Presentation Technology

December 2000

2000 Standing Ovation Awards <div align="center"> See winners in these categories:
Projection & Display Tools
Delivery Tools
Software
Imaging Products

December is a good month for gifts.

It's also a fine month for looking back and acknowledging the notable achievements of the year. Put them together and you've got the annual Presentations magazine's Standing Ovation Awards, which represent our selections of the best presentation products of 2000. The winners in each category didn't just wake up this month and find a present under their tree, though -- they earned their well-deserved recognition by working hard all year long to develop and market the finest products available in their fields. Congratulations to all the winners: Your commitment to excellence is a gift worth sharing.

Projection & Display Tools

Ultraportable projector, less than 6 pounds

In Focus LP335
Besides being one of the smallest, lightest projectors on the market, the In Focus LP335 is also one of the best-designed, easiest-to-operate projectors. Weighing a scant 4.8 pounds, the LP335 is lighter than many laptop computers, and it's no slouch in the brightness department either, producing 931 ANSI lumens in our lab. Another advantage is that you can actually buy one: It's one of the only sub-5-pounders that's actually shipping.
Price: $5,999.
Contact: In Focus Systems Inc., 800.294.6400, www.infocus.com.

Portable projector, 6 to 10 pounds

Mitsubishi X70
If crisp, color-perfect pictures and exquisite video are what you crave, the Mitsubishi X70 delivers it all in a compact, 7-pound package. Mitsubishi's proprietary ColorView technology expands the usual LCD color spectrum to create truer colors, and a built-in line doubler makes sharp, vivid video. Other projectors weigh more, but few perform better.
Price: $6,995.
Contact: Mitsubishi Presentation Products, 888.307.0312, www.mitsubishi-presentations.com.

Conference/classroom projector,10 to 20 pounds

Epson PowerLite 8100i
Epson debuted a series of high-end portable/installation projectors this year, the best of which is the PowerLite 8100i. For installation purposes, these projectors are stackable, but they are also light enough --18.3 pounds each -- to be moved around if necessary. A brightness rating of more than 3,000 ANSI lumens also makes the model one of the most powerful in its class.
Price: 15,999.
Contact: Epson America Inc., 800.463.7766, www.epson.com.

Digital-cinema projector

Christie DigiPro
Christie is the first company to OEM Texas Instruments' DLP Cinema light engine, which is destined to revolutionize the movie industry in the next few years. Delivering a blistering 13,000 ANSI lumens and an amazing 1,000-to-1 contrast ratio, this projector delivers an image so crisp, clean and bright that there simply isn't anything to compare it with.
Price: TBA.
Contact: Christie Digital Systems Inc., 800.265.2171, www.christiedigital.com.

Fixed installation projector, more than 25 pounds

Sharp XG-V10WU
Much more than a big, bright projector, the Sharp XG-V10WU was designed with installation in mind. Besides packing 4,700 ANSI lumens at SXGA (1,280 x 1,024) resolution, it comes with software that automatically detects system errors and alerts operators by e-mail. As many as 250 of these projectors can be daisy-chained, making the XG-V10WU ideal for multiple-projector situations or videowalls. In short, Sharp has built a projector that offers a superior combination of brightness, flexibility and image quality.
Price: $33,995.
Contact: Sharp Electronics Inc., 888.467.4277, www.sharp-usa.com.

Presentation monitor, CRT

Mitsubishi MegaView Pro 37
For multiple-person viewing of all kinds of presentations, particularly high-resolution CAD/CAM/CAE drawings or high-resolution scientific applications, the MegaView Pro 37 stands out. A flat CRT with SXGA (1,280 x 1,024) resolution, the MegaView Pro 37 is compatible with almost all video and graphics standards around the world, as well as Macintosh and Windows-based computers and most UNIX workstations.
Price: $9,999.
Contact: Mitsubishi Presentation Products, 888.307.0312, www.mitsubishi-presentations.com.

Large-venue projector

NEC MultiSync XT5000 Nighthawk
NEC's XT5000 Nighthawk is ideal for large-venue business installations, expecially if space is a consideration. At only 95 pounds, the Nighthawk weighs one-third of what many other projectors in its class weigh. Its DMD-DLP engine cranks out more than 4,000 ANSI lumens of brightness and is built for large-screen video and computer presentations.
Price: $54,995
Contact: NEC Technologies Inc., 877.632.33348, www.nectech.com.

