The Epson wonder-thing

Our school got an invitation to visit a certain informatica shop in Viterbo, to attend a presentation of the new Epson EB-450Wi interactive projector with a view to perhaps adopting it in our classrooms (in some imagined far-future...). I went with a colleague today at 11 a.m. We were the first to arrive. Did someone say interactive whiteboard thingy? I'M THERE!!!! In fact, I had already cased the joint at 8.45, so that I knew where to go.
I didn't have to be convinced by the IWB. I already am. I've been desiring one since I bought the 4th edition of Jeremy Harmer's The Practice of English Language Teaching, which shows teachers using the things. Then, as previously posted, I got to try one out at the recent IH ELT conference in Rome.
This new Epson wonder-projector negates the need for an IWB though! You can project onto any surface, including a blackboard. How retro would that be? That surface then becomes interactive, by using a special infrared pen (or else there is an infrared light from the projector which recognises movement...or something! I don't need to know how it works to know that it is wonderful.)
The people giving the demo were suitably convincing, and my colleague and I chatted about the application all the way back to school.
Then I got to thinking. I've been considering getting my own set-up to take when I go out to other schools. A decent lap-top and a portable projector - but is this the way to go, or will it create other issues which I am unaware of? How much can you actually do with the thing once you've got it? Am I going to have to learn a whole new skills-set to maximise the benefits? And will the technology make me a better teacher, or will it interfere the rapport I build with my students?
Consider that I don't really know how to use Powerpoint...

I did consider this, and as I had a bit of time up my sleeve (due to the fact that we really didn't take much convincing about the Epson Wonder-thing, and that they couldn't really keep us once we'd seen what it could do), I played with Powerpoint before my individual lesson.

What I came up with was a short presentation with images of Tod's shoes and bags, a photo of Diego Della Valle, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Why? Well, this particular student is preparing for a public exam to enter into a certain public entity which has something to do with markets and stock exchanges. For the English part of her exam, she will be presented with a fairly technical article about finance or markets or something. She will have to read it, then precis it, and then answer some comprehension questions about it.

I'm running out of financial articles that I can grab from the 'net! We've done them all. Especially ones about Italy. However, today I found a little piece about said Diego become the main shareholder of Saks. It was an uh-huh moment. I found as much information as I could about his company, Saks Inc., Carlos Slim (who was the main shareholder until Diego shouldered him aside), and the deal.

The PPP worked as a nice lead-in to the articles...but then?

Sadly, there is nothing that technology can really help with when the exam she has to do is sooooo dry! She did enjoy the article about the slap-down shouting match between Silvio and Diego, though.