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Blackboard bonanza

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A range of new blackboards from Panasonic has us wondering just who the target market is, as the devices have a strong emphasis on forcing viewers to either write stuff down on paper (err…) or ask for a password.

If that sounds odd, it’s because it is — like many blackboards, these have their own electronics that can offload the display as computer data. However, the new UB-series models (which start at 182,700 yen) insist that anything dumped overboard is password protected.

In other words, they’re for places where whoever is using such a board can’t be sure who’s actually in the room. So, who has data so sensitive they might need a board like this but can’t be bothered to check who’s in the room? We have no idea either. (J Mark Lytle/Metropolis)

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9 Comments
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Err, you mean "whiteboards"? Gotta love outdated English-Japanese dictionaries based on 1970s terminology. I'll take one for my secret bunker, Cap'n!

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So, who has data so sensitive they might need a board like this but can’t be bothered to check who’s in the room? We have no idea either.

Its not so much being worried who is in the room at that moment, but who might enter the room afterwards. They should get better people (that might have some idea) to review products.

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If this whiteboard were to be used on the Queen Mary 2, and it got accidentally dumped overboard, all you have to do is input your password and your data will pop back up. This scenario assumes you act quickly enough so that a corporate spy from the briny deep (shark or squid) doesn't see the information first.

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What sort of lazy-a** person can't copy down what's on a blackboard (whiteboard, yes!?).

They're very handy for meetings - means that everybody gets the same version of the structures/notes on there. We have one in our office - think the exec use it quite a lot.

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Commercial information can be worth a lot and this kind of whiteboard can compromise confidential information very easily. In the old days, others were responsible for taking notes and then you just wiped it clean. Then the print-out versions would make copies. Now that the information can be downloaded and shared more easily, security issues become more obvious. Interestingly, many companies pay little attention to security of information - they just hope that their employees will protect it adequately.

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If you want the information that is on the blackboard uploaded to your own computer, you need to enter in a password.

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dumped overboard

Does this mean 'erased'? or 'saved'?

In other words, they’re for places where whoever is using such a board can’t be sure who’s actually in the room. So, who has data so sensitive they might need a board like this but can’t be bothered to check who’s in the room?

Or perhaps its for people who have super sensitive data that they want to erase and make sure the next group of people in the room won't be able to see or otherwise access. Just a thought.

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What? This makes no sense.

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What sort of lazy-a** person can't copy down what's on a blackboard (whiteboard, yes!?). Sounds like another way to help the lazy stay feeble-minded.

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