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Dawn Bjork Buzbee
The Software Pro®
Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS) Instructor
Certified Microsoft Office Specialist Master Instructor
Certified Microsoft Office Expert
Certified Women's Business Enterprise (WBE)
(303) 699-6868
Dawn@SoftwarePro.com
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| | If you deliver electronic presentations using PowerPoint or other programs, you can move forward to the next slide with the keyboard or the mouse. For better results, advance through your presentation with a remote control. Remote FeaturesMany projectors come standard with a remote but features vary and may not always be easy to use. A better choice is to buy your own personal presentation remote control. When evaluating a remote, look for these features and decide what is important to you: - Ergonomic and easily fits in your hand. Keep in mind that you might be using the remote for an hour or an entire day. Plus, a smaller remote will usually have fewer and more accessible buttons, fits in your pocket, and is great for travel.
- Simple to use. In most cases, a smaller, ergonomic remote is easy to use but test it before buying. One of my friends loves her small remote which is only about the size of a matchbook. The tradeoff is she needs to press 2 buttons together to make the screen go black, a feature that doesn’t always work.
I was reminded of the importance of an easy to use remote when I watched an excellent presenter pull out a huge remote that looked a price scanner gun from Home Depot. As he fumbled with a large panel of buttons, the remote dropped to the floor and broke open with batteries flying across the stage.
- Transmit distance. Remotes operate with three different technologies: RF (wireless radio frequency), IR (infrared), and Bluetooth. A huge drawback with IR remotes is that you need to point the mouse directly at the receiver for it to work. Bluetooth remotes use the latest technology but currently have a maximum range of about 30' while many RF remotes have a range of 50 to 100 feet. With some remotes, you can have your back to the laptop and move to the middle of an audience. What do you need for your presentations?
- Built-in mouse. Some presenters will sacrifice a bit in size to get a built-in mouse, usually a small button like you see on some laptops. The Logitech Cordless Presenter (www.logitech.com) combines a full-size mouse and remote with a 30' range and is priced at about $200. Other remotes have a track ball or a touch pad. I prefer a separate wireless mouse that I use for portions of my presentations. I find a built-in mouse to be too awkward but it might be great for your purposes.
- Visible laser pointer. If you’d like a built-in laser pointer, make sure to test it for visibility and practice moving it slowly. Some of the pointers have such a small laser dot that it doesn’t show well on screen. Would an animation be a better way to highlight parts of a slide or a process?
It is still not that common to find a wide range of remotes at your local computer store or office supply outlet, and so, when evaluating features, your best option is to find someone who has a remote and try it out. My favorite is the RemotePoint Navigator (www.rpnav.com) which is easy to use, fits comfortably in my hand, and gives me up to 50' of movement from my laptop. Another top model by the same company is the RemotePoint Presenter, with up to 100' of movement, a mouse button, and 32 MB of storage for your presentation; it is priced at about $150. The Phaser Mouse from IOGear (www.iogear.com) is a budget-minded model for as little as $60. There are many other models and brands to consider. Personally, I don’t like remotes loaded with tons of features that you might not need; these remotes are typically bigger or more complicated to use. Remember, you should be using a remote so that you don’t call attention to the technology and your audience can focus on your content. Practicing with a Remote ControlAfter you buy a remote, practice with it before you use it. Don’t just try it at your desk, you need to also setup your laptop and remote and actually run through your presentation. The first time I did this, the screen kept going black or I would accidentally advance to the next slide. The problem wasn’t with the remote; it was that I was holding my presentation handout in the same hand and accidentally hitting a remote button through the handout. An easy adjustment but not obvious if my only rehearsal was in my office. I personally like to choreograph my slide actions into my presentation notes to avoiding looking back at the projection screen to check my location. Or, setup your laptop in the meeting room so you can glance at the screen and still keep the connection with your audience. Rehearsing with your remote should be a built-in part of your presentation rehearsal to avoid distracting your audience and accomplishing the goal of communicating your message. Bonus Tips: Always bring extra batteries; many speakers change out batteries for every presentation. If possible, label the remote or put several business cards in the carrying case in the event that your remote is misplaced. © 2004 by Dawn Bjork Buzbee
Dawn Bjork Buzbee
is The Software Pro® and a certified Microsoft Office Expert,
Certified Microsoft Applications Specialist (MCAS) Instructor, and a certified
Microsoft Office Specialist Master Instructor. Dawn shares smart and easy ways
to effectively use software through her work as a software speaker, trainer, and
consultant. Discover more tips, tricks, tools, and techniques
at
www.SoftwarePro.com.
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Before using a laser pointer in a presentation, practice making slow and smooth movements to avoid distracting actions.
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