Link This | Email this | Blog This | Comments (0)

Presenting Google Presentations
September 18, 2007

It seemed that the whole Twittosphere was tweeting about Google's new presentation application in Google Docs today. This brand new web-based app joins Google's other online tools--documents and spreadsheets. 

Google Presentation also joins the ranks of other online slide show tools, including Zoho Show, VoiceThread, and Slide Rocket (about to launch) and such photo slide tools as Toufee, ScrapBlog, SplashCast, and Animoto.

To get started, simply click on Presentation under the New pulldown menu.

While it doesn't have the flashy appeal (sound and animation) of some of the more media-rich tools, Google Presentation takes about two minutes to learn.  You can easily import PowerPoint presentations. It allows multiple collaborators to work on presentations.  And in wiki style, it displays a history of edits and copies of previous versions. Consider it as one of the first 2.0 applications you introduce to your more reluctant teachers.

A Cybernews article today noted that missing features included transitions, the ability to embed media, the ability to edit photos, charts and diagrams, and the ability to export files as presentations.  There is also a 10 MB file limitation, easy to exceed with large images.

Vicki Davis, who blogs as Cool Cat Teacher, created a presentation highlighting the high and low points of this new tool.  In just three hours today, collaborators from at least five continents contributed more than 400 edits.  That's collaboration.

Posted by Joyce Valenza on September 18, 2007 | Comments (0)