10 Uses for a Presenter’s USB Drive
A USB drive hangs from a lanyard around every good presenter’s neck. These high-capacity devices can become the presenter’s survival kit, a suite of applications that make it easy to replicate most of the functions one can perform on the home desktop or on the laptop. I have a set of favorite applications that I carry on my USB drive and every presenter, I am sure, has their own and will strongly champion their choice.
In this post, rather than focus on the applications themselves (more on that later), I will focus on the functions. What are the tasks that I want to accomplish, armed only with the software and files on my USB? I will describe the software suite around these functions in later posts, and look forward to your suggestions in the comments. For the time being, here are the spells that I want loaded onto the USB wand:
- Keep My Files Secure: I want software to encrypt the whole stick so that I can afford to lose the drive without losing my mind. I want to keep a record of my passwords securely so that one password would open the door on all others. I want to be able to recover files deleted by accident on a host computer. I want to be able to erase all trace of any file I have copied temporarily onto a host computer. I want to use a host computer and leave no trace of my presence.
- Manage My Files Easily: I want a gallery to hold all my images, sounds, and videos. I want tools to help me move files around with ease between the USB stick and the host. I want to be able to locate files easily. I want to collect batches of files (for example, from a camera) and rename them consistently and easily.
- Retouch, Remix, Edit my Audiovisual Files: I want to be able to run edits on my photos – crop, retouch, apply simple effects to graphics. I want to be able to edit and remix sounds. I want to play and view sounds and videos, and to convert them across formats for different players.
- Project Presentations Independent of Software on the Host Computer: I want to not have to worry what software is running on the host computer, unwilling to discover while on the podium that there is an older version of PowerPoint running, or they have the wrong fonts installed.
- Prepare Presentations Impromptu: I want to have independent design capacity to be able to create a set of new slides, or modify the set I brought with me, or recombine slides from the library I carry around without having to worry about whether they have PowerPoint installed or the version.
- Create Diagrams and Illustrations: I want to have easy diagramming tools that can create visuals neatly for inclusion into my presentations. I want to be able to design flowcharts, process diagrams, Venn diagrams and other illustrations relatively free of the limitations of the standard functions of most presentation software.
- Prepare Standard Versions of Slidesets for Distribution: I like to distribute slidesets to the audience in the native file so they can read them and use them themselves – remixing my own presentations with theirs. But sometimes I want them to have my presentation in exactly one form, for the record. I want therefore to be able to produce PDF versions, to be able to annotate and edit PDF files, and to be able to combine images and voiceover into standard flash or video-like slideshows.
- Capture Brainstorms Interactively: I want to be in a position to keep notes when others are speaking or to base my presentations on concepts laid out in a mindmap. I want to be able to work interactively and capture textual and tree-like forms of a discussion or brainstorm as it happens and integrate that into my presentation at will.
- Manage My Internet Connection Securely: I want to be able to connect to the Internet directly, securely, and tracelessly. I want to be able to upload and download fairly large files securely and swiftly. I want to be able to search resources and collect references conveniently. I want to be able to use web applications as easily as the local applications.
- Keep my Host Running: Too often have I had problems with the host computer connected to the projector. I want to be able to troubleshoot the host computer and its network and find simple workarounds wherever possible. This way, ideally, I don’t end up ‘apologising for the technology’ that has let me down at the last minute as I am about to start presenting
And, what is more, I want to do this all on a standard 2GB USB drive.
Watch this space for a growing list of programs for the portable presenter. Meantime please feel free to add to the wishlist in the comments below…
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