TechWatch: Projectors; IP Phones; Portable PowerPoint

Projector on the go
Wireless projectors haven't been popular with me because of setup issues, but the latest model from Sony goes a long way toward solving them. The VPL-CX85 comes with two USB connectors: One is just a simple disk drive and contains the drivers for the projector; the second is a wireless adapter that will communicate via Wi-Fi with a built-in radio in the projector. If your laptop already has Wi-Fi, you don't need the latter, but it does make installation--especially in front of an expectant audience--all the less stressful. I was able to get everything up and running within a few minutes. At 3,000 lumens, this projector is bright enough for even the largest rooms, and it includes such advanced features as both vertical and horizontal keystone correction and a powered focus and zoom lens that keep hands and fingers away from the optics. The remote control is fairly easy to use, and it has two RGB inputs and an RGB monitor output, too.

Sony VPL-CX85 projector, www.sony.com/professional Price: $3,700

An IP Phone That Sounds Great
There are plenty of IP phones on the market, but the new ones from ShoreTel (formerly Shoreline Communications) do more than look good: They sound fantastic. Finally, a speakerphone that you can actually hear your colleagues clearly on. The ShoreTel system has plenty of other advantages, too, including the ability to centrally manage a distributed network of offices with a single management console, and interact with various PC desktop applications, including contact management and presence-awareness. The phones get their power from their Ethernet connections and come in three different models with different line appearances and arrangements of dedicated function buttons.

ShoreTel IP530, www.shoretel.com Price: $329

Portable PowerPoint
While we probably don't need another device that makes it easier to see more PowerPoint in our lives, Margi presents an interesting twist: Bring your Palm or Pocket PC along to your presentation. Included in the Margi Presenter-to-Go box is a nifty little remote control that can advance the slides. You install the software on your Mac or Windows PC, do a hot-sync and plug in the adapter, which works with CompactFlash, Memory Stick or Secure Digital slots on your PDA. (My tests were with a Palm Tungsten T3 with an SD connector.) Connect the VGA port on the adapter to a projector or large-screen monitor, and you, too, can delight your audiences with your PowerPoint wizardry without having to carry around that heavy laptop. At 1,024-x-768 resolution, the slides will look good, too. You'll still need the laptop to make those last-minute changes to your slides, though.

Margi Presenter-to-Go, www.margi.com Price: $199