Just in time for the 2017 holiday season, comes a new electronic writing tool – Blackboard by Boogie Board which uses a concept of ‘Liquid Crystal Paper’.
Like every Boogie Board before it, Blackboard writes and erases electronically using no ink or paper. But the new Blackboard adds a number of new innovations and especially in its size which is now in its 8.5″ x 11″ US ‘Letter’-sized, semi-transparent writing surface that allows writers to electronically write on any document, photo, map, or even digital screens – and designed for collaborative editing, designing floor plans, tracing, planning, and writing over templates. Several templates are included with Blackboard, including lines, grids and more.
The Clear button erases the entire writing surface, but now for the first time ever, Blackboard offers precise control for what is claimed to be a “pencil-like” erasing experience using exact-erase technology, allowing writers to erase just their mistakes while leaving their remaining work intact. For work that needs to be saved, the free Blackboard mobile app allows writers to capture, save, organize, search and share.
Hunter Morris, Blackboard’s Director of Product Design said:
“With Blackboard, we’ve arrived at an incredible cross-section where high technology allows us to create a back-to-basics experience that somehow feels revolutionary and familiar at the same time. Quite ironically, we’ve developed a breakthrough tech product that resides so naturally in the stationery aisle. It’s inkless pen on paperless paper – without the inconvenience of chargers, plugs or ports”.
Included with Blackboard by Boogie Board:
- Blackboard Liquid Crystal Paper 8.5″ x 11″ writing surface
- Blackboard Inkless Pen with eraser
- Four templates: Lines, Dot Grid, 7-Day Planner and Blank Black
- Replaceable 5-year button-cell battery (installed) • Free Blackboard mobile app
Blackboard will be available online or at major retailers including Staples, Office Max, Office Depot, Barnes and Noble, and Fred Meyer in fall 2017 with a $44.99 MSRP.
Analyst Comment
At $45, this looks like a ‘no brainer’, especially as images can be saved to an app. It is, of course, based on the cholesteric LCD technology that it has been developing steadily for many years. The company says that it has made and sold ‘millions’ of its original Boogie boards. However, I did have a look at buying a Boogie board in the UK and over half of the reviews online are 1 star on Amazon, with many complaints of faults and flimsy manufacture. It’s clearly hard to make something rugged at $45, but the build quality does need to be up to the job. (BR)
