CALGARY, Alberta, March 15, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SMART Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq:SMT) (TSX:SMA), a leading provider of collaboration solutions, announces that it has become a Global Technology Partner in the Microsoft Technology Center (MTC) Alliances Program, an initiative that includes industry leaders in hardware, software and services. SMART joins just 10 other industry leaders in achieving this recognition from Microsoft. The company has been a member of the MTC Alliance program since 2010 with products installed in 18 MTCs. By the end of 2012, SMART's products will be installed in all 11 U.S. centers and 16 international centers. Microsoft actively uses these products in their client engagements. With SMART products in these MTCs, thousands of Microsoft business customers can learn about and experience the benefits of SMART business solutions.
MTCs provide business customers with access to innovative technology products and industry expertise and offer strategy briefings, architecture design sessions and proof-of-concept workshops to help them determine which solutions will best meet their needs. Other MTC Global Technology Partners include Fortune 500 companies such as Intel®, Dell™ and HP. Each center has installed a variety of SMART products to meet its needs, including a selection of SMART Board® interactive whiteboards, SMART Board interactive displays, SMART Podium™ interactive pen displays, SMART Meeting Pro™ software and Bridgit® conferencing software. For more information on SMART and MTC Global Technology Partners, visit Microsoft.com/MTCAlliances.
"We are delighted to have SMART Technologies become a Global Technology Partner to our MTCs worldwide," says Chuck McCann, Director, Worldwide MTC Alliance Program. "SMART products have enabled us to eliminate the need for extensive travel due to enhanced in-room and remote collaboration when delivering customer engagements that span multiple MTCs, thereby increasing the effectiveness of our offerings. A positive reception from both customers and staff has prompted us to work with SMART to expand their presence within the MTC program."
"By naming SMART an MTC Global Technology Partner, Microsoft is recognizing that together, SMART and Microsoft are bringing superior collaboration solutions to business customers," says Linda Thomas, Vice President, Products, SMART Technologies. "As SMART products continue to be added to MTCs worldwide, more Microsoft customers have the opportunity to experience how SMART's industry-leading products can reduce costs and enhance collaboration and productivity."
About Microsoft Technology Centers
Microsoft Technology Centers offer an integrated enterprise approach that bridges the gap between personal productivity and business process automation software, which enables IT environments to better support evolving business requirements. Microsoft has MTC facilities in major cities around the world, including Chicago, New York, Boston, Paris, Moscow and Tokyo. Some 50,000 people worldwide visit the centers annually. Additional information on Microsoft Technology Centers can be found at microsoft.com/mtc.
About SMART
SMART Technologies Inc. is a leading provider of collaboration solutions that transform the way the world works and learns. We believe that collaboration and interaction should be easy. As the global leader in interactive whiteboards, we bring more than two decades of collaboration research and development to a broad range of easy-to-use, integrated solutions that free people from their desks and computer screens, so collaborating and learning with digital resources are more natural.
The SMART Technologies logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=7573
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© 2012 SMART Technologies. SMART Board, SMART Podium, SMART Meeting Pro, Bridgit, the SMART logo and smarttech are trademarks or registered trademarks of SMART Technologies in the U.S. and/or other countries. Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other third-party product and company names are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Please note that SMART is written in all capital letters.