Hi, folks –

We regret to inform you that FloPrompter, one of the most innovative teleprompters for PCs on the market, is being discontinued effective immediately. With Microsoft’s transition to Windows 8 a few months away (expected Fall 2012), we have decided not to invest the significant resources necessary to migrate FloPrompter to the new Metro design.

We will continue to offer limited customer support for FloPrompter. Rather than offering responses via email within a day or so as in the past, we will be checking the FloSpace email inbox much less frequently — maybe once a month or so.

For a limited time, we will continue to offer FloPrompter for sale at a massively discounted 80% off original prices:

FloPrompter Standard

• Original price: $49.95
• New price: $9.95 — Your savings: 80%!!

FloPrompter Professional Edition

• Original price: $250
• New price: $49.95 – Your savings: 80%!!

FloPrompter Upgrade (From Standard to Professional)

• Original price: $200
• New price: $40 – Your savings: 80%!!

FloPrompter Standard – Education Edition

• Original price: $24.95
• New price: Discount no longer available

FloPrompter Professional – Education Edition

• Original price: $125
• New price: Discount no longer available

We were sorry to hear today that Hub Schlafly, the gentleman who invented the first teleprompter system in the late 1940s, has passed away. He was 91. Our condolences to Mr. Schlafly’s family. [Washington Post]

We’ve recently been getting a growing number of calls from people who are upgrading their computers from Windows XP or Vista to Microsoft’s new Windows 7. Congratulations!

So we thought we should share a few of the common questions these folks have to assist with the process.

Q: Does FloSpace FloPrompter work on Windows 7?

A: Yes, it does! Our customers report that it’s working great on both 32- and 64-bit versions of Windows 7.

Q: How do I get FloSpace FloPrompter for Windows 7?

A: Simply go to the download page on FloSpace.com and click on the “Update” button. Run the FloPrompter Installer first. Then, run the Vista Patcher app.

(Yes, we know it’s called “Vista Patcher,” but we had to create it for Vista computers first. Fortunately, the same patcher will fix the same issue on Windows 7, too.)

Q: I tried installing FloSpace FloPrompter from an old CD (or old installation file), but it’s not working. I get a strange error message. What can I do?

A: Older versions of FloPrompter didn’t support Windows 7 very well (or not at all). First, uninstall FloPrompter. Then, download the latest version from the FloSpace.com web site. Install FloPrompter first, then run the Vista Patcher app. FloPrompter v. 3.1 or later works great on Windows 7.

Q: When I install FloPrompter on my new Windows 7 computer, will I have to buy a new license or can I use my old license?

A: If you’re simply replacing your old computer, it’s no problem! Please re-enter your license key into the license request dialog, and you’re all set.

If you’re keeping the old computer while also setting up the new computer, it can be a little more complicated. Our general policy is that if you tend to use one computer for authoring the content and another for teleprompter playback, then it’s fine. Similarly, if you have one computer at work (such as a school) and a second at home, then it’s also acceptable usage. Please contact us if you have additional questions on this issue: support@flospace.com

Hopefully, this list covers the biggest questions we get on this topic. If we’ve forgotten anything or not addressed your question on migration to Microsoft Windows 7, please don’t hesitate to contact us! support@flospace.com

Many thanks to the testers who bravely gave the early FloPrompter 3.1 betas a go!

We’re glad to say that we’ve worked out all of the kinks on the new FloPrompter version 3.1. Some highlights of the new features:

• Support for Windows Vista 64-bit version!
• Support for Windows 7 in both 32- and 64-bit versions!
• Importing Microsoft Word files in their new .DOCX file format! (That’s Microsoft Word 2007′s preferred new file format.)
• FloPrompter Professional Edition: A cool new “Talent Messaging” feature. Imagine a setup with a director in a control booth and a voice talent in a separate sound booth reading from the FloPrompter Talent Window. The director can hear the voice talent speaking, but sometimes it wouldn’t be wise to send voice commands into the sound booth. Now, the director in the control booth can type a message in the FloPrompter Control Pad Window and see it appear on the bottom bar of the Talent Window. See the screen shot below.

The director has entered the text, "A little slower please..." into the Control Pad Chat Box. The message is broadcast to the Talent Window

Existing FloPrompter Customers

If you are an existing FloPrompter customer, please uninstall the old version of FloPrompter first. Then, download the latest version of FloPrompter from our web site:

www.flospace.com/downloads

Very important!

• First, run the FloPrompter installer.
• If your computer is running any version of Windows Vista or Windows 7, please also run the Vista Patcher app.

And of course, this software update is FREE to all customers. Enjoy!

Just a quick note to let you know that we updated the beta program for testing FloPrompter’s support for Microsoft Windows Vista 64-bit computers today.

Would you like to participate in this beta program? If you are interested, please contact Customer Support and we’ll send you instructions on downloading the FloPrompter 3.1 BETA installer.

There is no cost associated with participating in the beta program. The FloPrompter 3.1 beta will also give you full access to all Professional Edition features though October 31. (Please uninstall the beta software at that time.)