Presentation monitor, LCD

NEC MultiSync LCD2010X
NEC-Mitsubishi's MultiSync LCD2010X is a beautiful thing to behold. A 20.1-inch flat-panel display with SXGA (1,280 x 1,024) resolution, the LCD2010X accepts digital and analog inputs and is compatible with both Windows-based and Macintosh computers. For presentations, it also features XtraView wide-viewing-angle technology, which gives it a 170-degree viewing angle whether you display it vertically or horizontally.
Price: $4,199.
Contact: NEC-Mitsubishi Electronics of America Inc., 888.632.6187, www.necmitsubishi.com.

Overhead projector

Kodak Ektalite H40
Kodak's Ektalite H40 continues to be at the head of its class. Besides providing nearly 6,000 ANSI lumens of brightness, the Ektalite H40 folds to become a portable package that weighs less than 9 pounds, so you can literally take it anywhere.
Price: $650.
Contact: Eastman Kodak Co., 800.242.2424, www.kodak.com.

Gas plasma display

Hitachi CMP4120HDU
Hitachi's new 42-inch plasma noses past the competition by providing superior XGA (1,024 x 768) resolution and excellent contrast -- 188-to-1 in our lab. The combination yields one of the sharpest, most beautiful pictures available in plasma.
Price: $15,995.
Contact: Hitachi America Ltd., 800.225.1741, www.hitachi.com.

Slide projector

Navitar 750AF
For the absolute brightest images from a slide projector, Navitar's high-intensity Xenon series is the best in the business, and the 750AF is the best in the series. Built for those who need ultrahigh-resolution imaging in a large-venue environment, the 750AF produces 5,400 lux of brightness fueled by a quartz-xenon, high-pressure arc lamp. Other models in the series are built for smaller venues, such as auditoriums and conference rooms.
Price: $8,450.
Contact: Navitar Inc., 800.828.6778, www.navitar.com.

Rear-projection display

Sony KLX9200U
Sony's KLX9200U rear-projection display is so compact and space-efficient that you might mistake it for a large-screen television -- except that its XGA (1.024 x 768) resolution images are a lot clearer. The three-panel LCD projection in this baby has a short-throw lens, so the cabinet is only 24 inches deep. If image clarity is a must but space is an issue, this is the unit for you.
Price: $9,995.
Contact: Sony Electronics Inc., 800.352.7669, www.sel.sony.com.

Delivery Tools

Notebook computer, full-size

IBM ThinkPad T21 57U
The ThinkPad T21 57U strikes the best balance between power, features and weight. It features an 32GB hard disk, 850MHz Mobile Pentium III processor and a 13.8-inch LCD display screen, but weighs only 5.5 pounds and is less than 1.5 inches thick, so you won't break your back carrying it through the airport.
Price: $4,299.
Contact: IBM Corp., 888.746.7426, www.ibm.com.

Presentation remote

Interlink Electronics RemotePoint RF
This handy little remote lets you control presentations from as far away as 100 feet and allows continuous 360-degree control. Use the mouse and laser functions without installing any software or use the presentation-effects software to zoom in, hide and reveal slides, and launch programs.
Price: $249.
Contact: Interlink Electronics Inc., 800.340.1331, www.interlinkelectronics.com.

Notebook computer, ultraportable

Compaq Armada M300
Weighing only 3.4 pounds and boasting a 12GB hard drive, this is one sweet -- and light -- notebook. Although it doesn't come with much bundled software, an optional docking drive can boost your productivity with a floppy disk, CD-ROM or DVD-ROM, SuperDisk LS-120 and additional hard drives. Even without the docking drive, you can definitely get by with the standard 12GB hard disk, V.90 modem, Ethernet adapter, USB port and PC Card slot.
Prices: $2,399; optional docking drive with CD-ROM, $349; optional docking drive with DVD-ROM, $499.
Contact: Compaq Computer Corp., 800.888.0220, www.compaq.com.

