Skip to main content
technology

An employee at the Czech National Bank presents an application called "Czech Money" on an iPad.DAVID W CERNY/Reuters

The new iPad's brilliantly clear Retina display and its travel-friendly size help make this third-generation tablet one of the most useful sales tools on the market. Presentations pop on the high-resolution screen.

But most users only scratch the surface. Here are six tips to help you make better iPad presentations:

1. Play to the iPad's strengths.

Keep presentations simple. For text, images and other content, bigger is usually better for getting the message across on the iPad screen, which is slightly larger than nine and a half inches across diagonally.

If you really need to have highly detailed slides, consider passing the device around the room to let your clients have a closer look.

2. Use a projector for larger groups.

iPads can be handy for one-on-one demos, but try using a projector for larger groups. ViewSonic, Dell, Optoma and other companies make portable projectors that are compatible with tablets.

At $349 (U.S.), the ViewSonic PJD5123 can be worth the price because it combines high picture quality with portability. Some users, however, might find it heavy (it weighs 2.2 kilograms). If a lightweight device is an absolute priority then the Dell M110 – which weighs less than a fifth of a kilo – might be worth the higher cost (about $540).

You can also wirelessly stream a presentation on your iPad to an HDTV using Apple TV and AirPlay. Connect the Apple TV device to the TV, get access to a Wi-Fi connection and work with the AirPlay app on your iPad.

3. Try a remote.

Flipping through slides by hand can be distracting to an audience. But by turning your iPhone into a remote, you can move around and give touch-free presentations.

For basic presentations using Keynote – Apple's version of Microsoft PowerPoint – it's possible to use the iPhone as a remote with Keynote Remote, which is available for 99 cents from the iTunes App Store. For more advanced presentations, 2Screens Presentation Expert ($4.99 plus $2.99 for the 2Screens Remote app) can be used with an iPhone remote for viewing slide shows, documents or taking on-screen notes. It also can turn the iPhone into an on-screen laser pointer.

Microsoft PowerPoint, once the de facto standard for business presentations, is no longer the only tool to use. Two alternatives are Web-based slide show apps Prezi and SlideRocket. Both include HTML5 presentation players built specifically for the iPad, including such features as multi-touch gestures.

More from Entrepreneur:

If you're still tied to using PowerPoint, you can access Microsoft Office content on the iPad using apps such as Quickoffice Pro ($19.99), which also doubles as a presentation and editing tool.

5. Add interactivity with a live whiteboard.

Make staid PDFs, documents and simple presentations more interactive by turning the iPad into an electronic whiteboard. Apps such as Air Sketch ($9.99) and Power Presenter ($1.99) let users put notes on documents, websites and slide shows. It's a way to record brainstorming sessions or get audience feedback.

For more stylish notations, try using an iPad stylus such as the Pogo Sketch Plus ($14.95) from Ten One Design.

6. Master on-the-go design with improvised graphics.

A tablet's smaller screen and inability to switch between applications quickly can leave some professionals wanting to craft presentations on a laptop or desktop. But the iPad does include tools for drawing improvised presentations.

For making quick, clean flowcharts and other presentation graphics, consider apps such as TouchDraw ($8.99) or the more richly featured OmniGraffle ($49.99), which offers diagramming, templates and freehand drawing tools to illustrate business processes.

Jonathan Blum is a freelance writer and the principal of Blumsday LLC, a Web-based content company specializing in technology news.

Copyright © Entrepreneur Media Inc.  All rights reserved

Report an editorial error

Report a technical issue

Editorial code of conduct

Tickers mentioned in this story

Study and track financial data on any traded entity: click to open the full quote page. Data updated as of 28/03/24 4:00pm EDT.

SymbolName% changeLast
AAPL-Q
Apple Inc
-1.06%171.48
MSFT-Q
Microsoft Corp
-0.17%420.72

Interact with The Globe