Stage Hand Quick Start
Stage Hand is simple to set up. There are just three steps — and one of those is optional.
Quick Overview
To set up:
- Install Stage Manager
- Pair your iPhone/iPod
- Enable the highlighter
To use:
- Open presentations in Keynote, and they appear in Stage Hand
- 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 to highlight it.
- Tap with two fingers to cancel the highlight
- Hold the screen upright again to return to your notes
For more details, read on...
Step 1: Install Stage Manager
First, you need to install Stage 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.
Simply download the package, open it up, and drag Stage Manager to your Applications folder.
Step 2: Pairing
Giving permission for a device to control presentations on your Macintosh computer is called pairing.
Stage Manager shows a list of devices that are running Stage Hand, 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 Stage Hand, 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 Stage Manager preferences.
Using Stage Hand
Open a presentation in Keynote if you haven't already. Its title should appear in Stage Hand. Tap it, and your iPhone/iPod will take control of the presentation (Stage 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.
Stage Hand 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. Tap anywhere to highlight a spot. Tap again to move the highlight. The highlight will fade out when you move to a new slide, or if you tap the slide with two fingers at once.