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Hardware Technology

Wireless Control for Presentations? 51

Posted by Cliff from the ditch-the-slides-for-your-laptop dept.
Bifurcati asks: "I recently bought a Bluetooth enabled Powerbook G4 laptop, which comes with a trackpad. I often give Powerpoint presentations, so I'm interested in getting a wireless controller, to flip back and forward through slides without touching the laptop. Google turns up many options, e.g., Honeywell's, Beamplus and this doohickey. Another option is a combined mouse-controller, throwing an external mouse into the bargain. There are wireless mice (e.g., Logitech's) which need a USB plug-in, but are short range. Or there are Bluetooth mice, like the X-Wing, which are neat and have a 10m range, but seem to be a pain with battery life/charging. Another option is Logitech's Bluetooth Presenter, which is a mouse, PP controller and laserpointer in one (but costs $200!). So many choices! So I'm turning to good old Slashdot. All of you presenters out there, do have favourite remote control devices? What are your experiences with using them? What type of connectivity is the best (wireless, Bluetooth, something else?!) And what about devices that double as an external mouse, or even as a controller for movies, iTunes, etc?"
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Wireless Control for Presentations? More

Wireless Control for Presentations?

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  • I once saw someone give a presentation with a gyromouse. I checked out their prices, approximately $150 for some models. Kind of pricey, and probably not needed, unless you need to have cursor interaction with your slides. They are so cool though.
    • We've got one of these at work. Totally cool. Great for using in games as well. They cost about ~ $150 or so. [cdw.com] web site [gyration.com]
      • Close, but no cigar.

        We use the Gyration GyroRemote [cdw.com], which works quite well on the Trade Show floor. They use commodity AAA alkaline batteries, so you don't have to worry about keeping them charged.

        --Mike--

    • I have one of these. I think it cost me $80 or so for the mouse alone, without keyboard. It has excellent radio range. The regular optical sensor is good, and the gyroscopic sensor is excellent. It's very precise. I find it a little twitchy for air use on the desktop, since I have the sensitivity a little high, but it kills in FPS games (and by "kills", I mean it lets me do so. It does not kill me). It's a very natural control method.

      Looking at their products page, I must have the Ultra GT Cordless

  • Use your bluetooth phone or pda as a remote (Score:5, Informative)

    by phildog ( 650210 ) on Wednesday June 16, 2004 @08:29AM (#9440554) Homepage
    Salling Clicker [mac.com] might do the trick.

    Disclaimer: I've never tried this software as I don't have a mac.

    What, you bought that shiny G4 and don't have $ left over for a BT phone/pda? Cry elsewhere you insensitive clod :-)

    • I haven't used this software yet either, but I made sure that the phone that I just got off ebay is on the compatibility list, because I sure as heck intend to!
    • I do use Salling Clicker with my T610 and can confirm that it is excellent. I also find it nice to use as a remote when I use my PowerBook as a DVD player or for interacting with iTunes.

    • Re:Use your bluetooth phone or pda as a remote (Score:5, Informative)

      by -=[Dr. AJAX]=- ( 17537 ) * on Wednesday June 16, 2004 @08:45AM (#9440673) Homepage
      Invest in a PDA or phone that has built in bluetooth and use Clicker [mac.com]. From personal experience, it is the best. I have the Sony Ericsson Z600 [sonyericsson.com]. Not only can I control keynote or powerpoint via the phone, but the notes portion of each slide shows up in the display of the phone. An added bonus is the ability to sync the phone and my powerbook. Clicker does have many other features, though. I have yet to use the proximity controls, but the first time that an incoming call on my cell phone muted iTunes and brought up the caller id information I just about... well.. erhem... I'll leave this clean....
    • Exactly. Get yourself a SE T610, or a Nokia 6630, and prepare to make grown men weep at the beauty of the phone/laptop dance.

