Point and Teach
Who
says you can’t do two things at once? Tripp-Lite’s Keyspan Presentation Pro
Gyro remote control is a small handheld device that lets you take control of a
computer, move slides and highlight items on-screen, all while roaming freely
around the classroom.
With its pair of AAA batteries, the handheld remote control weighs just 2.2-ounces and is 4.3-inches long. Its sculpted black and blue case fits comfortably into a teacher’s hand, but might end up being too large for smaller students to use.
The remote comes with a tiny USB transmitter that can be hidden inside it when not in use; there’s also a handy soft pouch. After plugging it into a PC or Mac, you press the tiny connect button on the back and it takes a few minutes for the automatic installation process to be completed. Have a sharp pencil ready because the button is slightly recessed.
The beauty of the remote control is that the remote remembers the computer so that the controller can travel with a teacher all day going from room (and computer) to room. On the downside, there’s no software available to set it up with an iPad or Android tablet.
Inside is the combination of a gyroscope, accelerometer and sophisticated software that can translate its motion into movements of the computer’s pointer around on the screen. All you need to do is wave the Pro Gyro in the air to nudge the pointer around. The handheld can perform right- and left-clicks on any item and mimic a standard gaming controller pad.
The
Pro Gyro has a variety of controls, including a four-way arrow ring, plus and
minus keys as well as an escape button. There’s a power switch on the side that
lets you turn it on as well as select Gaming or Presentation mode. My favorite,
though, is the remote’s ability to wake up a computer that has gone to sleep
for instant access.
Overall, the action is a little jittery and using the handheld controller takes some practice, but just about anything you can do with a mouse, you can do with the Gyro Pro, from across the room. There are controls for moving a PowerPoint slide show forward or back a slide at a time as well as raise or lower the volume. Its button at the bottom of the Pro Gyro that promises to blank the screen in PowerPoint didn’t work with Microsoft’s PowerPoint Viewer, but was fine for the full version of the software.
A big bonus is the Pro Gyro’s red laser that can help highlight anything, projected or physical. With a wireless range of 48-feet, the Pro Gyro can be used in even a large classroom or lecture hall. It is so versatile and useful that no digital classroom should be without one
A
Tripp-Lite Keyspan Presentation Pro Gyro (PR-PRO4)
Price: $75
+ Quick automatic set up
+ Works with Windows and Mac computers
+ Inexpensive
+ Good range
+ Small and light
+ Laser pointer
- Doesn’t work with an iPad or Android tablet
- No mute button
