Presentation Remote is simple to set up. There are just three steps – and one of those is optional.
Quick Overview
To set up:
Install Presentation Manager
Pair your iPhone/iPod
Enable the highlighter
To use:
Open presentations in Keynote, and they appear in Presentation Remote
Tap a presentation to take control
Tap “Begin” to start the show, and to see your notes
Swipe left or right with your finger to control the show
Tilt the screen sideways to see the slide
Tap anywhere on the slide with two fingers to highlight it.
Tap with one finger (or swipe to change slides) to cancel the highlight
Hold the screen upright again to return to your notes
For more details, read on…
Step 1: Install Presentation Manager
First, you need to install Presentation Manager, if you haven’t already. This application runs on your Macintosh computer, and is how you choose which iPhone or iPod Touch devices are allowed to control your presentation.
Download the package, open it up, and drag Presentation Manager to your Applications folder.
Step 2: Pairing
Giving permission for a device to control presentations on your Macintosh computer is called pairing.
Presentation Manager shows a list of devices that are running Presentation Remote, and are within Wi-Fi range. All you need to do is select one, and click “Pair”.
Paired devices have a key icon next to them. Once paired, any presentations opened in Keynote will also appear on your device. Pairing is remembered even after you quit. Click “Unpair” to revoke permission.
Note: Paired devices show up in the list, even when out of range, but are displayed “faded out”.
Step 3: Enabling the Highlighter
With Presentation Remote, you can highlight part of a slide, similar to using a laser-pointer. For this feature to work, you must tell Keynote to allow other applications to draw on the screen while it is showing a presentation:
In Keynote, open the Preferences.
Select Slideshow.
Make sure Allow Exposé, Dashboard and others to use screen is checked.
This is optional, but without it, the highlighter will not appear.
The highlighter effect “turns down the lights” on your presentation, and casts a spotlight onto the part you wish to highlight. In some lighting conditions, you may wish to change the highlighter effect to stand out more. You can do this from the Presentation Manager preferences.
Using Presentation Remote
Open a presentation in Keynote if you haven’t already. Its title should appear in Presentation Remote. Tap it, and your iPhone/iPod will take control of the presentation (Presentation Manager will also confirm this, by lighting up the device’s “Available” icon in bright blue).
Once in control of the presentation, your iPhone/iPod will show you some details and a “Begin” button – tap this and Keynote will take over the Macintosh’s screen and start showing your slides.
Presentation Remote will show you the title, number, and notes for each slide of the presentation. Swipe up and down as normal to scroll the notes. Swipe from side to side to change slides – it works like the “Weather” application, or the Home Screen: you pull the screen across and the next one slips into place.
Tilt your device on its side, and your slide itself will be shown on the small screen. Swipe with one finger to change slides, or tap with two fingers to highlight the area between your fingers. The highlight will fade out when you move to a new slide, or if you tap the slide with one finger. If this arrangement isn’t convenient for you, you can pick an alternative in the Presentation Remote Settings (in the Settings, tap “Slide View” and look for the “Advanced Gestures” section).