When businesses and organizations need to present new ideas and gather resources to accomplish tasks, they use presentation tools. Presentation tools allow users to illustrate how a project, idea, or product is going to work to other interested parties. When people think of presentation tools, they usually stop at PowerPoint. The fact is, though, that there are many different presentation programs available. This article will explain what presentation tools are and list a number of online presentation tools that are available.

What are Presentation Tools
Not all presentation tools are exactly alike but they all include some basic features that allow users to create presentations and share them with other people. Presentation tools generally include functions that allow the user to insert text, audio, pictures, and videos and functions that allow the user to manipulate the presentation as a whole in order to maximize viewer interest and make the presentation more appealing. Presentation tools also include functions that allow the user to email, upload, or share the presentation in some other way.

AuthorStream
AuthorStream, found at http://www.authorstream.com/ , is actually a “presentation network” rather than a presentation creator. AuthorStream allows users to upload their presentations and share them in various ways. For instance, users can place their presentation on a specific webpage by assigning it a URL or web address. Once a presentation is uploaded, other users can download it as a video which can be played on an iPod or DVD player. Presentations can also be shared via YouTube with only a few clicks. AuthorStream even provides a chat area in which users can discuss their presentations with other users in real time over the Internet.

Empressr
Empressr, found at http://www.empressr.com/ , is a free service that allows users to create presentations from within their browser and share their work in a number of ways. Empressr provides content that users can place on their presentations as well as allowing the user to upload his/her own content for individual slides or as a whole presentation. Once the user creates a presentation, it can be embedded on Myspace, Facebook, Friendster, Blogger, WordPress and on the user’s own website. Through Empressr’s own social network, users can even specify who can see their presentation by setting it to either public or private.

MyPlick
Myplick, found at http://www.myplick.com/ , is another presentation sharing network. Users can upload their presentations and share them with friends, family, coworkers, and just people in general. MyPlick also allows users to sync their presentations with audio such as a voice recording or music. The MyPlick network is separated into two categories consisting of “Plickers” (user accounts) and “Plicks” (presentations). While the network includes many legitimate presentations, it also includes a large number of bootleg movies.

Spresent
Spresent, found at http://www.spresent.com/v2/ , is an entirely browser-based presentation creator. Spresent allows users to create flash-based presentations and share them with other users by embedding them on a website, blog, or social network. Spresent is free and while users can download software to create presentations offline, this is completely optional.

Zoho Show
Zoho Show, found at http://show.zoho.com/login.do , is another free presentation creator that allows users to create, edit, and share their presentations across the Internet. Zoho Show provides users with pre-built templates and themes that can be used to establish a quick basis for presentations as well as with tools to edit and share the presentations. Zoho Show presentations can be packaged and distributed as a whole or embedded in a blog, website, or social network profile. Shapes, colors, text, audio, videos, and pictures can all be added using the Zoho Show interface and remote options are available from directly within the console.

SlideShare
SlideShare, found at http://www.slideshare.net/ , is another sharing network for presentations and documents. SlideShare allows users to upload presentations that have already been created using PowerPoint, Keynote, or some other presentation creator as well as Word and PDF documents. Users can even upload clips of videos into their showcases alongside other documents and presentation material. Once a showcase has been developed, the user can upload a voice recording or music file in order to create a more professional presentation. The finished product can then be shared on SlideShare’s network, a social network, or website.