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Presentation software is used in classrooms and offices around the world. An electronic presentation will often include transitions, animations, video clips, or sound effects. The presenter wants to convey the information in a more interesting and engaging way.
The term PowerPoint has become synonymous with this type of presentation. This program was released in 1987. Originally intended for Apple computers, Microsoft bought PowerPoint a few months after it was released. This program is included in the Microsoft Office Suite along with Word, Excel, and Outlook. Users of these programs must pay a monthly fee ranging from $6.99 for one user to $9.99 for up to 6 users. You may also purchase the suite for $149. However, this price doesn’t include future updates or features.
Google Slides is a free alternative to PowerPoint. Slides, Docs, Spreadsheets, and Gmail are part of the Google Apps for Education suite that many students are using across the country. Slides and the other applications are simple and basic. This is another reason why schools have switched from Office. Most students don’t need complex features to complete a research paper or to prepare a presentation for history class.
PowerPoint vs. Google Slides
Which presentation software is right for you? Each user is different. A teacher or businessperson might need more features than a high school student. Read the following pros (positive) and cons (negatives) for each. This will help you decide which program is right for you.
PowerPoint
Pros-
- Offers the most features for both business and education. More transitions, animations, etc.
- Users may save their presentation to Microsoft’s cloud service called One Drive.
Cons-
- One Drive is only included with the monthly subscription.
- The cost. You either pay a one-time purchase price of $149 or you pay the monthly fee until you decide to switch to another program.
- The software includes too many features for beginners. Beginners might be overwhelmed and frustrated while creating a basic presentation.
Google Slides
Pros-
- Simple and easy to use. New updates are available at no cost.
- Free!
- Your work saves to Google Drive as you work. Google Drive is free cloud storage included with your Google account.
Cons-
- Slides might be too basic for a business presentation. Doesn’t include many of the advanced features available to PowerPoint users.
How to Use PowerPoint and Google Slides
This section contains videos that will help you fully understand the features Microsoft PowerPoint and Google Slides have to offer. Click each link to watch these videos.
Creating
Text
Audio
Images
- Adding Images in PowerPoint
- Editing Images in PowerPoint
- Adding Images to Google Slides
- Editing Images in Google Slides
Video
Presenting
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