ViCoSo.com

Inexpensive Kiosk-type Marketing Tool

Looking for an inexpensive way to promote your product or service and have a computer?  Build a self running PowerPoint presentation that with showcase your products/services.  A different product image can be placed on each slide.  Text is optional.  Transitions can be set and the file should loop.   Display it anywhere you have traffic.  If you visit clients with a laptop, it can be converted to a screensaver to be automatically used anywhere.

PointClips: Illustrated Clipart for PowerPoint

Every company has its internal debates, and at VCS we are no different.  One of our on-going debates is the difference between high quality illustrations and clipart.  Where is the line drawn?  Inevitably we seem to know which is which when we see it.  Custom illustrations are consistent, thought out, and drive a message of quality.  Generic clip art is mismatched, not consistent, and can often detract from your message.  Until recently, if you wanted custom illustrations for your presentation you would have to find an illustrator.  Now there is another option.

PointClips recently sent us sample to evaluate.  Our findings: this is not your everyday clipart, but rather quality illustrations that you can resize and recolor right in PowerPoint.  Within their 4 categories, there is something for everyone: Business Basics, Objects & Equipment, Networks & Tech, and People @ Work.  Images can be purchased individually for $5, or in a package of 50 for $99.

Looking for an upscale way to enhance your presentation, visit http://www.pointclips.com/.

Classic Menu for PowerPoint 2007

The new menu interface for Office 2007 “Ribbons”, including PowerPoint 2007 is visually stunning; however after many years of working with the previous interface it can be a bit challenging.   I am forcing myself to learn it, however in the meantime if you want the features offered in PowerPoint 2007 and don’t have time or inclination to learn the new interface Addintools has created an addin to return your toolbars to their “classic” state.  They claim the file is small and installs in minutes.  It can also be activated and deactivated easily. 

The cost for the PowerPoint only version is $15.99 and office edition (PowerPoint, Word, Excel) is $29.95

This is an interesting idea.  I have yet to try it, mostly because I am fearful or no longer pushing myself to learn “ribbons”.  If you try it, please let me know.

PowerPoint: The Problems with Transparencies… and the FIX

Not always, but more often than not, if you use a transparent element in PowerPoint (haven’t tested 2007) the image when printed shows up as a solid colored box.  This is especially common for presentations that have gradients that blend from a solid color to completely transparent.  Not sure why this happens, however here is my little trick to get around it.

1. Draw/Place in the transparent object like you always do. 
2. Double its size or greater. 
3. From the main menu go to edit-paste special and select png
4. Resize the object into place

Voila.  Unfortunately, this object is no longer editable, however it is printable! 

Have a PowerPoint Problem?  Let me us know and we will do out best to assist.

Reduce Your PowerPoint File Size Dramatically

Are your PowerPoint files too large to email? Do you have images within your presentation? They most likely are the culprit.  All it takes is one oversized image. 

PowerPoint offers a little known, well hidden tool to compress pictures. Many users of PowerPoint do not have access to professional image manipulation programs (i.e., Photoshop), therefore mages of all sizes are inserted into PowerPoint and manipulated within the presentation package.  This includes the reduction of picture dimension and removal or cropping of undesired images.  The end result is a much small version of the original picture. However, as far as PowerPoint is concerned the image is still as large as the original inserted picture.

If you double-click the image, on the popped-up window you should see a “Compress” button in the bottom left hand corner which will bring you to the Compress Pictures window (below). 

For step-by-step instructions, visit our Presentation Tips & Tutorials (Tip 12).

For users of PowerPoint 2007, the compress option is built in automatically upon save. 

The Coolest, Little Known New Feature of PowerPoint 2007

The new Microsoft office brought along the addition of new extensions: .pptx, .xlsx, .docx.  However , this new extension is nothing more than a zipped container of all of the elements required to build your specific PowerPoint presentation.  When you change the “.pptx” extension to “.zip” , it will open into a world of new possibilities.  All of the file images are located in teh media folder.  There are too many benefits from both a consumer and a developer to mention them all; however here are three to should benefit everyone.

