Systems and methods for a camera and acceleration based interface for presentations are described. In one aspect, a handheld device is utilized capture optical information. The optical information is then used to identify the location of a cursor that is presented on a display surface. While a user moves the handheld device, inertial information corresponding to the movement is accumulated on the handheld device. The optical and accumulated inertial information is used to modify position of the cursor with respect to the display surface.