Presenting – the future

Due to be launched later this year, Microsoft's PowerPoint 2010 will offer greater functionality, improved video and audio interaction and some incredibly handy shortcuts. Simon Morton of Eyeful has been test driving the beta version.

Rather than repeat the long list of improvements already covered by many blogs, I'll focus on our own six favourites, and their knock-on benefits to the day-to-day presenter. 

Don't lose the video

Having to always remember about linked video files and 'packing and going' used to be a pain. But now those heart–stopping moments when unpacking and launching a PowerPoint show with video are a thing of the past. With 2010 you can embed videos into the presentation itself. Also noteworthy is that you can then edit the video once it's in the slides. Both these improvements really are a giant step forward. You can even insert video straight from sites such as YouTube and MySpace. The world really is your camcorder!

Become the next Spielberg…

Not only can you embed video into your slides, you can now make your presentations into movies in their own right. While this was possible before, it required additional software. Now it can be done within PowerPoint, and is much simpler. The WMV file you create can be read by most computers, so becomes an easy way in which to distribute your slides. You can even post them on YouTube. Because it's a video none of the fonts, format and timings will change – your video will be seen exactly as you intended.

Animation efficiency at last!

PowerPoint 2010 contains some very useful new animation tools, but our favourite has to be 'Animation Painter'. Clicking on this unassuming little icon allows you to copy animations from one object to another a la 'Format Painter'. It's such a simple idea but will undoubtedly save users a huge amount of time. Well done, Microsoft.

The transition to greatness

PowerPoint's latest incarnation also heralds the introduction of some rather fancy 3-D animations. Users of Apple's Keynote software will be familiar with many of these, but it's a big step forward for PowerPoint. Apple will need to respond with something very special on the next release of Keynote to compete.

Return of the file

The funny looking 'Office Button' has gone and been replaced by the old 'File' menu heading – all having been forgiven. A simple change perhaps, but one that will please those that hankered for the return of their old friend – and annoy anyone who had only just got used to the 'Office Button'...

Coming to you live…

I've saved the coolest improvement 'til last - broadcast. This gives you the ability to send someone a link to your presentation. They can then watch it via a browser as you take them through it live. There's currently no audio capability, so you'll need to use the phone or Skype if you want to talk to your audience – but it's surely only a matter of time before it's added.

The beauty of this refinement is that your audience doesn't even need to have PowerPoint installed. It's a fantastic step forward and we at Eyeful are very excited about it!

 

Simon Morten is managing director of PowerPoint presentation specialists Eyeful and a regular guest speaker at RIBA CPD seminars.

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