PromptSmart

PromptSmart is the smartest teleprompter to use for public speaking.

Over the years, I’ve worked with many different types of teleprompters. Big ones, small ones and even ones that are homemade. Most recently, we’ve been utilizing an iPad specialized teleprompter set-up that includes mirrored glass likes professional-grade prompters do. It’s inexpensive, lightweight and most importantly, it gets the job done. To use it, we’ve been using a prompter app that allows us to load scripts, modify them and display them mirrored so that we can be looking straight at the camera when we read through the pre-written script. For those of you who have ever had to read cue cards or off of a teleprompter, you know how annoying it can be to have to rely on a person to be paying close enough attention to your speech patterns so that your text is scrolling properly. A wonderful solution to this problem is the brand new app, PromptSmart.

PromptSmart is a revolutionary new app for iOS devices that is voice-guided. PromptSmart uses a proprietary VoiceTrack voice recognition technology that utilizes your device’s microphone and listens to your actual speech. The software recognizes your words and scrolls appropriately through your script. Because it’s all self-contained, there is no waiting for an internet connection to translate your responses – like Siri. VoiceTrack is smart enough to notice when you pause or stop during your script and will adjust the scrolling accordingly.

When I first opened PromptSmart, I did so on my iPhone. I was amazed at how well it worked with the voice recognition technology. PromptSmart comes preloaded with the Gettysburg address and Winston Churchill’s ‘Finest Hour’ speech. I worked with both of those scripts to get a feel of the app and was amazed at how the app tracked my speech. I stopped periodically to talk to someone in the room and the VoiceTrack technology noticed I wasn’t reading what was on the screen and paused the scrolling. It works exceptionally well.

After testing the VoiceTrack portion of the app, I then checked to see how easy it was to add new scripts. Again, as a test, I copied some familiar texts (the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States and the Declaration of Independence) and pasted the material into a new script. Once the text was copied, I was immediately able to play the prompter text. You are also given the option to edit the text, change the script settings, share the script via Message or Mail or you can trash the script completely. The nice thing about these options is that they are all available from a nearly invisible toolbar at the bottom of the script page. Some prompter apps require that you back out of the script before you make any changes to it.

Along the editing lines, PromptSmart provides a very wide variety of script settings that you can use to adjust your script so it’s the most efficient it can be for you. These settings include:

• Text color
• Background color
• Font
• Font size
• Remember script position
• Timer
• Guide
• Guide style
• Indicator
• Highlight text
• Audio recording
• Auto capitalize text
• Scroll settings (VoiceTrack, Pre-set scroll speed or manual scroll)

Even though the VoiceTrack setting is the best option (in my opinion), PromptSmart does include the familiar settings of pre-set scroll speed or manual scroll. In addition to full scripts, PromptSmart also gives the option for cue cards, or note cards as the app calls them. The note cards are meant for brief speaking points and not a fully written speech. Unfortunately, VoiceTrack can only be used with the script mode.

PromptSmart currently supports the English language only and is exclusively available on iPhone and iPad although the developer is working to release an Android version as well. The developer recommends that you stick with 5,000 words or less. PromptSmart will work with the built-in microphone or external microphones.

I can highly recommend PromptSmart for anyone who has to do any form of public speaking. The ability to work so easily within the app’s interface and the VoiceTrack technology are the best reasons to try this software. The only downside that I can currently see with this app is that it does not support mirrored text as a view. This poses a bit of a problem for people who are wanting to use this app with a traditional prompter set-up, like our iPad teleprompter.

PromptSmart is available for $9.99 in the App Store. For more information on PromptSmart, visit promptsmart.com.