Portable Powerpoint on a Shoestring

The whole problem with the combination of PowerPoint, laptops and LCD projectors is:

• $ this combo is very expensive for an organization that has a lot of communicators
• Complexity-for a lot of people that do not have a comfort with computers, they want VCR like simplicity
• Faster boot cycle, other types of devices are instant on

The alternative we have experimented with is an AverKey E-Pack 300, the key thing about this little unit is it comes with software that converts PowerPoint presentations into its own JPEG presnation formats, and via a USB cable it stores it on a Compact Flash memory unit in the portable device. The other factor our staff liked was the instant on aspect, and the infrared remote, just like a VCR. The best part of this device is that you can hook it up to either an LCD projector or a normal TV.

So for thousands of dollars less, you can have portable PowerPoint presentations.

for more info consult the AverMedia web page at:

http://www.aver.com/products/presenter_AVerEPack300.shtml

some of the other technologies that are potential solutions involve saving your PowerPoint presentations as JPEG versions, and tranferring them to Compact Flash memory units, and then loading them in digital slide projector type devices,

like AcomData's Multimedia viewer

http://www.acomdata.com/scripts/products-showdetails.asp?id=65

or a similiar devices from SanDisk's Digital Photo Viewer

http://www.sandisk.com/pressrelease/030109_photovwr.htm

Another approach I have been following is the use of PDA's to store the presentation. The vendor of choice in this is Margi's Presenter To Go. They have versions of their software which converts PowerPoint presentations for storage on either Palm Pilots or PocketPCs. The problem with them from my perspective is that you cannot show them on a regular TV, so you are not elminating the most expensive part of the current presentation combo, the LCD projector.

for more info on the Margi Presenter To Go products consult:

http://www.margi.com/products/prod_ptg.htm

So to date the AverKey E-Pack 300 is the best inexpensive solution that offers conversion of your PowerPoint presentations. However, botht the AcomData Multimedia Viewer and SanDisk Digital Photo Viewer may be a fraction of the cost of the AverKey, bring portable PowerPoint presentation device down to $100, rather than the 1000s that a laptop and LCD projector would cost you.

© Copyright 2003 Ted Ritzer. Last update: 5/15/2003; 7:22:43 PM.