Completely off topic, but I have been using the hipmonk website for the past few months and it is GREAT for all of the travel planning I do.
Clean and streamlined interface, instant results, and results that are functional! If you are planning a trip with airline flights, check this out – and no I am not a spokesperson for it, just really happy to find things that make my life easier.
Troy @ TLC
With every presentation project for a corporate event, my first 3 technical questions are:
– What version of ppt?
– What is the projector and scaler resolution?
– What is the screen size (screen does not always match projector aspect ratio)?
Based on these answers, I am able to begin developing presentation templates, images and content.
– Troy @ TLC
There is a lot of confusion over the recent (and much anticipated) SP1 (Service Pack 1) for Office 2010. The install process was easy, but verifying it was installed has been a source of confusion.
Back with Office 2003, it was very easy and clear to know if a Service Pack was installed. Open PowerPoint, go to HELP and ABOUT and just read the first line of information:
But in Office 2010, that simple information is missing… Go to FILE >> HELP >> and in the right section is the install information – but where is the “SP1?”
(Before SP1 install)
(After SP1 install)
The answer is in the numbers. Thanks to PPT MVP Steve Rindsberg for figuring this out.
– Base build = 14.0.4760.1000
– Service Pack 1 = 14.0.6023.1000
The “6023” is the important number as it equals SP1. Now you know.
– Troy @ TLC
Flash is still a major component of many projects. On a recent presentation that integrated Flash elements, I ran into a need to know exactly what version of the Flash Player was installed on each computer.
I use this website to instantly tell me exactly what version is installed (Click here to open):
Note: Firefox and Internet Explorer (IE) use separate installs of the Flash player. If you use Firefox as the default browser but a Flash app does not work, be sure to update Flash player through IE too as most applications access the IE player (like PowerPoint).
– Troy @ TLC
I read this explanation of how multifaceted web design has become –
“You have to realize that Web design is broken apart in several areas:
1. UI ‘Front end development’ (Which includes HTML, CSS, Photoshop, and some Jquery, Java Scrip and Flash elements, Etc….)
2. Web Programmer ‘Back End Development’ (Which includes PHP, Java Script, C#, CMS, Ajax, Apache, Ruby on Rails, Python, Etc…)
3. SEO Specialist ‘Search engine Optimization’ (Which includes Ad words, Blogging, Press releases, Forum Posting, Key word research, Meta Tagging, Etc…)”
That got me thinking how diverse “PowerPoint” is: speaker support presentations, kiosk presentations, learning modules, visual displays, etc. Each is a very different use of the PowerPoint application and each is really an expertise in itself.
Just something I was thinking about…
– Troy @ TLC
The Presentation Summit is most likely the largest gathering of PowerPoint users at a dedicated presentation-specific conference. I was also at the inaugural event (then called PPTLive) several years ago and have participated in some capacity every year since.
This September, the Summit is in Austin, TX and should prove to a be another fantastic event for the 250 lucky enough to attend.
– Troy @ TLC
This week Microsoft released Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Office 2010.
Service Packs are major updates, same as when software companies adjust a version number (eg. version 10, becomes 10.1). This Microsoft webpage has all the details. Here is the list of PowerPoint related fixes (paraphrased by me):
– Presenter View now defaults to showing the slide show on the secondary monitor.
– Animation preview fixes.– Mouse pointer does not disappear with extended desktop (multiple monitors) and slide show being viewed on second monitor
– “PowerPoint Viewer is now included with the Package for CD option.” Note: This is only a text edit in the Package for CD dialog, no new feature/fix/or improvement (thanks Echo and Steve for letting me know about this one).
– If an Excel object has VBA) code, fixes error messages when you try to edit it (which is mainly seen with the error message “Microsoft PowerPoint can’t start the application required to open this object. An error occurred and this feature is no longer functioning properly. Would you like to repair this feature now?”).
– Coding issue fixed which gives wrong Runs.Count value is returned when a PowerPoint 2003 format presentation runs a PowerPoint 2010 object model command.
– Fixes issue with audio or video media not playing in presentation that was created on Mac and played on Windows.
– Fixes issue where .emf image displays incorrectly when you save a slide as an Enhanced Windows Medafile (EMF) file which is then printed.
– Fixes issue in which a pen cannot persist through the Slide Show mode when you use the pen as a pointer.
– Fixes issue where default language change is not used on new slides or new presentations.
– Fixes issue where a linked image is not saved when you insert the linked image in a presentation, and then save the presentation an Open Document Format (ODF) file.
– Note: updates in Excel and office wide fixes are not listed here, but also work with PowerPoint.
SP1 is part of Microsoft Updates (if turned on), or a direct download link is on this Microsoft webpage.
– Troy @ TLC
This is a real building (Customs House, Sydney, Australia) with a lot of incredible projection on it that was a live event (eg. not something created with great video editing). Maybe it is a hint to future meetings with no screen, but an entire building, theater or even the moon as the “screen”!
[youtube src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/wiSNuk3OvK8?rel=0″]
– Troy @ TLC
If you have not heard, Microsoft is sponsoring a great PowerPoint Presentation competition called SlideFest! And the contest begins today (closes May 14).
If you have not seen the promo videos , stop your productive work and spend 10 minutes of inspirational fun to view these comedy bits about PowerPoint!
See them here.
– Troy @ TLC
Thanks to Cliff Atkinson for pointing out this truly uninspiring set of images featured on BuzzFeed.
Photos are a great addition to presentations. Of course they need to match the topic, not be distracting, support the message and not be any of the images featured on this BuzzFeed article!
See all 60 here.
– Troy @ TLC