Keyspan by Tripp Lite PR-US2 Presentation Remote Wireless w Laser, Mouse

• Wireless presentation remote designed for PowerPoint, Keynote? and other presentation programs that use PowerPoint keystrokes
• No software to install?simply plug the receiver into a PC or Mac and the remote is ready to use in seconds
• Complete cursor control and two-button mouse capabilities provide full control over your presentation
• 60-foot range gives you freedom to roam; remote even works through walls and furniture
• Media mode controls Windows® Media Player on a PC and iTunes® or QuickTime® on a Mac®

I bought this remote to make PowerPoint presentations and I have to say I am pretty satisfied with the purchase. It does what it claims, installation was painless, just insert the transmitter into USB port and WinXP can recognize the device. I haven't tested the maximum operating distance, but I never experienced a problem with the laptop not responding to my actions. Just a couple things I would like to mention that I feel need improvement.

First, it's difficult to turn on the laser pointer. You need to press one button and then hold two buttons together and wait for 10 seconds. And the same you would like to turn it off. I cannot really understand if such complexity is really necessary.

Second, the battery used is the round flat one, like the one in the watches, just bigger. You can find it online, but not in the convenience store. I would rather them use a standard one.

Otherwise, I think for the money that is the best you can do. Comparable Logitech model is probably better, but costs $100 more at the time of this review.

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I do presentations all the time. Tired of my old remote, I bought one of each of the major brands to compare them: Interlink, Atek, Logitech, Gyro, ...

By far this is my favorite remote. The key features are

1. Size: small enough to fit easily in your pocket

2. Built in laser pointer

3. Mouse controls: thumb pad, plus 2 buttons

4. Scroll wheel.

The last feature -the scroll wheel -is hard to find in many remotes. I really like using the scroll wheel to flip rapidly through a presentation. That feature sets this remote apart for me.

All in all, a very nice product for a very reasonable price.

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I've tried a number of remotes, some of which are more expensive. This one has worked the best for me. For a point of reference, the last one I used (and returned) was the Logitech Multimedia Presenter w/ trackball; unconventional start procedure and sloooooowwwww trackball that didn't move all that freely.

Anyway, back to the point(er). I think the Keyspan is laid out quite well. Advancing slides can be done using either the wheel or the advance button. The mouse is very responsive w/ good speed and has an automatic slow-down next to buttons (nice for those w/o much dexterity or new to the one-finger operation).

The laser wasn't as tough for me as some of the other reviewers. Just depress one button while depressing another one for 3-4 seconds and voila. The laser option is kinda moot for me though since using a laser on something like a powerpoint presentation will generally not yield good results anyway; the laser will always get overpowered by the slide. If you use a laser on something like a big powerpoint on a screen, you can imagine just how ineffective it would be. That is why I use the mouse pointer when highlighting things I'm talking about on a particular slide. And that is why the nice speed and responsiveness of the mouse pad is a plus.

Bottom line: No complaints from me, has worked like a charm so far, and is a good buy imo.

UPDATE: The remote continues to work w/o problems. Used it for the entire school year (teach at a university and use powerpoint incessantly). The only add-on that you might want to get is an extension for the receiver if line-of-sight is an issue; I suggest a retractable cord so that you can stay as portable as possible. Besides that, the remote itself has proven to be solidly constructed and has held up quite well.

UPDATE #2: A couple years later and things are still hunky-dory w/ the remote. Works like a charm. Use it about 10 hours a week, so got some good mileage on it, and still everything is just fine. If you do get one, I still would suggest a USB extension cord; easier to hook up to a computer, especially if the port is on the back or it's one of those tight ones at an angle and you might want to use the other usb port (like on many of the Dell's).

UPDATE #3: Well, we're now looking at nearly 5 years since I wrote my initial review. Nothing has changed. This thing is still working lights out and hasn't given me any problems. I still look at new stuff out there (gadget guy), but still nothing compares yet. Even bought a Swiss Gear one 'cause it was dirt cheap and had the dongle that fit into the remote when not in use. But, couldn't compare. This thing is one of those 'classic' input devices that you'll keep forever if you try it (kinda like the logitech trackman wheel is for me as a mouse).

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I've given up using this product because it is just not consistent enough. It will work well for short periods, but then I have to click the button repeatedly for a slide to move forward. Sometimes only every third click will work, which is very annoying when you are standing in front of an audience and talking about what is about to appear. This has happened in several talks, so I doubt it is anything to do with RF fields in particular environments. Obviously, the product is not designed with a high-reliability wireless protocol.

Other problems are the complex method for turning on the laser pointer, the rather low brightness of the laser pointer, and the non-standard choice of battery. Some things are very nice, such as the small travel size and weight and the fact that absolutely no setup is required (one of the only true plug-and-play products I've seen). Its too bad that this was taken to market without getting all the details right.

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I first heard about this product from another instructor at the school that I work at. After trying it once, I immediately went out and bought it.

I used it for one semester and experienced some of the same problems that others have; draining the battery in the carrying case and difficulty with the laser pointer. Now, after only one semester (16 weeks) the back button on the front and side is not working at all.

I sent an e-mail to Keyspan, but have yet to hear a response. If this is the type of service and performance we can expect from them, then who is their competitor? My initial thought was to buy another one, but I don't want to give money to a company that isn't going to back up their product.

I love the product and the idea, it was great when it worked, but I don't think that I will be buying any future Keyspan products because of the lack of customer support and the short life span of a workable product.