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Are wireless presenters familiar to you? Have you been to a computer shop to see how much a simple gadget like this can set you back easily by US$50 - US$80, a significant amount- especially for those who are struggling college students like me.

These occasionally used,power-consuming tools constantly require batteries to operate and are costly to replace.

With a little adaptation you can have a total control of your presentations without spending a bomb on these gadgets.

The revelation came upon me while I was playing the features in my W660i Sony Ericsson. The little Bluetooth wireless presenter function intrigued me. Curious, I wanted to see if the presentor mode actually works like the wireless presentor I see my professors use.

Unfortunately, my Fujitsu Tablet PC does not have the Bluetooth hardware, but with a USD10.00 investment on IVT’s Bluesoleil, I managed to power up my laptop to receive Bluetooth signal.

What I did with my Bluetooth enabled Sony Ericsson W660i:

  1. Turn on the Bluetooth function on the  phone

  Go to Menu -> My Shortcuts  -> Turn on Bluetooth -> My Devices

2. Check for "my devices"

3. You should be able to detect the bluetooth enabled laptop.

4. On the laptop screen, click on the mouse icon.

5. Press "allow" on your mobile phone and click presenter. You should see the screen like this above.

 Quite simply:

 

Take note of the following when using the Bluetooth toggle device:

1. Incoming calls/messages during presentation. Rejecting the call or cancel the messages to continue using the remote control feature may cause the the remote control feature to lag for a few seconds (not to mention the trouble with repeated incoming calls)

Solution: Rejecting the call and letting the phone take 3-4 seconds to return to the presentor function is fine if you do not need to change slides too often. Otherwise, consider using a defunct SIM card.

2. Battery life. As with all Bluetooth devices, such controls are energy consuming. Remember to charge your mobile phone fully to prepare for the action!

Other cheap alternatives for wireless presentation:

1. Bluetooth Mouse -

• Pros: Ease of use - Works similiar as the phone for control. The roller scroll at the center of the mouse is extremely useful to go to previous/next slide
• Cons: Requires expensive battery replacement for regular use. The mouse has to be small so that it does not become a distraction during your presentation. Watch out for the light coming beneath most of these optical mouse, you wouldn’t want to blind your audiences!

2. The Uxcell Presentor -

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Pros: The Uxcell Presentor works pretty much like the   specialized tool for presentation - less the hefty price (approx. AU 7.99) and it comes with a laster pointer. A very good alternative for those who do not have a compatible handphone for the bluetooth function.

• Cons: Why pay for a hardware when you can get the same effect with your handphone set?

3. Human Assistant: Your trusty friend/co-presentor/assistant -

• Pros: Experienced/ Friendly colleagues who knows exactly when to click on the next slide. This is by far the best for keynote addresses and product launches. The rehearsed presentation makes you look prepared, passionate and professional. Extremely reliable with the right people.
• Cons:Some chemistry is required to make this work. This technique is not adviseable for those who are not feeling the right team dynamics/synergy in the group. Better to have control over your own portion of the slides in these soituations.