What is cloud computing?

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Cloud computing – it’s a term that most of us have heard but few of us can define. The reason for that is clear: Many experts vary on their definitions of cloud computing and its functionalities.

What it is:

Cloud computing generally includes Hardware as a Service (HaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS). Within those capabilities, businesses can offer flexible and scalable options for a number of services, including:

  • Hardware
  • Software
  • Anti-spam
  • Storage servers

Most providers concur that cloud computing always offers three things:

  1. On-demand services with monthly or set pricing.
  2. Flexibility to scale services as needed.
  3. The consumer only needs a computer and Internet access to use the service or program.

Although the term can confuse people, cloud computing always uses the power of the Internet to provide products and services to consumers. Check out this InfoWorld article for additional information on the basics of cloud computing.

6 pointers for better PowerPoint presentations

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PowerPoint presentations are something that we’ve all had to use at one point or another. But surprisingly, many people will admit that they still don’t know how to create a presentation using PowerPoint that is both informative and engaging.

Most professional presenters that use PowerPoint agree that the most crucial thing to remember when creating a presentation is not to overwhelm your audience. Slides flooded with facts are likely to confuse and bore, not engage, your audience.  And even worse, text heavy slides are usually read by the audience, and in the process, the speaker is ignored.

With this in mind, consider implementing these simple tips in your next PowerPoint to help improve the strength of your presentation:

  1. If you are a good storyteller, stick to a small number of slides focusing on key statistics, messages or images and use them to support the story you tell.
  2. If you are presenting how-to’s or other structured information it is wise to create slides that highlight your key points, steps or statistics.
  3. When presenting a process or structured information use bullet points, not sentences or paragraphs. This helps the viewers’ eyes move down the slide and catch each item.
  4. If at all possible steer clear of Clip Art, animations or fancy slide transitions. These serve more as distractions than additions to your presentation.
  5. Focus on branding your business through your presentation so you can increase awareness of your company through the whole speech.
  6. Practice first! It’s typically quite obvious to an audience if you haven’t practiced your presentation using your slides before getting on stage. Avoid the embarrassment and get your timing and speech dialed in before you present.

When used the right way, PowerPoint presentations can be a very valuable tool for conveying your message and engaging your audience. Keep these tips in mind and hopefully you’ll be on the right track for creating a strong presentation.

For more professional tips and tricks for using PowerPoint make sure you check out this Inc. article.