Computer-peripheral whiteboard

Virtual Ink mimio
For both budget-conscious organizations and presenters on the go, Virtual Ink's mimio has been a godsend. The mimio turns any regular whiteboard into a computer-peripheral board by attaching itself via suction cups and creating an electronic field that a computer can recognize. It's a lightweight, cost-effective alternative in an industry that doesn't provide all that many options.
Price: $499.
Contact: Virtual Ink Corp., 877.696.4646, www.mimio.com.

Computer-interactive whiteboard

SMART Board 3000i
When it comes to whiteboards, the SMART Board 3000i is an impressive roll-about that can handle many meeting demands. Videoconferencing, graphics, video, presentations and brainstorming can all be accommodated on this 67-inch rear-projection unit. Windows- and Macintosh-compatible, it holds all equipment snugly in a bottom cabinet, plus a laptop port and wireless keyboard. A sleek addition to any conference room.
Price: $19,999.
Contact: SMART Technologies, 888.427.6278, www.smarttech.com.

Videoconferencing system

Sony Contact323
This set-top, plug-and-play videoconferencing system allows videoconferencing across LAN/WAN and TCP/IP environments. The system contains such built-in features as a microphone and inverse multiplexer -- in short, everything you need to make that long-distance meeting happen. The
Contact323 captures images at 30 frames per second and at speeds as high as 768 kbps, letting you conference with confidence. A dockable TrakCam camera is included.
Price: $5,995.
Contact: Sony Electronics, 800.686.7669, www.sel.sony.com.

Web-casting system

MShow
The M stands for multimedia, and the company isn't kidding. If you want to broadcast over the Web, chances are that MShow will do the job for you. The increasingly popular MShow system supports any media type that a browser will support, including high-end graphics, Flash, DHTML, streaming media, iPIX, Lotus Screen Cam, Macromedia Dreamweaver and prerecorded audio and video. MShow software uses standard HTTP to communicate with the server, so anyone can lead or participate in a presentation, even from behind a firewall. Shows can be archived and viewed on demand, and you can listen to presentations on your computer's speakers or, if your computer isn't equipped with a sound card, on your telephone.
Price: Depends on user needs.
Contact: MShow.com, 888.996.7469, www.mshow.com.

Document camera, best budget buy

Samsung SVP-6000
The price-for-performance champion of document cameras, this unit connects easily to both televisions and monitors (unlike some other cameras) and the display is as crisp and clear as they come, especially for the price. The unit includes a scrolling function and its remote control has adjustments for setting the focus, volume and brightness.
Price: $5,750.
Contact: Samsung Opto-Electronics America Inc., 800.762.7746, www.simplyamazing.com.

Document camera, high-end professional

WolfVision VZ-57
WolfVision's top-of-the-line document camera uses "progressive scan" technology to produce a data signal with more resolution than a standard PAL/NTSC video can provide. Images can be output in SVGA, XGA or SXGA mode as RGBHV signals and in 100-percent digital format on a DVI output. Progressive-scan CCDs can pick up 25 pictures per second, resulting in motion almost as good as that from a video camera.
Price: $23,850.
Contact: WolfVision Inc., 800.356.9653, www.wolfvision.com.

Software

Presentation graphics

Astound Presentation 7.0
One of the nice features of Astound Presentation 7.0 is its flexibility. Not only is it possible to create a presentation with the program, but you can also import PowerPoint slides to add extra zip to a presentation. With its 3D text, exit animation and other multimedia features, it's a sure way to make a presentation shine.
Prices: $395; upgrade, $198.
Contact: Astound Inc., 800.835.5889, www.astound.com.

Publication design

Adobe InDesign 1.5
With the latest release of InDesign 1.5, Adobe not only fixed some of the issues from its initial version, but added text-on-a-path, automatic trapping, print styles and vertical justification. Consider the software's already impressive typography, multiple levels of undo and a familiar interface, and this program remains our contender for desktop publishing.
Prices: $699; upgrade $99.
Contact: Adobe Systems Inc., 800.833.6687, www.adobe.com.

Image editing, professional

Adobe Photoshop 6.0
With Version 6.0, Adobe worked to make the program more user- and Web-friendly and, for the most part, succeeded. Improvements include context-sensitive tool options right below the menu bar for less digging around, step-by-step color management menus and a new palette well. Add into that better integration with ImageReady and more Web features, and it's the obvious king of the hill.
Prices: $609; upgrade, $199.
Contact: Adobe Systems Inc., 800.492.3623, www.adobe.com.

