I really liked the brief story behind the creation of this software since it really resonates with something I would like to be able to do. The creator had a need for something like this, looked for it, couldn't find it and then built it. If I had the programming chops, I'd do the same thing. See app page for more. Below, you'll find my review and a quick video of me trying to set it up. The software, by itself, doesn't do much. You have to have some sort of connection to a display whether that be via Airplay or via a wired connection – so, for the review I will assume you actually have an apple TV or other connection option since it's clearly stated in the app description that one of these are required.
Productivity Value – 4.5/5 – The rating applies if you have connection to a video display and if you need this capability. The really the only deduction is that it's such a niche need, i couldn't see giving it a 5 and video loaded very slowly. I think this latter point is less of an issue with this software and more of an issue with AirPlay. However, I think it really does do exactly what it sets out to do and from that perspective it's nearly perfect. I didn't feel fooled by over promises on what to expect. When and if I need to present over AirPlay, I would turn to this software immediately. Also, while you can easily share via airplay from your phone or ipad just using the default software, this Boinx software is far better in terms of a seamless experience. You can get some sense of that in the above video. Plus the default software does not have cool features like ‘mousepose' and the laser pointer. In a setting where you have to show specific areas of a photo, these are very cool features.
Ease of Use 4/5 – The only deduction on this is that I had to actually read the instructions. That may not seem fair but if I can fire up software and not read the manual, yet still get all the functionality, that's a 5. On this I had to to a little reading but overall it was very easy to set up. Check the video, it's pretty straight forward.
Likelihood of reuse – 5/5 – I will use this again. This is not an everyday need in my house but as mentioned above, if I do present some photos via my Apple TV – this will be the one I go with.
Graphics and Sound – 4/5 – No sound to speak of but the interface was decent.
Overall 4.4 / 5 – At $1.99 in the App Store, this software fills a particular need and it does it well for a reasonable price. If you're looking for a way to annotate photos or do video mixing, this is not for you. However, if you have an AppleTV or other hard wired connection to a display and need to present graphics or photos from your camera roll, then look at this software. The software is lean (5058 KB on my widows box) so you could keep it handy on your device even if you're not using every day. One reviewer on the appstore gave the software 1 star and complained that it does not work without an external display. I say, “of course it doesn't!” That's clearly stated in the description. If you're clear on the requirements and have the need check out PhotoPresenter.
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