Here are a few of the feature highlights of the upcoming FloPrompter 3.1:

• Windows Vista 64-bit support (this has been a long time coming, so we’re thrilled!!)
• Importing Microsoft Word .DOCX documents
• A cool new “Message Talent” feature where the person in the control room can send a one-way chat message to be displayed on the Talent’s window.
• Plus a few enhancements and minor bug fixes

So if you own a Microsoft Windows Vista computer running the 64-bit version of the OS, contact us today:  support@flospace.com!

We have some good news! Today we are launching a beta program to test FloPrompter’s support for Microsoft Windows Vista 64-bit computers.

Would you like to participate in this beta program? If you are interested, please contact Customer Support and we’ll send you instructions on downloading the FloPrompter 3.1 BETA installer.

There is no cost associated with participating in the beta program. The FloPrompter 3.1 beta will also give you full access to all Professional Edition features though August 30. (Please uninstall the beta software at that time.)

Here are a few of the feature highlights of the upcoming FloPrompter 3.1:

* Windows Vista 64-bit support (this has been a long time coming, so we’re thrilled!!)
* Importing Microsoft Word .DOCX documents
* A cool new “Message Talent” feature where the person in the control room can send a one-way chat message to be displayed on the Talent’s window.
* Plus a few enhancements and minor bug fixes

So if you own a Microsoft Windows Vista computer running the 64-bit version of the OS, contact us today:  support@flospace.com!

We’re finally almost there!

It’s taken a little while, but we’re putting the finishing touches on a version of FloPrompter that will work great on 64-bit Windows Vista computers. Now we’re looking for a few hardy souls to give it a try and help us check that we’ve covered all of the bases.

What’s in it for you?

Our eternal gratitude! And for new customers, a hefty discount should you decide to make a purchase later.

What’s new?

The primary emphasis of this new version is compatibility with computers running the Windows Vista 64-bit operating system. We’re also fixing a few obscure bugs, enhancing a couple of existing features, and adding at least one interesting new feature. (More on that later…)

How do I join?

Please send use a quick note. Just verify what kind of computer you have and we’ll be good to go. Send an email to:  support@flospace.com

Thank you! We look forward to hearing from you soon if you’d like to be a beta tester!

- Anthony

P.S.

The official version number will be FloPrompter 3.1.

First, the bad news: FloPrompter cannot currently run on computers running Windows Vista 64-bit.

Now, the good news: We will be upgrading FloPrompter this summer to run on Vista 64-bit computers!

Why the problem?

FloPrompter uses technologies from several other software companies to work its teleprompting magic. We’ll spare you the techno-mumbo jumbo. So let’s just say that because one of those software companies doesn’t currently support Vista 64-bit, the entire program won’t work. It’s most unfortunate.

Support coming soon!

We’re delighted to share the news that the laggard software company just issued a new version that appears to work great on Vista 64-bit! So over the next few weeks, we’ll be updating all of the software components to the latest versions — especially that problematic one.

We are currently expecting to issue the next update to FloPrompter sometime in early to mid-July. We’ll keep you posted!

One of the hottest trends in K-12 education today is integrating media and broadcasting into curriculum benchmarks. Educators and administrators are learning techniques to broadcast lectures, school events, and student news programs live and from streaming sites like SchoolTube.

A consulting firm near Detroit called Sound Engineering specializes in technology consulting for educational institutions, offering dedicated training and media solutions big (wide area networks) and small (broadcast carts). They are doing some very cool cutting-edge work with schools throughout Michigan and Ohio. (We know because we have a lot of customers in those school districts!)

Christine A. is on staff at Sound Engineering and recently told us about the workshops they offer every summer for free to teachers and administrators in their client school districts. Here are a few highlights of some of the topics being covered this year:

• Student broadcasting/video news
• Safely sharing student broadcasts
• Techniques for improving live streaming broadcasts, such as extra lighting and additional cameras
• Learning how to use FloPrompter, “an easy to use and inexpensive teleprompter”
• Storyboarding with Kerpoof
• Exploring royalty-free audio sources and how music can enhance broadcasts
• Learning more about SchoolTube

To help add some excitement to the workshops, FloSpace is supplying five copies of FloPrompter, both Standard and Professional editions, to be given away to lucky attendees. We’re glad to support these workshops and excited to hear about all of the cool broadcasting and media activities students can engage in at schools now! Doesn’t it sound like fun?

Prospective customers often ask us if we can offer an educational discount on FloPrompter for either Standard or Professional editions. The answer is most certainly yes!

• Educational Pricing for Standard Edition: $24.95
• For Professional Edition: Please contact us for a quote.

Can I get an educational version of FloPrompter on a CD-ROM?

Yes for an additional fee of USD $5.00, but this option is only available with the P.O. and PayPal payment options. Even better – when you order a CD-ROM, we’ll include the license key as a file on the CD itself so you’ll never have to worry about losing it!

How quickly can I get a license key?

We offer an option for purchasing immediately with a credit card. Alternatively, if you would like to use a P.O., we’ll send you the license key(s) as soon as we receive your school’s P.O. (by email, fax, or postal mail).

Do you accept Purchase Orders?

Yes, purchase orders are fine.

How can I learn more?

Please send us an email (sales@flospace.com) for more information!