Zentation is a free service that marries video with PowerPoint presentations, delivering a mashed up version of both for online viewing.
Using Zentation is simple. Users upload their video to Google Video, log into Zentation and copy and paste the URL of the Google video, then upload a PowerPoint file. The final step involves using the “ZenSync” tool to provide precise start timings for each graphic in the presentation.
Zentation currently only supports Google Video; apparently Google Video the only major video sharing service that allows users to jump to any point in the video even if it has not fully downloaded. YouTube does not provide this functionality and Zentation believes that it is essential for the service.
Mashed presentations can be viewed directly at Zentation.com or through an embedded widget like the one below.
Some people will groan at the thought of marrying PowerPoint presentations to online video. It’s bad enough having to sit through any conference or presentation which relies heavily on PowerPoint, yet on occasion PowerPoint slides can add to the experience. PowerPoint addicted professional speakers will love Zentation by enabling them to add their slides to recorded video presentations.
Zentation is not the first app trying to bring PowerPoint style presentations to the web. Sites like Slideshare offer online PowerPoint hosting and WebEx, DimDim and TeamSlide also compete in this space. Zentation differs by providing a mashup service with video, yet all collectively demonstrate a growing interest in the online presentation space.
http://www.zentation.com/viewer/zentationminiplayer_h.swf?passcode=692291&gotoGoogleURL=