US list of $799. Hawkeye Software is priced at a US list of $99. For more information, phone SMART at 1.888.42.SMART or visit www.smarttech.com/hawkeye. About SMART SMART Technologies Inc. is both the industry pioneer and market leader in versatile, easy-to-use Roomware(tm) tools. SMART Roomware includes the award-winning SMART Board(tm), Rear Projection SMART Board(tm) and SMART Matisse(tm) (interactive whiteboards), Hawkeye (optical whiteboard capture system), SynchronEyes(tm) (computer-lab instruction software) and SMART Expression(tm) (mobile multimedia cabinet). Using SMART's Roomware solutions, groups are able to access and share the information they need to meet, teach, train and present. SMART customers include Texas Instruments, BMW, Fujitsu, DaimlerChrysler, Boeing, Ford, Lucent Technologies, NTT, Novartis, U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Andersen Consulting, British Telecom, Disney Imagineering and NASA. In 1992 SMART formed a strategic alliance with U.S. computer giant Intel Corporation. This alliance resulted in joint product development, joint marketing efforts and Intel's equity ownership in SMART. Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, SMART is a private company employing over 250 people. SMART products are sold through dealers across North America and through distributors worldwide. Visit www.smarttech.com for more information.