• Retrieve all artwork easily and in original format (.jpeg, .wmf, .tif, etc.)
• Easily identify large images (file size) and reduce for more manageable PowerPoint files
• Images are linked files and can be dynamically swapped for other images

The only thing I could wish for is that the images maintained their original name, but C'est la vie.  There are so many possibilities here, please share how this will benefit you.

The PowerPoint Replacement?

It has been rumored for some time now that Google will be adding to its free Google Docs and Google Spreadsheets a presentation package.  Last week Google made it official and announced they will soon be releasing Google Presently.  Presently was acquired when Google purchased Tonic Systems.

Once Presently is released, Google will have completed constructing their own office suite.  It is assumed, similar to Google Documents and Google spreadsheets, that Presently will also be free to use.  Google insists it is not competing with Microsoft office and that Office offers more features, however that is complete spin. 

Microsoft early on dominated the business software industry by giving pieces of office away for free (namely PowerPoint) which ultimately removed any competition.  Today Google is following that model, but one better, they are giving everything away for free.  The greatest challenge for the Google Office Suite in gaining users isn’t Microsoft; it is whether you trust your data online.  Much like paying with credit cards or accessing bank records online, some people are more accepting than others.  It will be interesting to watch the next steps for both products.

Would/Do you use the Google Office Suite? 

A Little Border Space Please

In the printing world, if an item or color is printed to the edge, then a little extra should go beyond that boundary (bleed).  This allows the cutter a bit of wiggle room during the trim process.  At the same time, no item of value; text, logo, or page number, should exist within a close proximity of the edge, just in case the trim is a bit inside the margin. 

The same is true of projected presentations for conferences, trade shows, and other large venue uses.  Important content should not go all the way to the edge to allow a little extra overlap off of the screen.  In the early days of PowerPoint, it was customary to require a ½” border where important content was not permitted. With uses of PowerPoint expanding beyond projected presentations; flip books, general thought collection, board meetings, this rule seems to have gone away.  Due to the more sophisticated projectors of today, I would argue that ½” border may be excessive; however ¼” or more still should be followed.  You never know when that little bit of space will prove advantageous. 

Saving PowerPoint 2007 as PDF: Not as Easy as It use to Be

Due to a conflict between Microsoft and Adobe, Microsoft Office 2007 (Vista) does not come with a native way to save as PDF.  However, there are two options.  The first and more costly is to buy a complete copy of Adobe Acrobat.  The other is for customers running a Genuine Microsoft Office product to go to the Microsoft Download Center and download the add-in.   

Design, Tic Tac Toe, and PowerPoint

As part of my “Elements of Design” class, I teach a lesson on Tic Tac Toe.  Each student is asked to bring in an ad that they feel represents a good solid design and then asked to draw an edge-to-edge Tic Tac Toe board on top of it. You should see 9 boxes, 3 over 3.  Upon a quick examination, you will notice that the focal point(s) of each ad will fall on one of three places: a point of intersection, centered within a rectangle, or within the middle of a line segment.  Items that are placed along these positions will create a more balanced design; thus carrying through a visual flow and creating a greater focus and attention to key points. This is known as the “Rule of Thirds”.

Points of Intersection

Centered in Rectangle

Middle of Line Segment

PowerPoint is no different.  It is a design tool.  PowerPoint layouts should follow universal design principles.  When creating layouts, be cognoscente of the Tic Tac Toe board; even going as far as placing guidelines onto the slides to assist with alignment. 

Below is an example of a slide with the Tic Tac Toe board on top.  As you can see below, the title is vertically centered within the first row. The person’s head with the laptop is horizontally centered within the right column with his eyes (the focal point of this image) aligned on the first horizontal plane.  The first bullet is also positioned on the first horizontal plane.

With Tic Tac Toe Guides

Final Slide

These lines of symmetry can direct the viewers’ eyes to focus on each element as a step-by-step visual story, thus reinforcing your message with several elements on every slide.