Okay, here's my problem:

1. In a few weeks I'm headed to Portugal to make a conference presentation.
2. I do not use Powerpoint. I use Keynote, because it allows a tech know-nothing like me to do really cool things relatively easily.
2A. There is no way I'm going to make this presentation in Powerpoint with its effects in the time available (if at all).
3. The conference in question provides a Windows laptop connected to the projector.

When confronted with a similar problem here in the states I have always just: (i) unplugged the VGA plug from the useless (for me) PC laptop. Plugged it into the VGA/miniDVI adapter that goes into my monitor plug on my MacBookPro, opened the Macbook up, and voila!

Unfortunately, I've never made a presentation with a projector in Europe before, period. And I'm wondering if I have to worry about the power coming through the projector/laptop connection.

I know enough to have a converter/adapter between my laptop power cord and the wall to get over the 110V/220V/50hz/60hz incompatability....but...the projector (provided as it will be by the "natives", wil be 220V at whatever Hz the Portuguese use). So I have this nightmare of power making its way from portuguese 22Ov (60hz?) through the projector through the cords and frying my expensive 110V(50 hz) MacBookPro.

So....guys and gals...what do I do?

Thanks in advance.

Wade
p.s. And remember, there is no effin way I'm switching this thing to Powerpoint. I'll go back to the waving of my arms at random -- it is after all, an academic audience.

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No electronic device runs at 220 V (or 110 V for that matter). The power cord always adjusts the voltage and amperage down to a level the sensitive components can withstand. You won't have anything to worry about. I've even used my laptop on the unstable, generator-supplied power grid of Iraq with no ill effects.

If you're worried about surges, you could always take a surge protector with you, but I'm guessing that's gross overkill.

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So you're saying the the projector's Portuguese power cord (plugged into the 220V plug) will bring things down enough not just for the "Portuguese" projector, but the "USA" computer linked down the line?

So how come all these travel "advisers" tell us we need converters or risk our computers going up in sparks like my hairdryer once did in London?

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No, I'm saying your computer will convert the power itself. My laptop runs on 110 V, but it worked just fine on the 220 V power we had in Iraq and Germany, because it converted the power itself. Of course, I needed an adapter for compatibility purposes.

Part of the reason your hairdryer blew up may have been that instability I mentioned. Surges happen frequently in some parts of the world, and they can blow anything up.

On the other hand, I often used a power inverter in Iraq because power adapters can be poorly manufactured and can short out. At the fear least, the sparks they emit every time I plug in my devices freak me out a bit. Plus the power inverter provided a sort of buffer in the system: If a surge occurred, I figured, it would blow before my laptop did. We had some empirical experience to confirm this hypothesis.

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