    • Re:Use your bluetooth phone or pda as a remote (Score:5, Informative)

      by gooru ( 592512 ) on Wednesday June 16, 2004 @09:09AM (#9440911)
      I have used this software, and it's absolutely perfect. I usually use it with PowerPoint, though it works with Keynote as well. I have a Sony Ericsson T610 hooked up via Bluetooth to my PowerBook G4, which I use for presentations all the time. Even technical audiences are wowed by it, and it frees you from standing behind a podium or walking back to change slides. My only gripe is that Bluetooth's range isn't quite as good as the specs say, but as long as you're within a few feet of your laptop, you should be fine. While the software isn't free, it's extremely inexpensive, and you can use it for other things such as controlling iTunes.
    • Do you know of any software like it for MS Windows?
      • I wish. Let me know if you find anything.

        A few months back I searched hard for a little utility that would automatically lock my Windows PC when my bluetooth Tungsten went out of range, but had no luck after much googling. I was even willing to do some of my own coding/scripting if a program had the right hooks, but never found that program.

        Macs seem to get a lot of this stuff done right.
        • Can't find the program, but I know there are some that will login/lock your system upon use of a USBkey, I bet that system could be hacked to work with bluetooth.
        • http://pda.cyber.ust.hk/app/package10.html
          hmm this logins with bluetooth? I'm not sure if it logs out with it too, maybe???? Try it out let me know how it works, as I don't have any bluetooth phones.
        • Try Float's Mobile Agent if the walk-away thing i what you want with a Phone. IT also has a lot of things to control the phone and a API (for Delphi) so maybe a Salling-like program would not be that difficult to write using it. It certainly has a mode where you can see which buttons you pressed on the phone and press then via an onscreen phone. And it can display a popup box on screen as soon as the cellphone rings, which is very useful if you have it in silent mode.
    • One of my unversity professors is the father of Jonas Salling, the guy who wrote the Salling clicker, and he and alot of others at my school use it frequently with great results.
      I've seen it used both with an ericson t68i bluetooth phone, and with palm bluetooth pdas.
      I suggest you try it.
    • I have to second this as well.

      I use my SonyEricsson T610 with my Powerbook, Salling Clicker and Keynote (although I have tried it with Powerpoint and it works there as well). It's well worth the money.I get up to 10 meters of range when there are no walls separating me and the powerbook. It works flawlessly and has not malfunctioned even once.

      It is also easy to customize what SallingClicker controls, since it is all done with Applescript. If you need it to do something fancier then the standard script

  • Cell phone (Score:3, Informative)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 16, 2004 @08:31AM (#9440571)
    Use your cell phone if it has bluetooth.. Sony Ericsson T610/T630 works great. FMA [sf.net] is nice if using Windows. In Linux there are a few programs that let you control your mouse with the arrows on the cell phone. If any of those don't suit you it's very easy to cook up your own software!

  • what NOT to do.... (Score:4, Interesting)

    by TreeHead ( 553584 ) on Wednesday June 16, 2004 @08:34AM (#9440584) Homepage Journal

    ;whatever you do, don't use a *wired* solution.

    ;i'm responsible for technology at a small college and we work on a tight budget (to say the least). i thought i'd save some money by implementing wired presenter mice with extension cables. now granted, these were the PS/2 variety--which you wouldn't use with a mac--but the wired mice get disconnected from the multimedia computers all the time, and its only a matter of time before the cords all short-out from abuse. the biggest issue w/ wires is the nightmare of someone (yourself included) snagging their foot on the cord as they pass by and yanking the entire laptop to the floor.

    ;do yourself a favor and stick with wireless. it's actually not more expensive in the long run. if i could go back and spend $150-200 per unit on a wireless solution, i would. it would have saved me (and our instructors) time, energy, headaches, and money (as i will now have to replace the ones we have) that we spent on the wired mice.

    ;TreeHead

  • Use a friend. (Score:5, Funny)

    by keoghp ( 457883 ) on Wednesday June 16, 2004 @08:38AM (#9440609)
    Personally, I use a friend.
    Faster response time, Batteries don't go down on you! and cheap to run (a beer or two).

