Tablet PC screen and powerpoint backgrounds

[Kevin]

Does anyone have an opinion on whether dark or light
backgrounds are better to use in PPT for showing on a
tablet PC screen?

I have found dark to be better (less glare) but someone
else in the office claims to have a report that light
backgrounds especially white is the best way to go.
(although she can't "find" the report - or remember who
published it.)

 

[Sonia]

It really depends on the environment you're in, I would think. I don't
think Tablet vs. laptop or desktop should make a difference. The angle and
intensity of the ambient light or direct light source can cause glare
regardless, but the glare is more distracting if it is coming from a large
light colored source, and the background is the largest object on your
slide. If you think about what it's like to look at a white shirt vs. a
black shirt on two people standing in the sun, you'll pobably agree that the
black shirt is more uncomfortable for your eyes. It's very similar too to
watching TV in a room with high light level. The details in the darker
scenes are easier to see.

You should really test it yourself, and it's easy to do. Create a simple
presentation with three slides. Give each slide a different background - -
black, white and dark blue. Use white text on the black slide, black text
on the white slide, and pale yellow text on the dark blue slide, for highest
contrast. Then view them in slide show mode in the environment you're going
to be presenting in. Pick the one that seems easiest to read and causes the
least eye strain. I prefer dark blue as a background, but black and other
dark colors work well too, as long as a high contrast light colored text is
used.

Just my opinion. Test it and pick your preference.

 

[Ute Simon]

Does anyone have an opinion on whether dark or light
backgrounds are better to use in PPT for showing on a
tablet PC screen?

I have found dark to be better (less glare) but someone
else in the office claims to have a report that light
backgrounds especially white is the best way to go.
(although she can't "find" the report - or remember who
published it.)

Hi Kevin,

I don't own a tablet PC yet, only borrowed one for some days. And I
preferred working with light backgrounds, they looked more familiar to me,
like paper notepads. But I would not use pure white but prefer a shade of
gray.

But, as Sonia said, it also depends on the lighting of the environment
you're presenting in.

Kind regards,
Ute