This is to update the thread I started in August when was asking for recommendations for presenters and air mouse devices. I ended up going with the SMK-Link Gyration Air Mouse Presenter. Since its the shopping season I figured it would be a good time to do the review in case anyone else was in the market.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0764CY878/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
My requirements were to have something that was NOT software based and to have something with a green laser. A nice to have would be the air mouse functionality but the driving force was simply to have forward and reverse slide control. Primary use would be on my Chromebook but certainly Linux and other OS use would be desired too.
This was purchased after FOSSCON but I have used it now 3 times including earlier this month at PLUG Central.
Let's not bury the lead- I LOVE this thing. Easily 4 out of 5.
The good:
1) True plug and play... there is no configuration. The dongle for your computer is stored in the unit. I plugged it into my Chromebook, paired it (you hit a button on the unit) and you're up. The slide controls and air mouse functionality work out of the box.
2) Green laser... it works and its bright. The button is at the top, above the slide controls which is where I spend most of my time so without looking, I can feel where I am.
3) Battery life... I'm still waiting for the batteries that came with it to die (the eneloops are on the way though). The talks I gave this fall were newer and I ran them a lot in practice. At least 7 times each so there's at least 14 hours of use where I was using the unit more and not turned it off until that run was complete.
4) Good distance... I haven't pushed it yet but with a clear line of site 30+ feet for the slide control is easy. Also, as a pro tip, if you can plug the receiver in on the side of your computer you are going to favor during your presso, that is going to yield a better experience.
5) Air mouse... its works but it takes some getting used to. Its a nice to have for me since I'm tend not to jump out of slide shows (e.g. clicking a link on the slide) but as you can image, from how I worded #4, it is more sensitive to distance so...
The bad:
1) Air mouse... there is a con to this too. I haven't found it to be terribly accurate and that is when I'm only a couple of feet from it. I haven't found a consistent technique that works for the air mouse. To try our something different from using the laser, at PLUG Central, I used the highlight pointer (a red dot) function in Google Slides. To say the least, it was awkward moving the dot smoothly to an exact point. I'm going to continue to play with it but the experience could be better. It might even be better with a fresh set of batteries. Either way, if its the air mouse function that is a primary use for you, I can't give a good recommendation. I'm only taking 1 star since its not a primary function for me.
As far as presenters go, I do have to say is one is expensive relative to the pack. For me, it was worth the money since SMK-Link invented the air mouse technology- buy once, cry once was my thinking. Wanting the laser already was going to be a premium.
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Keith C. Perry, MS E.E.