Take a look at Google Docs. Here’s proof that creativity can trump tools. Since it was made with software that does not support animations, this little demo is like making a stunning photograph with a pinhole camera instead of the latest mega pixel DSLR.
Although this presentation is clearly a promotion for Google Docs, but I think it serves as a great reminder that our creativity doesn’t have to depend on software. This cool show was made one frame at a time then played back to give the illusion of an animation.
Category Archives: business
What does that number in your presentation really mean?
A lot of our presentations include statistics. We use charts, graphs and numbers to tell our stories.
Statistics get thrown about for shock value sometimes, so understanding the data source, the sample size and the measurement referenced can help you decide if that headline is really meaningful.
In case you have a few questions about exactly what a statistic means, check out this great reference called Statistics Every Writer Should Know. Find everything from the basics (what is the mean, median, average?) to more advanced topics regarding sample size and confidence. The author has even compiled a fabulous list of where to find statistical data on the internet. His list covers sources for information on crime, military, economics, agriculture…you name it – he lists a source for it!
Statistics from over 100 US Government agencies. The preeminent source for federal government statistics is at FedStats.gov.
Top 20 resources for traveling presenters
If you spend enough time on the road making presentations, there are a few resources you’re bound to need at one time or another. Following is my top 20 list of links for the road:
Where’s my stuff?
Track that important package online at:
I need it now!
Run out of paper, ink, pens… Need stamps, copies or a presentation bound? Find the nearest:
Kinkos / FedEx Office
Office Depot
US Post Office
Destination Information
Get the latest weather information anywhere at NOAA
Get the maps and driving directions you need at Mapquest
Get the Zipcode
Need Your News?
Links for online news:
PBS
NPR – listen online, from anywhere!
CSPAN
BBC
From the Independent Media Institute, an alternative view of the news.
Headline news, right now.CNN
News and Finance up to the minute at Reuters
Quick market news at Yahoo Finance
Airlines
The FAA provides current links to all US airlines, so if you need to book a flight online or check out the customer service policy of an airline, go here. The thing that’s nice about this site is you get all the links on one page…so if you’re looking for options, this is the place.
Want to know the rules for lost baggage, ticket refunds, overbooking and delays? Everything from the agency that enforces the rules, the DOT Consumer Protection Site.
WI-FI
Stay connected, find wi-fi hotspots when you travel.
Here’s another source forfree wireless connectivity.
Here’s a list of airports with free wireless
Do you have links you use frequently when traveling for business or vacation? Leave a comment.
Download free backgrounds
Free for your personal presentations, backgrounds for any presentation software. These designs are in .JPG format, so you can use them with any software that displays images. The download includes 3 .JPG slide backgrounds in a zip file. The abstract designs work for inspirational, sales or classroom presentations.
Download these free PowerPoint backgrounds in a single zip file.
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Do You Use Flickr Slide Shows?
A friend asked me to make some photos of a rental house she owns and post them on the web. She had prospective renters in Canada and wanted them to see the photos right away. Since this was a tour of the house and yard, we wanted a slide show – not just random images – to intice the prospective tenants. I uploaded the photos into an existing installation of Coppermine Photo Gallery that was on one of my web sites to provide a slide show of her house. Coppermine is free software, and I already had it installed on my server. (Installing and maintaining Coppermine isn’t for the faint of heart., so it wouldn’t really be my preferred solution for a quick, temporary slide show.)
The need for a fast slide show came up again when I was shooting photos of an event on Siesta Key beach – The Crystal Classic Master Sand Sculpting Competition. I needed a to post some photos really quickly during the event, so I chose Flickr. Many of you probably already use Flickr to post your favorite photos, and know that you can just email a link to your family or friends. Linking to or embeding a slide show turned out to be incredibly easy as well.
If you group your photos into sets, it’s simple to share a slide show of a particular set. I uploaded a group of photos of the sculptors doing a group carve and organized them into a set on Flickr.
Then going to my photostream and clicking on the thumbnail of that set, I chose the slideshow option at the top right of the page.
That brought up a slideshow of the set. Then by clicking SHARE at the top right of the slideshow, I was presented with the option to grab a link to the page or to embed the slideshow.
By inserting the embed code into this post, I got the slideshow you see below. You could do the same with any web page or in an e-mail.
Of course you can also run your slideshow directly from within Flickr on your computer. But I started thinking – why not use the same process to make other slide shows? For example – if you have content (photos, screen captures, or even PowerPoint slides exported as jpgs) you would like to share with someone as a slide show, just upload it to Flickr. Make a set, and set the privacy settings as needed. If it is public, anyone can view your show. If you prefer to limit who can see it, just set the privacy for “Only Friends” and send an invitation to the individual(s) you want to see your slides.
It’s easy, free and your viewers don’t need any special software – only an internet connection. If you set permissions so your friends can comment – you can collaborate on your content, too. Do you have more experience with Flickr slide shows to share? Leave a comment.
Join the Community
Join the Presenters’ Resource community now and get more free templates, backgrounds, videos and themes for your presentations. When you join, we’ll send you occasional e-mails with links to free file downloads for your personal use in presentations.
Examples of just a few of the currently available downloads are shown here:
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Community members get new tutorials and tips, special offers and free samples. We won’t fill up your mailbox or share your information with any third party. You can opt out at any time. Join our community now, and you’ll get both the current downloads as well as ongoing e-mails with new downloads and offers.
Free PowerPoint Template to Download
Download this free PowerPoint template for your presentation. Free for your personal use, the design will work for business, classroom or other presentations. The .POT format works with both MAC and Windows OS and any version of PowerPoint.
Download this free template with an abstract arrow design.
Want to Know How Things Work?
How Everyday Things are Made An introductory website for kids and adults showing how various items are made. It covers over 40 different products and manufacturing processes, from airplanes and candy to clothing and plastic. This site has almost 4 hours of manufacturing video developed by Stanford University.
The Tech Museum of Innovation Their mission is “… to inspire the innovator in all learners”. Find a network of teachers engaged in using design and problem-solving as a method of teaching science and integrating other disciplines. The lesson plans and activities offer a design-based problem solving approach to learning science that supports the development of technology literacy.
Express Yourself – Free Political Graphics
New media to download. Free for personal and classroom use. Click on the image to download the files.
Voting is Patriotic.
Complimentary Download: Voting is Patriotic
Download a zip file with several stylized Democratic
and Republican party icons as transparent PNGs,
a graphic US map, and some JPG backgrounds
sporting US flag designs.
Use these graphics in presentations to encourage
learning about and participation in the political process.
You can use these files for any non-commercial
project…fliers, presentations, blogs…
Free Alternative Software – Free and Good
OpenOffice is a multiplatform and multilingual office suite. An open-source project, it is compatible with all other major office suites. The product is free to download, use, and distribute. Get OpenOffice as a download or on CD.
A collection of five tools, OpenOffice includes Writer, Impress, Math, Draw, Calc and Base components. The interface will look familiar to MS Office users. This suite was designed as one complete office package. Opens and saves in Office compatible formats. This free software could really help with your classroom budget.
GIMP is the GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is a freely distributed piece of software for such tasks as photo retouching, image composition and image authoring. It works on many operating systems, in many languages. Go here and check out the screenshots and features – then download and install.