PowerPoint and Presenting Stuff

Office Moves Browser-wards

In a single most important indication of things to come, Microsoft pulled the curtains to announce that Microsoft Office programs such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote would be available as light-weight, browser-based apps, much like Google Apps. However, unlike Google Apps, Microsoft Office Web applications won’t be available entirely free. Expect to see both paid and advertiser-supported versions. Significantly, Microsoft has also announced that these online programs would run beyond Microsoft’s own Internet Explorer in other browsers including Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari. These answers and announcements were part of the PDC (Professional Developers Conference), being held at the Los Angeles Convention Center from October 27th to 30th, 2008.

PC Magazine adds that “users will be able to sign up for an Office Live beta at some point in the future at the Office Live Workspace site, Microsoft said Tuesday. A technical preview of the software/service will be released later this year.”

CNET has more info: “In an interview, Microsoft Business Division President Stephen Elop said that the browser-based editing capabilities are being developed in conjunction with the next version of Office, known as Office 14. Microsoft won’t say when that version will arrive, but Elop said that a technology preview of the browser-based products will come later this year and that a beta version will be released in 2009.”

InfoWorld folks wonder about the timing when they ask: “Why is Microsoft announcing this now when it could have brought out browser-based versions of its apps long ago? “We’ve been figuring out the right thing to build for quite some time,” said Kapner. “The company had to feel good about its [services] strategy across the company. We had to make sure our Office strategy fit with the larger strategy.”

Filed Under: Microsoft Office
Tagged as: Excel, Microsoft Office, Office, OneNote, PowerPoint, Word

Motion Path Tools: The Indezine Review

Motion path animations can illustrate a process, show how a piece of machinery works, or just work with poetic abandon! Much of the work involved with motion paths can be painstakingly slow and repetitive. Our review product lets you do these tasks in a click or two, and amazingly enough, this is a free product.

Learn about Motion Path Tools Add-in for PowerPoint.

Filed Under: Reviews
Tagged as: Add-in, Animation, PowerPoint, Review

PowerPoint Motion Path Animations

Motion path animations in PowerPoint can illustrate a process, show how a piece of machinery works, or just work with poetic abandon! On this page, we’ve compiled together all the motion path animation content on this site along with quick tips from the pros.

Motion Path Animations related content such as reviews, tutorials, add-ins and more.

Filed Under: Microsoft Office
Tagged as: Animation, Microsoft Office, PowerPoint

Lock and Unlock Paths for Motion Path Animations in PowerPoint 2007, 2003, and 2002 for Windows

You’ve learned how to use motion path animations in PowerPoint, but did you know that you can lock and unlock motion paths? You probably won’t have to tackle locking and unlocking motion paths too often but it’s good to know more about these options. Firstly, let us rehash some basics. We already showed you how to add a motion path animation to any slide object by either using a preset motion path, or by drawing your own custom path for the motion path animation. We also explained the concept of reversing paths and opening and closing paths.

Learn how to lock and unlock motion paths for animations in PowerPoint 2007, 2003, and 2002 for Windows.

Filed Under: PowerPoint 2002, PowerPoint 2003, PowerPoint 2007
Tagged as: Animation, PowerPoint, PowerPoint 2002, PowerPoint 2003, PowerPoint 2007

First Look at Office 14 Next Week?

A number of online sites have started making noises about Office 14, the successor to Office 2007 on the Microsoft Windows platform. This news comes as Microsoft gears up to hold its PDC (Professional Developers Conference) next week at the Los Angeles Convention Center from October 27th to 30th, 2008.

ZDNet reports that “Office 14, as the product is code-named, will be discussed at next week’s event, with attendees likely to get a glimpse of some of its features, according to sources. Unlike Windows 7, however, attendees should not expect to leave Los Angeles with a copy of their own. Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer has talked recently about the idea that the next version of Office will be able to run in various modes, including over the internet”.

PC Pro adds that “Microsoft, as with most of its major releases, has been tight-lipped about what to expect from the new Office, though back in February Bill Gates hinted that it would feature a greater online presence”.

SC Magazine puts the online focus clearly on cloud computing: “Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer commented last week on a number of developments at Microsoft’s Professional Developers Conference at the end of this month, which has led to some euphoria”. They also add that “It’s all very well, allowing your copy of Microsoft Office 2010 to store your files in the Cloud, but what about the provisions of the Data Protection Act, which effectively prohibit the storage of employee and/or customer data on the other side of the world without the express consent of the people concerned?”

Watch this space for more news on Office 14. We’re waiting to see what they say about the new PowerPoint!

Filed Under: Microsoft Office
Tagged as: Microsoft Office, Office 2010