Home>News Release>2009>Enhanced Security, User friendliness PLUS Vision Corp. announces C-12/M-12 Series
2009/1/5
Tokyo, Japan – xx January, 2008- PLUS Vision Corp. (headquartered in Tokyo; president: Shinichi FUKUSHIMA), the leading manufacturer*1 of creative meeting solutions is renewing its Copyboard and Captureboard™ product line. The update consists of 3 Copboards models and 2 Captureboard models. These products are to be introduced to the worldwide market in January of 2009. The updates include the enhancement of security features and improved PC connectivity as well as improvements made to the unique-in-the-industry Capture*2 function (Captureboard) .
The new M-12 and C-12 Series maintain the core features of their predecessors, the M-11 and C-11. The M-12 Series Copboards allow for the information written on the board to be either printed or saved as digital files, either to a USB memory stick or directly to a PC. The C-12 Series Captureboards let the user annotate images projected on the screen with hand-written notes and drawings, and then save both the projected image and the hand-written notes as a single digital file. In developing the new 12 Series, PLUS has focused on improvements to the user interface as well as responded to customers' requests for security features. The following features have been added:
First year shipments of the new 12 Series are expected to exceed 20,000 units worldwide (including Japan).
*1:PLUS electronic whiteboard market annual share equals 55%. (According to 2007 JBMIA statistics.)
*2:The Capture feature is unique to PLUS according to a survey PLUS conducted in October of 2008
Among these updates, the most significant is the enhanced security. These security features have been added in response to those customers who expressed a desire to keep proprietary information from being accessed when the board is used in a common room or shared space. The new security features consists of:
JPEG and PDF formats have been added to the previously supported PNG format. Now users have more options for the easy handling of image files for the purpose of printing, saving to a USB memory stick and saving to a PC.
This feature automatically adds company logos and identifiers to the printed or saved documents. Doing so helps keep meeting records organized and extends the utility of the documents.
*:The headers and footers are printed on the paper outside of the board's printable area. This means that the information taken from the board is not effected or compressed.
Both the 12 Series Copyboard and Captureboard can be selected in two widths. The standard model measures 1,300mm and the wide model measures 1,800mm. The standard width Captureboard is a new addition to the current lineup. This new size of Captureboard has been offered in response to customers' requests for the option to use such technology in smaller meeting spaces.
The physical design of the 12 Series has been updated to better suit the look of the modern office. Off-white has been used for the color scheme to achieve a softer appearance.
The 12 Series Copyboard and Captureboard have been designed to maintain a clean and organized appearance. The AC adapter can be concealed in a box underneath the printer tray and unsightly cables can be hidden in the cable covers.
Previously a firmware update, required for the ability to add new compatible printers and other improvements, needed to be installed by a service person. The update procedure for the 12 Series has be greatly improved, allowing the firmware to be updated by the user by obtaining a file from the PLUS website. This has cut the time and cost of updating the board.
Improvements have been made to the screen surface's writing/erasing performance, while maintaining the characteristics of a projection screen (Screen sheet of the C-12 Series only).
By adopting a long-life, low power-consumption LED lighting system, the overall power consumption has been decreased and the CO2 emission has been lowered to 1/6 of that of the old model which used a fluorescent lamp. Over the course of a year the CO2 emission are cut by 9.5kg.*
PC and USB memory stick compatibility encourages the use of digital files, thereby reducing paper consumption.
PLUS products comply with the RoHS requirement that restricts the use of hazardous materials such as hexavalent chrome and lead.
The Color Restriction mode allows the administrator to set the board so that it will only print in black and white, thereby preventing users from using the more expensive color inks.
About the Copyboard/Captureboard (Electronic Whiteboard) Market
The Copyboard (Electronic Whiteboard) market continues to be stable and see growth. The market is supported by the increase in new product purchases and the continuing demand for upgrades. PLUS Vision Corp. held the No.1 Japanese domestic market share in July 2007. The new 12 Series will be marketed to North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania as well as Japan thereby establishing the series as the new standard in electric whiteboards. With the addition of the 12 Series, PLUS Vision Corp. will offer three categories of electronic whiteboard: the M-12 Copyboard Series, the C-12 Captureboard Series and the thin and lightweight smaller brother CR-5.
