Smartboard publicity pictures

Since my attention was drawn to SMARTboard technology via TV (see my ICT-blog 16 March 2007), I looked up some pictures via Google Images and ended up with two ranges of SMARTboard pictures: the amateur pictures from the users, showing the device as is, and those from the firm itself which are used for publicity...
This is a great example of how pictures can be manipulated for the use of publicity!
Here are some official pictures:

• From the Japanese site (happy multicultural kids (which is great!) but the shadow is false. It doesn't hide the projection completely as it does in reality!)
• From the Amphitheater schools. You can find reality pictures there too, but this is a manipulated picture: all shadows are false and the picture is over saturated to make it colourful.
• Yet another nice one from a Swedish site: the position of the projector (angle) can never correlate to the projection as shown. Since it is under our eye-line, the shadow of the arm should be on the upper part of the arm, ànd should be full, not half transparent.
• Magiboards site shows a picture on which the shadow is not correct. It is never semi-transparent, but should block the picture completely! However this would show the negative side of the technique so it must be manipulated!!!
• Yet another one: see for yourself.

And these are pictures taken by amateurs, showing you the reality.

• Rio del Mar Elementary Schoolin California: is this really practical?
• Bluefield college: from the picture it's not clear if it is really a smartboard, but the file name seems to confirm it. Another disadvantage becomes clear: if the projector shines from a higher angle, students constantly get the bulb-reflection.
• Worthschool: spherized letters on your body, shadow on the screen, and your eyes being bombed by 3000 ansi-lumen of light. How long can a history teacher keep smiling?
• U46: Pair work at the smartboard: even more shadows... less overview.
• Lorainschools: Plato and his cave anno 2007?
• More boards = less shadow? ;-)
• Yet another realistic picture.
• Happy students in Germany. With shadows and the very practical Gyro-mouse and keyboard.
• Finally a movie with shadow, reflection and a lot of jumping! ;-) (Take your time for download). This is a game in Wii tradition! Makes you move!!

Although I think a device like Smartboard can have its pros, potential customers shouldn't be manipulated by unreal pictures. It also shows that the salespeople are quite conscious of the downsides of the system...