Good wireless remote for Keynote or Powerpoint to use on your Macbook

I’ve just found a new wireless remote to use with presentations in Keynote or Powerpoint. Recently I have purchased a Kensington wireless remote and I’m very happy with it. It appeared in our local Office works store recently for just $29, and it’s on par with the old Logitec remote. 

The Kensington Remote comes in two shapes.  The first is this shape:

Even though this one is the lowest price of the two shapes, to me it feels like it’s a better build.  It has a red pointer and comes in two models, one with 1G RAM built into the receiver.

The second shape is this one:

This is the more expensive model that comes with a green pointer, a classy zip up  protective bag, and the shape is nicer to hold than the model above.  But the buttons with their fake plastic chrome feel flimsy, especially the on/off button which is so small you can hardly find it. It also  comes in two models, one with 2G RAM built into the receiver.

Here are some various options:

Model 1: $35 presenter from Amazon or $49 from the Apple store or $29 from Officeworks (Australia)

Model 2: $59 with 2G RAM from Amazon(USA) or  Officeworks (Australia)

Kensington vs Logitec remote.

What I like about the Kensington Remote:

• It doesn’t have a button that quits out of your Keynote or Powerpoint presentation with no way of getting back into it. (This was one of the worst ‘features’ of the Logitec!).
• It has a button to ‘blank’ and ‘unblank’ the screen.
• It has a good range.
• It works with Powerpoint and Keynote.
• The USB receiver stows away in the transmitter.
• It’s only $29 for the cheaper model.
• Both shapes have an option to purchase with a flash drive built in to the receiver.

What’s just OK about it:

• On the first model the forward and back buttons don’t have as firm a ‘click’ as the old Logitec, but there is enough of bump when you press it that it feels and sounds like it’s been pressed. The second more ergonomic version does have a good click in the buttons.
• The first model feels good quality but it’s not as comfortable to hold as the old Logitec. The second model is a nice shape but feels cheaper.

What features are missing compared with the first version Logitec:

• No volume up and down control.
• No battery life  indicator.

For $29 though, it’s hard to beat!

About the Logitec remote.

My previous favourite was the Logitec wireless remote you can read this article for why I liked it.

Unfortunately Logitec discontinued this model and replaced it with the Logitec 400R which was a dud (you cead my negative review here).

The original Logitec remotes are still round but there price has gone up because they are hard to find and in limited supply, here’s one at Amazon.com for $250!!!

There have been various copies of the original Logitec remote that have appeared since (eg the August presenter for sale here on Amazon) but they are a cheap copies – mine broke quickly.