    Has the added advantage that if the audience doesn't turn up, you have someone to talk to.

  • All these nifty bluetooth and WiFi solutions are fine and dandy, but don't forget IR! I don't know whether the latest Mac laptops come with IR ports, but a surprising number of PC laptops still have them. Either that, or the IR controller will come with its own base unit. Admittedly it's directional, but a laptop sitting on a table isn't a moving target and you're likely to be in its line of sight if you position it and yourself sensibly.

    There are some cheap controllers out there intended specifically f
  • A wireless mouse is definitely your best bet. I'd check some of the various bluetooth mice. My favorite for features right now is the mx900 by logitech, at around $99. It's bluetooth, double precision, egronomic, 5+ buttons, and it has a recharge station. the recharge station also doubles as a bluetooth station if you hook it up to a computer without internal bluetooth.

    I personally bought an apple wireless mouse for $65 at my local store and have been quite happy with it in presentations.
    • Have you purchased the MX900? Does it work directly with Apple's bluetooth or to you have to connect their bluetooth adapter to the USB port?
      • bluetooth is bluetooth. it will work just fine with the built in bluetooth adapter. you won't however be able to charge the mouse without the dock plugged in i imagine.
    • Don't just go wireless, try a nice deskless mouse. This [thinkgeek.com] $80 wireless gyroscopic mouse might work for you. The gyro feature allows you to use it in mid-air without the need for a desk/table/podium. Radio (no line of sight needed!) range is listed at 25 feet, but I've been able to use mine from futher than that. Works as a normal opical mouse when placed on a flat surface. Requires a simple USB port and any old generic mouse driver will do. Battery life for continual use is about 6-8 hours, rechargs in one

  • Keyspan Media Remote (Score:3, Informative)

    by Urgoll ( 364 ) on Wednesday June 16, 2004 @09:19AM (#9440991)
    The Keyspan Digital Media Remote is a small IR controller. It comes with a base that connects to the PC or Mac using USB. It has keys for play, stop, rewind, forward, next, previous, etc. I've tested it with PowerPoint and various media programs, and it works at least as far away as 25'. And cheap to boot, I got mine for $35 at the local computer store. More info. [keyspan.com]http://www.keyspan.com/products/usb/remote/
    • i have had a DMR (no, not THAT kind of DMR) for a few years and have had mixed results. it works, and it's nice to fire off applescripts at the press of a button (it also works with JVC vcr remotes - which i have 2 of!) but it has poor support for Mac OS X. the software feels like a quick and dirty port, and it looks like one too. on top of that, if you have customized your OS config in any way, you are SOL. the software refuses to start. i don't recommend this antiquated product. instead, i do recommend th

  • Get the PP mouse! (Score:1, Informative)

    by Anonymous Coward
    I worked for a state school in Upstate NY and we had just gotten the Powerpoint controllers. They work like a dream...just plug the antenna into the USB port and ur set. The controllers we had had a laser pointer, forward and reverse, and a button to blank out the screen. You could probably find one online for about 80$ (I think it was a honeywell). Depending on the manufacturer, I'm sure you could map keys to it for use in iTunes, etc.

    Good Luck!
  • I'd second the comment eariler to try Salling Clicker or the Logitech MX900. The MX900 works with the built-in Bluetooth in your Powerbook, so you don't have to use the base station for anything other than recharging the batteries, which is also optional (it takes standard AA batteries). Salling Clicker allows you to use your Bluetooth enabled phone to run presentations, iTunes, DVD Player, VLC, and others. IR is nice, but directional, so if you tend to wander, it isn't a good option. If you do want an
  • I had the same problem a few months ago, only I was working with sales people. I found the remote with the longest range and the least buttons. PocketPoint RF. [buy.com] I think the company that made this was bought by InFocus but it's still the same product. Incredible range, long battery life and it only has two buttons.... Plus the laser pointer.
  • I have a set (mouse + mini kbd), and have used it for presentation. Works pretty well, and was only $90.

    The laptop sees it as just another USB device, so no fancy bluetooth stuff needed.

