PPT - Powerful Presentation Techniques

Searching for Images on Google filtered by use licenses plus OfficSync Google Search Plug-in

Research Buzz has a posting on how Google Image Search now allows users to "filter their searches by a variety of use licenses including Creative Commons and GNU Free Documentation".  Using the Google Advanced Image Search you can select search parameters that include size, color, image type (.jpg, .png, .gif, .bmp) or license use.  Here is a screenshot of the Google Advanced Image Search.

I'm not familiar with GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL), so I did a search at Wikipedia and found their definition - "GNU FDL is a copyleft license for free documentation ... it is similar to the GNU General Public License giving, giving readers the right to copy, redistribute and modify a work and requires all copies and derivatives to be available under the same license".  Interestingly when you look at the GNU FDL site it seems to refer to manuals, textbooks or other documents without expressly referring to the images that are searchable through the Google Image search enhancement.  

Update
Since the original posting earlier this afternoon, I've come across a useful plug-in for your Microsoft Office Programs including PowerPoint.  The toolbar, OfficSync integrates Google Search Right into your standard PowerPoint tool bar.  This is a useful tool that takes you beyond the Microsoft ClipArt image search results to include the Google Advanced Image Search capability described above right from within your Microsoft PowerPoint Document.  You can also save files into GoogleDocs allowing you to remotely access the files online as needed. 

The free plug-in can be downloaded at OfficSync.com.  I downloaded the tool and you can see screen shot of the search tool bar for Microsoft PowerPoint 2003 and 2007, respectively.   A video from the OfficSync site explains the toolbar (beta) and the utility it provides not only for image searches in PowerPoint, but also for its use with other Microsoft Office Programs.
(Hat Tip to Techcrunch)  

The enhanced image search tool could be useful for presenters and marketers looking for specific images that might be of use for their presentations.

PPT - Powerful Presentation Techniques Resource Guide Rev 10 Released

I've updated the PPT - Powerful Presentation Techniques Resource Guide listing to include several new books, blogs, web sites and article links that I've come across or that have been submitted to me.  The Resource Guide is now in its 10th version.  You can download and share the Guide -  Download PPT-PowerfulPresentationTechniquesResourceGuideRev10

If you have additions or changes that should be made to the listing, please send me an e-mail.  

If I can be of any help in assessing your team's current level of presentation or PowerPoint skills or assist you with your training needs, please let me know.

Paul J Gibler. MBA
the Web Chef
ConnectingDots
pgibler@connectingdots.com
(608) 255 4092

Yahoo! Image Search Engine - Creative Commons Search

Research Buzz reviews the Yahoo! Image Search Engine and it's capability to search based on Creative Commons License - a great benefit for presenters looking for images with the appropriate license for use.  The search engine allows you to search for images that allow for commercial use and to filter out adult images as well.

Meanwhile at Google you can search for an image with a particular color according to the Google Blogoscoped. 

Just Released! Updated PPT - Powerful Presentation Techniques Resource Listing (REV 9)

I've updated the PPT - Powerful Presentation Techniques Resource Listing to include several new books, web sites and article links that I've come across or have been submitted to me.  I went through and re-verified all of the links, eliminating those that were no longer active, appropriate or relevant to the guide.  The Resource Listing is now in its ninth revision.  Download PPT-PowerfulPresentationTechniquesResourceGuideRev9

If you have additions or changes that should be made to the listing, please send me an e-mail. 

If I can be of any help in assessing your team's current level of presentation or PowerPoint skills or assist you with your training needs, please let me know.

Paul Gibler
(608) 255 4092

New article in Wisconsin Technology Network - "Ich Bin Ein Presenter"

My latest article "Ich Bin Ein Presenter" was just published as part of the ongoing column Buzz Networks that I write for Wisconsin Technology Network.  The article focuses on moving beyond PowerPoint with new Web 2.0 related tools for presenters like SlideShare, SlideRocket, authorSTREAM, PollEverywhere, while also suggesting enhanced software tools like PPTMinimizer, PowerShrink and image databases to bring your presentation strategy up-to-date.

I was also recently quoted in an article on Wisconsin Technology Network about Fiserv's MyMoney application for banks and credit unions.

