Microsoft Office Reference Guide

Mar 26, 2004

␡

⎙ Print

< Back Page 160 of 342 Next >

In recent months, we've covered several higher-end solutions for broadcasting our PowerPoint presentations online and elsewhere.

We saw in an early article how to broadcast a PowerPoint show with video on a site hosted with Apreso Anystream.

We created a complete narrated video of our slide show with Camtasia Studio 2.0.

We combined everything in a streaming solution with a green screen and special effects in Visual Communicator from Serious Magic.

In the future, if I can get an evaluation unit, we might even do a complete online streaming conference broadcast using MediaSite, a very expensive but powerful tool from Sonic Foundry.

But a recent comment by an esteemed colleague of mine, Robert Befus of Presentation Strategies, got me thinking about another way to broadcast presentations. He mentioned the word "Podcast."

Podcasting is the latest big thing, especially among kids. At first, I thought "big deal, it's just uploading MP3 files for folks to listen to."

But not really. When combined with the blog phenomenon, podcasting involves posting the MP3 files in just the right format, with the proper Web scripting, so that pod readers will find the content. It's sort of like newsgroup readers in the old text-only days.

What's cool about this is that it circumvents e-mail, makes your content potentially available to those who seek it out, and it does so on a regular subscription basis.

So, how does this impact presentations? Let's say you do a series of medical meetings or conferences. A certain segment of your potential audience would be interested in the content, but can't attend. You don't want to rely on them coming to your Web site to see the final video version.

If you put out the (audio) content as a podcast, you can allow the subscribers to get it through their podreaders and download it to portable audio devices (hence the name – although an iPod is not the only device that will work, by any means). Then they can listen to it in the car, while they jog or exercise, or whenever they want.

So I started thinking, how would this work with PowerPoint?

My first inclination was to use the narration feature of PowerPoint for the audio portion. If I click Slide Show > Record Narrations, I get a very important dialog box for this purpose.

Figure 614

The reason is that I could just go on Insert > Movies and Sounds > Record Sounds, but in that case, or if I did not carefully set up narration, I would be in bad shape.

The reason? The audio would be embedded in the presentation, and would be useless for a potential podcast.

In this dialog box (Figure 1) I need to check the Link Narrations in box, and I also prefer to Browse in order to set up a subfolder for my narration files. (Audio in My Documents).

Now when I click OK, I can record my narration for this slide into a microphone as the slide show plays, and the narration is saved as a standard Windows WAV audio file in the Audio folder.

Figure 615

I could use any WAV to MP3 converter to encode the files into Pod-friendly MP3 audio. Instead, I use the first podcast reading (and writing) tool I found on CNET downloads, BlogMatrix Sparks.

There are hordes of these tools out there already. What I like about this one is that not only finds and subscribes to podcasts for you, it also makes the process of creating a podcast very simple.

Inside BlogMatrix Sparks 2.0 is a sound recorder (like the Windows sound recorder) in the first panel; it lets you record a podcast and do some simple mixing an editing.

But you can also import a file (Import Music). Be careful; the default file is *.MP3, but if you select All Files under Files of Type, you will see your WAV files in the folder where you saved them out of PowerPoint!

Figure 616

After you click Open, BlogMatrix converts the file(s) to MP3.

After you've named the "Mix" (Drug Efficacy), given it an Artist "tag" (Professor PowerPoint), and named the Podcast in which it goes, you can Save the Mix.

Figure 617

The final conversion of the files takes place...

Since I didn't want to get into scripting or creating my own RSS feed, I took advantage of BlogMatrix's (temporarily) free hosting service to right-click and publish my podcast to its site.

Figure 618

If I want to see the XML script, I can double-click it, and open the Podcasting options panel to add more media later on (after narrating a few more PowerPoint slides).

Figure 619

By making the RSS feed available through BlogMatrix's Web page (My BlogMatrix on the right) I can access it in the Podcast reader (on the left). Highlighting the URL lets me send this in an e-mail message to others who may want to enter it into their podcast readers to subscribe to – and eventually download my additional media files, onto their portable devices.

Figure 620

The URL is http://profpowerpoint.users.blogmatrix.com/podcasts/index.xml. But don't subscribe to this; it was created for test purposes only.

So that's how you would use the narration feature of PowerPoint to create a Podcast.

Another way to do it, and preferable for longer, multi-slide presentations, would be to use a complete narrated video of our slide show with Camtasia Studio 2.0. (Follow the link to work with Camtasia Studio). Then, when the completed video is in the Camtasia Editor, we can simply click File > Save Audio As and export the audio portion of the narrated video as a WAV file. (Unfortunately, MP3 is not an option here).

Figure 621

But now we have another file to work with to create our Podcast using BlogMatrix, or any other tool of our choice.

Using this process, we can make the audio portion of our PowerPoint presentation available to listeners on a subscription basis through their podcast readers, and enable them to hear our pearls of wisdom on an iPod, PDA or any other device capable of storing and playing back MP3 (or WMA) files.

< Back Page 160 of 342 Next >

🔖 Save To Your Account

InformIT Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from InformIT and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

Privacy Notice

Overview

Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about products and services that can be purchased through this site.

This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

Collection and Use of Information

To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

Online Store

For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

Surveys

Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites, develop new products and services, conduct educational research and for other purposes specified in the survey.

Contests and Drawings

Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

Newsletters

If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email information@informit.com.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information

Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

Cookies and Related Technologies

This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security

Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children

This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing

Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information

If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

Choice/Opt-out

Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by InformIT. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.informit.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information

Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents

California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure

Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

As required by law.
With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

Links

This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact

Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice

We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020

Email Address