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Kensington Wireless Presenter with Laser Pointer and 2 GB Built-in Memory (Black) by Kensington
List Price: $74.99Our Price: $47.04You Save: $27.95 (37%)Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: CE See more product details
Digital Photo Product DetailsManufacturer: Kensington Audio: English (Original Language) Format: CD-ROM Model: K72336US Color: Black Product features: - Built-in laser pointer helps you highlight key points
- 2.4 GHz wireless receiver for long-range use up to 30 feet
- 2GB built-in memory allows you to store your presentations
- USB wireless receiver stores inside the pointer
- Low-battery indicator
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Kensington Wireless Presenter with Laser Pointer and 2 GB Built-in Memory (Black)Customer Review: Simple PowerPoint Navigation with a Timid Pointer Summary: 4 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
Reading other reviews, it seems that there is some confusion over what this product actually is. If you are familiar with PowerPoint or other presentation software, you know that the presentations consist of "slides." Push the forward arrow and you move to the next slide. Push the backward arrow to move back one slide. Another key is used to blank the screen (mute the projector) to essentially pause the presentation and have the opportunity to switch to using a blackboard or discussing a topic without the computer. Take those three keys, put them on a remote control, and you have this product.
The manual for the device is genuinely worthless, unless you need a picture of where the batteries go. Unlike the Gyration device I own, this is thankfully an easy process and the Kensington Wireless Presenter feels much sturdier overall. One thing that is less apparent, and a bit vague in the brief pictorial manual, is that the device is turned off and on by inserting and removing the USB drive. This means that the laser pointer can only be used with the USB drive out, though it doesn't need to be plugged into a computer. Speaking of the drive, it operates at 2.478 GHz and has a good range without requiring line-of-sight. This is critical for this type of device, as the older line-of-sight devices required the user to constantly aim at the computer. Less critical, but very convenient, is 1GB of storage for presentations. I create very media rich presentations and this is still plenty of space, even if 1GB is quite small for a thumb drive these days. I will update this review if I encounter any stability problems with the flash memory, but so far so good.
A great aspect of this device is that it requires no drivers or proprietary software. Just plug it in and it works. However, if I want to nitpick, I would suggest that they offer software as an option. In this way, the keys could be reprogrammed for unusual presentation software. Also, some people never use the "blank screen" feature, making that button meaningless without the ability to reconfigure it.
I have so far ignored the laser pointer, because I consider it a secondary feature of this device. Kensington apparently does as well, as they chose to use a very low powered red laser, which is common in combination devices like this one. Given that a green laser can be found for around $10 shipped online now, this is unacceptable. Green lasers are much more visible and can be seen by people who are color blind, which is a significant percentage of the population. A more powerful red laser, which costs almost nothing now (under $5), would have at least made this more practical. If I were to use this as it is, I would have to hold a separate laser pointer in my hand as well.
However, I will not be using this presenter. For my purposes, it is not sufficient. I use interactive Flash animations that require mouse pointer control. The Gyration brand pointers are made for just that purpose, but I have found that they stop working correctly fast and are simply not worth the effort and money until they improve them. The Kensington device, in contrast, feels very durable and its simplicity should aid its longevity. It does a very simple task and, apart from the weak laser, does it very well. If that is what you want and the price is reasonable, it should serve you well.
Pros:
sturdy and ergonomic
good battery life
just plug in and it works
storage for presentations
buttons feel good
Cons:
almost useless documentation
weak laser pointer
USB drive must be ejected to use laser pointer
Description of Kensington Wireless Presenter with Laser Pointer and 2 GB Built-in Memory (Black)Here's everything you need to give a great presentation-right down to the presentation itself. With 2 GB of built-in memory, the Kensington Wireless Presenter with Laser Pointer and Memory can store hundreds of presentations. And it feels great in the palm of your hand. Easy-to-use 4-button controls and plug and play operation, so you're always ready to present clearly and professionally. Operates on 2 AAA batteries (included with purchase).
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