Give me a call or e-mail me for help with your presentation strategies. 

Paul J Gibler
the Web Chef

Beyond presentations - resources of interest

Here are a couple of links to articles and resources that I thing you'll find interesting.

Beyond Blogs - Business Week writers and bloggers Heather Green and Stephen Baker refresh their popular 2005 cover story "Blogs Will Change Your Business" with "Beyond Blogs", a refreshing look at some of the many tools of social computing that are having an impact within the enterprise and among consumers.

Photo Sharing Sites - Looking for photo sharing sites beyond Flickr?  Check out this listing and evaluation on Photography Bay of 45 sites. 

For those of you with event planning responsibilities, you might find Pictoma worth checking out. 

PowerPoint Nibblets - PPT to Flash, PPT Maps

iSpring Solutions announced the release of iSpring Free, a tool for converting PowerPoint presentations to Flash according to a recent company press release.  Other PPT to Flash tools that are available include:

• FlashSpring
• PointeCast
• Wild Presenter Pro

Presentation Mall has a PowerPointMap collectionavailable for $139. 99. Other PPT map tools available include:

• Maps for Design
• PresentationMaps
• PresentationMapz

Photo Resources - SnapVillage, PictureNation and PhotoShelter

I haven't posted on low cost online photography sources for awhile.  One of the newer ones is SnapVillage, a microstock photography company owned by privately held Corbis.  They allow the "amateur" photographer to upload images, select their selling price from $1 - $50 and go to town.  The site allows you to search by price, recency, snappyness and relevance.  Here's a fact sheet on the site.

Another photo resource that I've come across is PhotoShelter.  They also offer a marketplace, although their pricing is significantly higher than SnapVillage.  On a less costly note you can buy web quality photos at UK-based PictureNation on a subscription or per image basis.

I'll be adding SnapVillage to version 8 of my resource listing for presenters.  If you have other photography or presentation related resources that you feel should be part of this resource listing send them to me.

Note: this is one of my photographs taken at the Bean in Chicago last summer.

UPDATED - PowerPoint & Presentation Resource Listing (REV 7)

I've updated the PPT - Powerful Presentation Techniques Resource Listing to include several new books, web sites and article links that I've come across or have been submitted to me.  The Resource Listing is now in its seventh revision. 
Download PPT-PowerfulPresentationTechniquesResourceGuideRev7.pdf

If you have additions or changes that should be made to the listing, please send me an e-mail. 

If I can be of any help in assessing your team's current level of presentation or PowerPoint skills or assist you with your training needs, please let me know.

Paul Gibler
(608) 255 4092

Book Reviews - presentationzen

Elegant.

That's the word that I'd use for an overall descriptor of Garr Reynolds' new book "presentationzen - Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery".  The book is beautiful with a "zen sensibility", great graphics and lots of good examples of before and after or just plain good presentations.  The book is well organized into 5 major modules:

1. Introduction
2. Preparation
3. Design
4. Delivery
5. the Next Step

From its foreword by Guy Kawasaki, cleverly "written" using PowerPoint slide to its sharing of the top Slideshare show for 2007, he's got a winner in this book for those looking for a clean overview of what makes for creating and delivering good presentations.  If you're looking for a book on techniques to use PowerPoint 2003, 2007 or Keynote you'll need to look elsewhere.  This book is not software specific, a benefit if you're reading it while on the road as a passenger en route to Minneapolis which I did earlier this month. 

I like how he reminds the reader that presentations involve 3 tools - the slides, the speaker notes and the handouts.  While many people think of these as all of the same, he effectively deconstructs the role of each of them in making a presentation effective.

Another comment, I'd make is that while Garr is very big on the use of striking and memorable photography, something I generally agree with, the reality of corporate budgets, presentation topics and the nature of internal presentations often intrudes and makes these visually rich presentations difficult to pull off.   Plus, not every presenter has the technical knowledge or software to manipulate images in the way that the presenters showecased are able to do. 

Garr does direct the reader to iStockphoto, and includes a special offer for readers. 

All in all, I'd rate this book and his blog an A for your reading list and as an addition to your presentation skills library.