  • Don't use infrared; Keyspan wireless works well. (Score:3, Informative)

    by Mordant ( 138460 ) on Wednesday June 16, 2004 @10:57AM (#9441948)
    Infrared generally requires line-of-sight, and you don't want to have to turn around and point your clicker at your laptop when in the mist of a presentation.

    I've had great luck with the Keyspan Presentation Remote [keyspan.com] - it has a little USB wireless dongle which attaches to my PowerBook, and it works well with PowerPoint & Keynote.

    It looks like a USB mouse to the system, so no additional drivers are required; it provides mouse-type functionality, so you can do remote demos, etc. I haven't tried it on Windows or Linux, but I'm pretty sure it would work in Windows with no drivers and in Linux if you have your XF86Config file set up properly (this should be tested, though).
  • http://www.gyration.com/gyromouse.htm

    is what we use here for presentations.

    • The Gyration Gyromouse (also known as the "Gyropoint Gyromouse") can be had dead cheap from Ebay - $25 or 30 dollars in most cases. What is really slick about these off-table mice is that they essentially use a couple of cheap electronic gyros to sense yaw and pitch. So - what can you do with the insides from one of these things...?

      Get yourself a nice HMD (or build one) - mount the gyromouse electronics on top - and now you have a dead simple sourceless 2DOF head tracker. A baseless (and/or wireless) joysti

  • ATI Remote Wonder (Score:2, Informative)

    by weffey ( 702758 )
    Personally I use the ATI Remote Wonder [ati.com] [www.ATI.com]. Primarily meant as a remote for their TV tunners, but has media support none the less. The receiver plugs into the USB port and the transmissions are all done via RF, so no need to worry about line of sight.

    I like the fact it has a direction pad for controlling the mouse and the media playback buttons, and four programmable buttons. There are plugins available for PowerPoint and WinAmp, personally I don't have them installed but the device still wo
  • We use a couple of these [interlinkelectronics.com] here at work. They're not perfect, but they have a damn good range, control Powerpoint presentations, Acrobat files, and web browsers (page foreward and back only). I only wish they had a built in laser pointer, though.
  • This [computersu...outlet.com] only costs about $5 +shipping, and works up to 8 meters. It requires 2 ps2 ports, but I'm pretty sure you could get a 2-ps2 to 1 usb adapater, and it should work just fine.

  • Projector with a remote? (Score:3, Informative)

    by gabe ( 6734 ) on Wednesday June 16, 2004 @11:33AM (#9442402) Homepage Journal
    Some projectors [infocus.com] come with a remote control that sends next slide / previous slide commands to the computer via a USB cable from the projector. This results in Page Up / Page Down occurring on the computer, which changes the slide. Not exactly universal, but it is an option.

  • Targus Notebook Wireless Presenter (Score:3, Informative)

    by UID1000000 ( 768677 ) on Wednesday June 16, 2004 @12:26PM (#9442987) Homepage Journal
    Bifurcati, I would suggest the Targus Notebook Wireless Presenter [targus.com]. It retails at 49.99 but I've seen it online for as low as 41.

    It works via USB and uses RF to control the mouse. It basically subs as a mouse and you can program the buttons to do different commands.

    I like laser pointer that it comes with too.

    I've used this before, it works nicely and I've liked Targus for their notebook companion items a lot. If you have warranty issues they'll take care of it right away.
    Let me know what you think of it.

  • This won't help you with a Mac, but I bought a Streamzap [streamzap.com] for my home theater PC to control Winamp and myHTPC, and plan to get one here at the office to control PowerPoint [streamzap.com] for those folks who want to walk around when they do their presentations.

    It supports a lot of apps [streamzap.com], and they're updating it all the time to improve existing supported apps and add new ones.

    This may not help you with your powerbook, but it is an easy $39 solution for PowerPoint remote control.

    Todd
  • http://www.crystalgraphics.com/presentations/remot e.main.asp we use this for all our ppt presentations and it works perfectly. we have the $129 model.

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