Aug 16, 2010

Introducing Prezi: A cool new way to present

What is Prezi?

Wikipedia defines Prezi as a web-based presentation tool using a map layout and zooming to show contextual relationships which addresses some of the shortcomings of Microsoft PowerPoint.

To put this simply,

  • Prezi is a website where you can make presentations online.
  • It has a map layout which means that it does not use slides. You have a large blank canvas and you can write anywhere on it.
  • You can zoom in and zoom out. This helps you go deep into a sub heading and then zoom out to the bigger picture.

What is the philosophy behind Prezi?

Traditional presentations made on MS PowerPoint are linear. Which means content is presented one after the other (the slides are all numbered 1, 2, 3 and so on). In Prezi there are no slides. You have a large empty canvas where you can write anywhere. When you are done, you make a path and connect your text. Then you move from one bunch of content to another freely.

How to use Prezi?


The Prezi website has 3 basic, 2 advanced and 1 expert tutorial videos which teach you how to use Prezi.

Is Prezi free?

You can sign up for a free account where you can create Prezis online (presentations made using Prezi are called Prezis). You can present the Prezis online and offline. By signing up for a paid account you get more storage space online, you can make content private (prezis with a free acount can be viewed by anyone) and you get to create Prezis offline.

Should I use Prezi?
You should try Prezi once. Sign up for a free account, learn the basics and make a few presentations online. Find out how comfortable you are with Prezi. Make a small presentation in college or at work using Prezi. See how your audience reacts to it. The biggest benefit of using Prezi is that it immediately differentiates you from the crowd. Your audience would have never seen anything like this before.

The only word of caution is: Do not go overboard. Prezi has its own disadvantages. Too much of zooming in and zooming out and rotation of the screen starts making people drowsy.


What do you feel about Prezi? Share your first thoughts.

2 comments :

  1. Hey you there, Prezi is literally awesome. It is totally different than what I have been exposed for the last 7 years of my life, MS PowerPoint. I'm a computer guy and my instructors used and have been using Powerpoint presentations, which in turn makes all of us, as the class, sick of it (imagie you have eaten the same meal for 7 years). As for the Prezi, it's great: its nonlinear layout makes it what it is.

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  2. @Anonymous

    Yeps, that's true. But remember to use Prezi carefully. Excess graphics in Prezi will make your audience dizzy.

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