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IntroCreator allows people to create multimedia slideshows similar to that of PowerPoint. Although the program is not the most intuitive we've seen, a thorough Help file ensures that users have all the tools they need to create attractive presentations.

The program's interface is clean and well-organized, with thumbnails of each slide arranged in a grid. Large graphical buttons across the top give people access to the program's major features. Double-clicking each slide opens menus that allow users to customize the slide's appearance and content. Users who have never used a similar program before will likely need … Read more

Slideboxx provides a set of tools for making quick and easy searches for PowerPoint slides. With its simple layout and fast results, this is a great program for those who frequently work with slideshows.

While Slideboxx features a professional-looking design, its interface proved less than intuitive to navigate, and we required a visit to the Help file. One other gripe we had with the interface is that it opens within your Internet browser, so you can't use it as a standalone application but must open another program instead. Fortunately, Slideboxx is a breeze to operate. We were able to … Read more

Wolfgang's Vault, which offers high-quality digital recordings of rock concerts, has been trickling out updates since I wrote about its new iPhone app last month. On Tuesday, the site will begin to offer a new optional membership model where $48 a year gets you $50 worth of merchandise, plus discounted downloads and other benefits.

Wolfgang's Vault offers free streams, and downloads that cost up to $12, of professionally recorded concerts, in various formats up to and including lossless FLAC files. The Vault got its start by buying the recorded archives from San Francisco concert promotion company Bill Graham … Read more

Ticket scalping has been a hot topic in the music industry for years, causing a lot of uproar and complaints among music fans.

The sad fact of the matter is that lots of parties in the music industry try to sell secondhand tickets for a markup. Ticketmaster owns a premium resale service called TicketsNow. It also owns a resale exchange, TicketExchange, which lets any individual (including scalpers) buy or sell a ticket. Even artists and managers frequently take their allotments and sell them on broker sites for a markup, as The Wall Street Journal has reported.

Worst of all is … Read more

Presentation Wizard is a versatile program that allows users to create executable multimedia slideshows. Although we like the simplicity of its design, we do wish that the instructions were a little briefer.

The program's interface is uncluttered, with a small handful of buttons and menus. For the most part, the program is intuitive, and it's not hard to get started even without reading the instructions. However, users who don't read the instructions are likely to miss some important features, such as options for customizing backgrounds and other characteristics throughout the slideshow. And that can be a bit … Read more

Wondershare PPT2Flash Professional is a PowerPoint plug-in that allows users to convert PowerPoint slideshows into multimedia Flash presentations. The program integrates seamlessly into PowerPoint and adds several useful features.

The program's interface consists of an extra tab in the PowerPoint menu bar that looks like it could be original to PowerPoint. Its functions are neatly arranged with buttons. The program comes with its own built-in Help file, which could stand to be a little more detailed, but isn't bad. For the most part, the program's functions are intuitive, especially for users who are already familiar with PowerPoint. … Read more

Ashampoo Presentations 2008 provides all the necessary tools to create a PowerPoint-like slideshow. Its simple controls mimic the more popular program all the way down to its surprising feature.

Since we had previously created slideshows with Microsoft's PowerPoint, Ashampoo's interface felt instantly familiar. Most of the controls are in similar locations, and they perform every action that PowerPoint does. We quickly created a series of slides that incorporated text, images, sounds, and shapes, and we combined them in a customized slideshow in a matter of minutes. Ashampoo delivered a professional-looking multimedia presentation. Just like in PowerPoint, we were … Read more

Spreadsheet Presenter is an add-on for customizing Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. It contains tools designed to give your Excel spreadsheets more panache. It adds color, takes screenshots, and automates formatting tasks.

Spreadsheet Presenter appears in Excel as several small windows with tool bars that you can click on to access their full menus. You can select palettes of colors to use to color-code data columns of your spreadsheet or just to give it more visual appeal. You can also move and arrange the windows so that they don't get in the way of your data. The Copy and Save Selection … Read more

PPT to Video Scout provides a simple tool for quickly converting slideshows into video files. With quite a basic layout, it's easy to use. It does a fine job of producing high-quality video that can add visual appeal and a professional touch to your presentations and projects.

The interface is a breeze to navigate, thanks to a Wizard-like layout and simple commands. We were never confused, nor did we feel the need to visit the Help file for further instructions. We were able to choose one PowerPoint file at a time to convert, which kept us focused on the … Read more