The IT Guy says:
The last option I wanted to talk about in selecting a projector is the option to connect wirelessly. And, unlike last week's column, I'm not talking here about data networking. Instead I'm talking about video—connecting to the projector from the presentation computer without a cable.
If you are in a situation where the teacher has the only computer in the room, this isn't that big of a deal. However, if you have student computers available in the classroom, it makes it much easier to set up for student sharing and presentations. Instead of students having to transfer files from their computer to the teacher's station through USB drives or over the network, they simply wirelessly connect to the projector and go about their presentation. This also keeps the students from spending too much time messing around with the teacher's computer, too. Some projectors permit multiple users to be connected at once, allowing quick switching from one presentation to another.
The earliest versions of this technology were somewhat limited, as the wireless networking was slow. PowerPoint presentations couldn't use much in the way of fancy animations or video, and you certainly couldn't play back DVDs or other high-bandwidth files. With newer wireless protocols, however, it is possible to now display video as well—as long as the laptop also has the high-speed wireless system—so don't expect that old iBook to be able to work!
And as I alluded to last week, in addition to wirelessly connecting for presenting, the newest models will also wirelessly connect for management, eliminating the cost and trouble of bringing a network connection to the projector. Yes, the manufacturers are doing everything in their power to make sure that you will have all sorts of reasons to buy a new projector three years from now, no matter what you purchase today!
Next Tip: Writing in the Cloud—online documents
