PowerPoint and Presenting Blog: January 2007
Thoughts and impressions of whatever is happening in the world of PowerPoint.
See Also:
PowerPoint and Presenting Notes
PowerPoint and Presenting Glossary
Wildform, Inc. announced the release of Quiz Creator, a standalone software program, which allows anyone to easily generate LMS compliant, customized Flash quizzes, tests, assessments and surveys in minutes and without the need for any programming. Quiz Creator uses a simple wizard based interface that guides customers through the quiz creation process in 3 easy steps: select a template, enter your questions and answers, preview and make additional changes or approve.
More on the Wildform site...
Categories: wildpresenter, powerpoint
Labels: powerpoint, wildpresenter
Today's free template is Forgotten Ideas - download here...
Labels: powerpoint, templates
PresentationPoint has launched a new presentation distribution service to schedule and distribute your presentations worldwide. Free accounts are available although paid accounts come with more bells and whistles.
Think of Signage24 as something similar to a web hosting company -- only in this case, they offer hosting and online delivery for your presentations. You'll also have to install a small player program and configure it before you upload presentations and other linked files. Then you define a playlist of files and schedule when the playlist should be displayed on the Signage24 players.
Visit Signage24.com for more information...
Categories: presentationpoint, powerpoint
Labels: powerpoint, presentationpoint
Turning Technologies has announced a new Mac-compatible version of its interactive Microsoft PowerPoint software: TurningPoint for Mac offers users an audience response system that creates a fully interactive experience - in the classroom, the lecture hall, the meeting room or even the conference auditorium.
More on the MacNN site...
Categories: remotes, powerpoint
Labels: powerpoint, remotes
Today's free template is Sandchecks - download here...
Labels: powerpoint, templates
Today's free template is Spiral Wave - download here...
Labels: powerpoint, templates
Move the wheel up, and you’ll zoom in; move it down, and you’ll zoom out. The amount the zoom changes with each tick of the scroll wheel varies between the applications. Word seems to go in 10-percent steps; Excel uses 15-percent increments; and PowerPoint steps through the fixed zoom levels.
Rob Griffiths explains more on the MacWorld site...
Categories: office_mac, powerpoint
Labels: office_mac, powerpoint
Today's free template is Textured 27 - download here...
Labels: powerpoint, templates
Today's free template is Blooms 17 - download here...
Labels: powerpoint, templates
Some presentation slides do convey so much more than others. More often than not, these are same slides that are simple and visual at the same time. By simple and visual, I really don't mean that you put in a box or a circle and add some captions -- any shape including boxes, circles, and other shapes have to form a relationship with each other so that difficult concepts transform to easier ones.
And such slide designs are not something that everyone can create -- these do require an understanding of visual balance and layout. Fortunately, vendors like PowerFrameworks makes it easier for you to access such visuals.
Read the full review...
Categories: graphics, powerpoint, presentation_samples
Wildform, Inc. announced the release of WildPresenter Pro 3, a new version of its multimedia presentation software. The new program builds on WildPresenter's presentation capabilities by enabling users to create LMS compliant, customized Flash quizzes, tests, assessments and surveys without the need for any programming.
WildPresenter's quiz creator uses a simple wizard based interface that guides customers through the process in three easy steps.
More on the Wildform site...
Categories: wildpresenter, powerpoint
PowerFrameworks is a subscription based web site that provides a library of ready-to-customize frameworks, metaphors and analogies that you can use within your PowerPoint presentations and elsewhere. New frameworks are added frequently.
Once you subscribe, you can access a larger range of frameworks, tutorials, and animated sample presentations.
Watch out for a full Indezine review soon.
Find out more on the PowerFrameworks site...
Categories: graphics, powerpoint, presentation_samples
Interactive Video Technologies (IVT) announced today the general availability of IVT Studio, a free, do-it-yourself video webcasting application that enables users to rapidly create, distribute and archive professional video podcasts and webcasts from their desktop. By easily combining and synchronizing video, audio, PowerPoint and screen captures with one-click publishing, anyone can use IVT Studio to create their own professional webcasts and podcasts with extensive tracking of viewer statistics. No training is necessary. Global organizations including IBM, NEC, several Fortune 100 companies and two large professional services firms have already successfully begun company-wide trials.
More on the BusinessWire site...
Categories: elearning, powerpoint
Colin Adams (pictured to the left) is the president and founder of Indigo Rose Software Design Corporation -- who also create the Liquid Cabaret collection of music tracks.
Privately held, Indigo Rose develops innovative software products and multimedia authoring tools that are used by thousands of customers around the world. Indigo Rose is headquartered in Winnipeg, Canada.
Geetesh: Tell us more about your Liquid Cabaret collection.
Colin: Liquid Cabaret is a 20 volume collection of unique, royalty-free, background music tracks ideal for use in PowerPoint presentations. Each volume centers on a musical style or theme such as "Instrumental Pop,""World Journey," and "70's Movie Soundtrack." There's a really wide variety of styles represented, so you're sure to find the perfect tracks to accompany your presentation.
Since presentations vary in length and format, so does the music in the Liquid Cabaret collection. Each of the 300 tunes comes in four different lengths, ranging from about 30 seconds to two and half minutes -- plus, you have the option to play a track on a continuous loop. Also, all of the tracks are available in high quality MP3 (256k) and OGG (Ogg Vorbis) formats.
All 300 tunes in the Liquid Cabaret collection were written and performed by Montreal-based professional composer, Paul Shrofel. You can purchase any of the volumes in the collection individually or you can get all 20 CDs on a single DVD-ROM at a greatly reduced package price.
Samples of each track are available online at our site and orders may be placed online or through our office at +1 (204) 946-0263.
Geetesh: How well does Liquid Cabaret complement PowerPoint. Also, what's your favorite track selection for use in a corporate presentation scenario.
Colin: What's the line? "Say it with music." We think that a great presentation is enhanced by a great soundtrack. Whether you want to set a mood, match a "theme" or key concept in your presentation, or just add interest and make things more dynamic, music is the way to go.
The Liquid Cabaret collection is the perfect complement to a PowerPoint presentation. First of all, it's easy to incorporate. You just drag and drop your audio files into your PowerPoint software, and you're good to go. Second, you have a ton of choice in terms of style and format. There are 300 songs to choose from, so you're sure to find the tune that matches the tone of your presentation. Plus, each of the songs comes in different lengths and formats so it can be further tailored to your needs. Third, Liquid Cabaret is royalty free so you don't need to go through the hassle of securing permissions or dealing with copyright issues. You just purchase your music, add it to PowerPoint, and then show your presentation to an audience of two or two hundred.
As far as my favorite track selection goes, I think that the tunes on Volume 12 "Instrumental Pop" and Volume 17 "Thinking Positive" are ideal for corporate presentations. The tracks on both of these volumes have a fresh, upbeat sound that work well as interesting, energizing background music. Having said that, you would probably get a lot of attention in the boardroom by adding tracks from the "70's Movie Soundtrack" or "Liquid Metal" to your presentation!
Categories: interviews, powerpoint, sounds
Microsoft and the Office logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.