PowerPoint presentations using the Apple remote
For the first time ever, I gave a presentation where I really wanted a remote control. I've always wondered why so many people use them, given how they often have technical problems and waste more time than they save someone from walking over to the laptop. But the VGA cable was just too short to put the laptop within my reach when I stood at the front of the room, and I wanted one.
Now, being the proud owner of a MacBook, I actually have a remote. But Apple doesn't seem to have it set up to control PowerPoint. It controls other stuff, but it wasn't going to help me right then and there.
I didn't have time to mess with it for the presentation, but a quick web search now that I'm home turned up this nice tool called iRedLite which sounded promising. I can't say I recommend the interface, but the end result is that with a bit of fiddling, I can now control PowerPoint using my Apple remote. Yeay!
Some interface gotchas: The first time you run it, it brings up the edit menu but doesn't activate iRedLite. You need to run it again once you've set up your layers. (or just run it again period and set up your layers afterwards.)
Changing layers is done with the fairly non-intuitive interface of "hold the menu button until the layer name highlights, then release it and hit + or - to scroll through the possible layers" I wound up just deleting all the layers except the PowerPoint one I'd made before I figured out how to make it switch. (hint: the arrow keys work too, but I'd been expecting I'd be able to use the mouse and select from the list, the way I can in the editor.)
Those issues aside, it seems to work pretty well, and it gives me another presenting tool in case I ever need it again. :)
Now, being the proud owner of a MacBook, I actually have a remote. But Apple doesn't seem to have it set up to control PowerPoint. It controls other stuff, but it wasn't going to help me right then and there.
I didn't have time to mess with it for the presentation, but a quick web search now that I'm home turned up this nice tool called iRedLite which sounded promising. I can't say I recommend the interface, but the end result is that with a bit of fiddling, I can now control PowerPoint using my Apple remote. Yeay!
Some interface gotchas: The first time you run it, it brings up the edit menu but doesn't activate iRedLite. You need to run it again once you've set up your layers. (or just run it again period and set up your layers afterwards.)
Changing layers is done with the fairly non-intuitive interface of "hold the menu button until the layer name highlights, then release it and hit + or - to scroll through the possible layers" I wound up just deleting all the layers except the PowerPoint one I'd made before I figured out how to make it switch. (hint: the arrow keys work too, but I'd been expecting I'd be able to use the mouse and select from the list, the way I can in the editor.)
Those issues aside, it seems to work pretty well, and it gives me another presenting tool in case I ever need it again. :)