EFI and 3M Announce Technology Alliance for Innovative Meeting Room Solutions
Press release from the issuing company
Las Vegas, NV June 11, 2001 Electronics For Imaging, Inc. (EFI) (NASDAQ: EFII), the world leader in enabling networked printing solutions, and 3M Visual Systems Division, a leading supplier of presentation solutions for meeting rooms, training rooms and classrooms, today announced their technology alliance for developing office presentation systems. 3M will exhibit its wall display, the first product developed through this relationship, this week at the InfoComm show in Las Vegas.
The 3M Wall Display is an innovative new to the world presentation solution that includes a digital displayand an optional digital whiteboard appliance fully-integrated in one compact unit. Ideal for small to medium conference rooms, the wall display features a versatile optical system that is extended when in use and folds back into the frame when not in use, as well as an optional embedded eBeam digital whiteboard appliance. When using the eBeam system, users can plug in any laptop to capture handwritten whiteboard notes or to display presentations and other documents onto the 3M Wall Display. The eBeam technology captures meeting notes and diagrams as they are drawn on the wall display and broadcasts them over the Internet in real time. When activated in conjunction with the 3M Wall Display, the eBeam system converts the display area into a "virtual touch screen," allowing users to control the presentation, open applications, and annotate documents on the computer from the board.
"3M has once again developed the ideal solution in response to user needs, and we are proud to contribute eBeam technology to this presentation system," said Rafi Holtzman, general manager, eBeam. "Meeting participants demand a variety of tools to access, share, and distribute digital and hand-written data among local and remote team-members. The sleek form-factor and intuitive interface of the wall display provides users with a host of easy-to-use communication tools in a compact space. We look forward to working with 3M to continue to provide teams with the products they need to work more effectively."
"Conference room users need the capabilities of a digital whiteboard embedded into a total digital display solution," said Bob Richards, business manager for 3M Visual Systems. "As we investigated how to best meet these requirements, the eBeam digital whiteboard technology emerged as the clear winner. Meeting leaders can enhance teamwork between remote locations by incorporating their spreadsheets, presentations, or other documents into one shared space and by using the eBeam system to annotate those materials, as well. Now, people who are unable to physically attend a meeting can experience it as close to real-time as possible from their own work sites."