Image editing, best budget buy

ArcSoft PhotoStudio 2000
For those who need an easy-to-use editing program that's well within the budget, ArcSoft's PhotoStudio 2000 is the ticket. Laid out with simple, easy-to-find commands and impressive features, any novice can look like a pro. You can import photos from digital cameras, add layers, organize images, do one-click fixes for common imaging problems and use the many levels of undo for the occasional "oops." It's hard not to be impressed.
Price: $40.
Contact: ArcSoft, 510.440.9901, www.arcsoft.com.

PowerPoint plug-in

ZUMA Digital ActiveDVD
The plug-in market has blossomed nicely this year, offering more graphics, animation and even chart options, but it's hard to discount the lure of DVD. With ActiveDVD, presenters can work full-screen, full-motion DVD content into their Microsoft PowerPoint slides. All you need is a computer and a DVD player. The plug-in does the rest.
Price: $395, depending on customization.
Contact: ZUMA Digital, 212.741.9100, www.zumadigital.com.

Desktop video, best budget buy

Apple iMovie2
With the introduction of iMovie, those who had never fiddled with video more than recording it on their home camcorders began to truly believe that they, too, could edit video. iMovie2 provides effects, transitions, insert editing and video and audio clip locking. It's a Macintosh-only program, but it's still the easiest way to create professional-looking video with little effort.
Prices: Free with Apple computers; download, $49.
Contact: Apple Computer Inc., 800.692.7753, www.apple.com.

Multimedia authoring, professional

Macromedia Director 8 Shockwave Studio
Although Director 8 Shockwave Studio is enormous, the company has put a lot of stock into adding online-learning guides and making this version of the software easier to use. Take into account its new lingo behaviors, grouped tab palettes, better compression techniques and the easy-to-use Shockwave function, and the program is the top dog for creating multimedia-rich presentations.
Price: $999; upgrade, $399 or $499.
Contact: Macromedia, 800.470.7211, www.macromedia.com.

Multimedia authoring, best budget buy

ScanSoft Kai's Power Show
Designed for people who would rather not spend months honing their multimedia-authoring skills, Kai's Power Show walks you through assembling a presentation by using five easy-to-understand steps. With options to add in PowerPoint slides, text animation, audio, movie clips and more, it makes creating multimedia painless.
Price: $20.
Contact: ScanSoft Inc., 978.977.2000, www.scansoft.com.

Web graphics

Macromedia Flash 5
Its ability to create Web animations that are small in file size yet big on impact has made this software popular among multimedia and Web designers alike. And since its learning curve is still less than that of a full-blown multimedia-authoring program, don't be surprised to see more Flash presentations popping up not only on the Web but in the boardroom as well.
Prices: $399; upgrade $199.
Contact: Macromedia, 800.470.7211, www.macromedia.com.

Web design, professional

Adobe GoLive 5.0
With its latest version of GoLive, Adobe has made tweaks to give the software cleaner HTML tables, an updated QuickTime editor and support of SWF files for adding Flash to a Web site. The changes make it our best choice for high-end Web-site design.
Prices: $284; upgrade, $75.
Contact: Adobe Systems Inc., 800.833.6687, www.adobe.com.

Web design, best budget buy

Microsoft FrontPage 2000
With this upgrade, Microsoft has put a lot of work into FrontPage 2000 and the result is a solid Web product without a lot of hassle. This program offers wizards, templates, automatic link verification and organization of imported images for novices. The software also offers some support of such high-end features as DHTML. With interest in Web slides and nonlinear presentations growing, FrontPage is a surprisingly good choice.
Prices: $149; upgrade, $60.
Contact: Microsoft Corp., 800.426.9400, www.microsoft.com.

Imaging Products

Desktop computer

Silicon Graphics Zx10 visual workstation
The extreme performance demands of nonlinear editing, composing and effects applications require a demanding system. The Silicon Graphics Zx10 is a powerhouse computer that serves users as a reliably fast, efficient and impressive workstation. The system starts out with an 866MHz processor with 256MB of RAM and an 18GB hard drive but can be configured up to 1GHz with 6GB of RAM and 36GB of disk space. Any questions?
Prices: Zx10, $5,135; Zx10 VE, $11,945.
Contact: SGI, 650.960.1980, www.sgi.com.

