Tips and Tools for Creating Great Presentations on Android Tablets

While most communicators are presenting with a tablet, Go with iPad, some of us prefer the Android platform and want to do everything iPad users can do. It’s not easy to make good presentations on Android tablets as comfortably as on the iPad, but with a little effort, a great app, and a few accessories, communicators can get their messages across with skill and professionalism.

See how simple it is to connect a Samsung tablet to a screen using Screen Mirroring:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xJYFYJhWcc

An Android host will need a few things in addition to a good tablet. First, find a good app for creating and editing presentations on a tablet. Second, it’s a good way to showcase content so others can learn from the presentation. I will also talk about connecting the tablet and the screen. Finally, get some tips for making good presentations.

Hardware Required to View Presentations

To get started, the presenters need to get a large HDTV or video projector. People who don’t have both should get at least a 50-inch HDTV or a modern projector with HDMI input. A TV will work in a small, medium-sized room. Use a bright projector in larger rooms.

Ambient lighting also influences the selection. Bright rooms will dim the screen of the cheapest projectors, so choose a large HDTV or a projector with a high l.marking at least 3000 for medium light or 5000 for very bright rooms. Lumens refers to how bright the projector displays images. The larger the number, the brighter the projector will normally be. Some manufacturers are dishonest, pumping this number higher than their product actually outputs, so look at c as well.contrast on the projector. Higher contrast shows images and text better and does not require it to be as bright as a projector. If possible, try the projector, or if it’s not bright or sharp enough, get it from a place where you can return it.

ASUS Pocket Projector is extremely portable but not bright enough for bright rooms.

A presenter in a dark room can use a cheap $500 projector. It’s more portable than a TV, but good enough to showcase images in a presentation. Some “pico projectors” will even work in very dark situations, like the ASUS Pocket Projector ($399.99) above. These miniature projectors offer extremely portable solutions, but often do not provide enough brightness for most rooms. They only work in a very dark room.

To choose the right size screen, go to: Projector Central’s screen size calculator to find out the right size screen for a certain size room or get a small $0.99 app called HDTV Calculator this does the same thing, but on an Android device.

HDTV Calculator for Android helps people find out what size screen is best suited for a given size room.

Choosing a Server Tablet

Google Nexus 7 (rear), Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 (left) and Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition (right).

Here is the list of the best Android tablets available today:

Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 and LG G Pad 8.3 are two of the best Android tablets available.

All of the above tablets will do a great job. We chose them for several reasons:

Screen size matters, so opt for a 7- or 8-inch tablet like the Nexus 7, LG G Pad 8.3 or Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 for more portability. People with poor eyesight will need a larger 10-inch screen. Like Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition or ASUS Tablet TF701T-B1. Some presentation apps allow the user to view the current slide, the next slide, and some presenter’s notes on the tablet, while the external display only shows the active slide. If a presenter chooses such an application, they should also choose a larger screen. If the app is only mirroring the screen, i.e. showing the same thing on the tablet and on the external display, a smaller tablet will suffice for people with good vision.

Establishing the Connection Between Tablet and Display

Connecting the tablet to the display using a cable simplifies the connection process. This only works if the presenter is standing or sitting near the TV or projector. If this is not possible, the server may find a long cable.

Nexus 7 and LG G Pad 8.3 users will need one of these Slim port adapters as regular MHL to HDMI adapters will not work.

To make this connection, the user needs an adapter that plugs into the micro USB port on the tablet. Nexus 7 and LG G Pad 8.3 need a Slim port adapter as we found on Amazon for $16 (see above). This will not work with older Nexus 7 2012 model.

Get a cheap micro-HDMI to HDMI cable for ASUS tablet like this Bluerigger cable.

ASUS comes with a micro-HDMI output port, so find a cheap cable like above with that on one end and regular HDMI on the other. cost less than $10.

Both Samsung tablets require a different type of adapter than the Slim-port Adapter or micro-HDMI to HDMI cable. Search for the MHL to HDMI adapter to find a cable that connects the micro USB to the projector or TV. Amazon is selling one for $13.

Whatever cable or adapter you buy, just plug it into the micro USB port on the tablet. For adapters, plug a regular HDMI cable into the adapter and the other end into the display. In the case of ASUS, use a cable to go directly from the tablet to the screen.

Some older TVs or projectors do not include HDMI. I would buy a new one or look for an adapter that will connect an HDMI to the ports the display offers.

The Tronsmart T1000 plugs into an HDMI port and connects to Wi-Fi, allowing users to wirelessly view their tablet on the screen.

A more convenient but also more sophisticated way of making a connection is using wireless to connect to the display. A solution called Miracast does a good job. Some displays have built-in Miracast support. If the screen is not working, use a cheap adapter like below. Tronsmart T1000 HDMI wireless adapter (see above) Supports Miracast. I tested it with the Kindle Fire HDX 7, the Google Nexus 7, and both of the Samsung tablets in our list above. It should also work with ASUS and LG. With this, users can wirelessly mirror their screen to the screen and show a presentation using a presentation application. It also works with many smartphones.

Here is a video demo of the use of the Tronsmart T1000 from the company.

Open it by swiping down from the top of the screen using a Samsung tablet. Touch and hold the row of Settings icons that appear at the top of the notification area. This opens the Connections tab in Settings. Turn it on by tapping the toggle button in the upper right corner. Tap on it at the top of the switch and let it search for devices and when Tronsmart appears tap on it to connect. See below for an example of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition.

To set up wireless mirroring via Tronsmart T1000, open Settings and tap on Connections tab. Screen mirroring is at the bottom left.

Google Chromecast, which also connects to an HDMI port and uses a Wi-Fi network to stream content from tablets and smartphones to the TV, does not support Screen Mirroring. For this reason The Tronsmart T1000 does presentations better than a Chromecast.

People who already own a Chromecast can still use it, although it’s not quite as elegant. Instead of running a powerful presentation application, create slides in a graphics editing application or program. Find pictures and put text on them as needed. Record images in the order that begins with double-digit names such as 01 and 02. Save them on the phone or in a folder that syncs with a service like DropBox. View images using an app that will cast to Chromecast. Users can also create the presentation using a PDF generator and then stream the PDF file to Chromecast. More about that below.

Best Android Presentation Apps

Microsoft, . It also doesn’t work on any of the tablets I’ve tested. So check out another solution.

Polaris Office 5 comes pre-installed on many tablets and also offers some nice features like screen notes and pointing.

Many tablet manufacturers ship or get their devices Free on Google Play. Create presentations on a mobile device and import or export them using Google Drive, SugarSync, DropBox or Box. This makes it easy to import a file from the computer to the tablet. It includes the following advanced presentation features:

Here are a few great Android presentation apps that run PowerPoint files well:

All of these applications include sharing features that allow the presenter to share the presentation file with their audience. Email the contact or upload to DropBox and create a public share link. Do it before the presentation and put the link on the last slide. Uses Google Drive can also share files.

It’s an app for Chromecast users (see the maker’s video demo above). Is there a free version and one premium version costing $5. It does not display presentation files from PowerPoint or Google Drive, but images and PDF files. Create the presentation by creating image files on a computer or application. Then record as discussed above using double digit numbers. Users can also create a PDF document that formats the pages to fit the resolution of their screen. Then use AllCast to view the PDF file.

Tips for Good Presentations

A while ago I posted tips for making good presentations. The keys to a great presentation include:

One-word concepts work better than long sentences.