Color laser printer

HP Color LaserJet 8550MFP
Monster paper handling is what sets Hewlett-Packard's HP LaserJet 8550MFP apart from the masses. While supporting 11 x 17-inch pages and as many as four paper trays (3,100 pages total), it prints six pages per minute (ppm) in color and 24 ppm in black. This, along with automatic duplexing, direct PDF printing and full-color copier mode, lets this printer pack a good punch.
Price: $4,499 to $11,269, depending on model.
Contact: Hewlett-Packard Co., 800.752.0900, www.hp.com.

Professional scanner

UMAX PowerLook 2100XL
With an 18 x 24-inch footprint, the PowerLook 2100XL is a 46-pound scanner to seriously consider if you regularly scan a large load of high-quality images. The model's High 3.4Dmax feature helps nab details normally shadowed-out when scanning 35mm slides. With UMAX's "mirror moving technology," the CCD stays put while mirrors project the scanned images, so scans with this machine are simply superb.
Prices: $1,499 to $2,699, depending on configuration and software bundle.
Contact: UMAX Technologies Inc., 800.562.0311, www.umax.com.

Color inkjet printer

Epson Stylus Photo 2000P
Pushing its Stylus line up yet another notch, Epson's Photo 2000P inkjet reproduces photos for the image-archiving enthusiast. It can print an 8 x 10-inch photo at a 1,440 x 720 dpi resolution on premium glossy paper in slightly more than six minutes and supports panoramic 13 x 44-inch prints. The 2000P is friendly with both Macintosh and Windows-based computers and can be networked.
Price: $899.
Contact: Epson America Inc., 800.463.7766, www.epson.com.

Consumer scanner

Epson Perfection 1240U Photo
For a presenter who needs a scanner that doesn't require making a down payment, Epson's newest Perfection 1240U Photo is an impressive and reasonably priced unit. It weighs just over 6 pounds and can read a maximum 8.5 x 11.7-inch document. You can also scan 35mm film, slides and transparencies with the included 4 x 5-inch transparency unit.
Price: $299.
Contact: Epson America Inc., 800.463.7766, www.epson.com.

Digital camcorder

Panasonic PV-DV600
The Panasonic PV-DV600's still images may not have the best resolution in the world, but the camera's ease-of-use, flash feature and powerful zooming make it our top choice in the 2000 class of camcorders. Its 18X optical-zoom and 18X to 300X digital-zoom settings can produce tight, quality shots. A healthy handful of special effect options, such as mirror, strobe and slim round out this camera's impressive feature set.
Price: $1,299.
Contact: Panasonic Corp., 800.211.7262, www.panasonic.com.

Desktop video system

Discreet Smoke
Only for the most serious in-house video production users (who have equally serious financial backing), Smoke is the Cadillac package for nonlinear, uncompressed editing. This open, expandable system can support all HDTV formats, is networkable and makes the saying "what you see is what you get" a video-production reality. You might even get a little more than what you see.
Price: $200,000 in its standard configuration.
Contact: Discreet, 800.869.3504, www2.discreet.com.

CD-RW drive

Hewlett-Packard CD-Writer 9600se
So many CD-RW drives are out there that picking a favorite wasn't easy, but Hewlett-Packard's CD-Writer 9600se nudged up to number one. Although it's only available for the Windows platform and is solely SCSI-based, its fast 12X write speed and 32X reading speed make it a delight to use. Also, it's packaged with a huge software bundle and has commendable support. An internal version sells for $349.
Price: $399.
Contact: Hewlett-Packard Co., 800.752.0900, www.hp.com.

Digital camera

Nikon Coolpix 990
Not only does it look cool, but with its 3.34-megapixel CCD, the Coolpix 990 gives you nearly everything you can have in a digital camera today. The camera's 3X zoom lens gets you into the 38mm to 115mm range, and if you want to use a different lens, you can. The camera can record minimovie motion-JPEGs of 40 seconds, as well as ultrahigh-resolution still-image TIFFs. It's also got more extra features than you'll ever use.
Price: $999.
Contact: Nikon Inc., 800.526.4566, www.nikonusa.com.