PowerPoint 2010 is a slideshow presentation graphics program with capabilities for text effects, audio, animations, and video. Presentations can be given in person, distributed on CD-ROM or DVD-ROM, placed on a network, or published to the web.

In the 2010 version, the Ribbon, which was introduced in Office 2007 and replaced traditional menus and toolbars with a set of task-based tabs, can be customized to suit the user's needs. The Ribbon's new File tab displays Microsoft Office Backstage view, which provides users with commonly accessed commands when opening or finishing a document and groups together related tasks.

Video and animated GIF files can be added to slides from files on a computer, the Microsoft Clip Organizer, a network, or an intranet. Videos can become part of the presentation file and can be edited and trimmed within PowerPoint. They can be set to start automatically or when clicked. Presenters can also embed videos from sites like YouTube or Hulu.

Audio can be added from files on a computer, a network, or Microsoft Clip Organizer. Presenters can also record their own audio or narration to add to a presentation or use music from a CD.

Animation can be added to audio, hyperlinks, text, graphics, diagrams, charts, and objects to focus on important points, control the flow of information, and add interest to presentations.

Integration with Microsoft Office Web applications allows multiple users at different locations to co-author or edit the same file at the same time. Office Web applications are free online companions to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote that enable document access, sharing, and collaboration from any web browser. PowerPoint also allows co-authoring of presentations hosted on SharePoint Foundation 2010, SharePoint Server 2010, or Office Live Workspace.

32-Bit and x64 Versions: The installation media for this product include two sets of DVDs and can be used for either 32-bit or x64 systems.

Important Volume Licensing Information: With Office 2010 suites and applications, organizations can choose between two types of volume license keys for product activation: a Key Management Service (KMS) license key or a Multiple Activation Key (MAK). Organizations will be provided with both types of keys on the Microsoft Volume Licensing website.

Microsoft recommends KMS activation only for organizations with at least 50 networked computers requiring activation for any combination of Office 2010 suites and applications, including Project 2010 and Visio 2010. Organizations with fewer than 50 computers requiring activation or organizations with non-networked computers should activate their products using a MAK. also offers instructions on how to use a MAK or KMS key to activate volume editions of Office 2010.

Acquiring the Installation Media and License Key: Installing this product requires installation media and a license key. Installation media will be shipped to you free of charge.

The license allows you to use the installation media to install the product on as many computers as you have received donations for. This quantity is specified in the donation email sent to your organization email address after your eligibility has been verified and your administrative fee has been received. A separate email will give you information about obtaining your license key.

Features:

Under the Software Assurance programme, customers acquire the right to install any new release of products covered in the agreement during the term of their coverage.
Sounds can be added from files on a computer, a network, or Microsoft Clip Organizer. Presenters can also record their own sounds or narration to add to a presentation or use music from a CD. The sound can be set to start automatically when the slide is displayed, start on a mouse-click, start automatically but with a time delay, or play as part of an animation sequence.
Animation can be added to sounds, hyperlinks, text, graphics, diagrams, charts, and objects to focus on important points, control the flow of information, and add interest to presentations. Presenters can use built-in predefined animation effects or create custom ones. Slides can also include Shockwave Flash objects.
Movies and animated GIF files can be added to slides from files on a computer, the Microsoft Clip Organizer, a network, or an intranet. A movie is a desktop video file with an extension such as .avi, .mov, .mpg, or .mpeg. Start options are similar to those for sounds.

Requirements:

Hardware:
•   500-MHz (or higher) processor
•   256 MB or more RAM; 512 MB recommended to embed video
•   1.5 GB available hard-disk space
•   1024x576-pixel (or higher) display with video card supporting Pixel Shader 20 and Vertex Shader 2.0
•   DVD drive

Software:
•   Windows XP with SP3 (32-bit only); Windows Vista with SP1 (32-bit or 64-bit); Windows 7 (32-bit or 64-bit); Windows Server 2003 R2 (32-bit or 64-bit) with MSXML 6.0; Windows Server 2008 (32-bit or 64-bit)
•   Internet Explorer 6.0 or later, 32-bit browser only; Internet Explorer 7 or later required to receive broadcast presentations

Additional requirements for some features or advanced functionality:
•   For graphics hardware acceleration — DirectX 9.0c–compatible graphics card with 64 MB or more VRAM
•   For speech recognition — close-talk microphone and audio output device
•   For certain inking features — Windows XP Tablet PC Edition or later
•   For Information Rights Management features — connectivity to Windows 2003 Server with SP1 or later running Windows Rights Management Services
•   For certain advanced collaboration functionality — connectivity to SharePoint Server 2007 or later or SharePoint Foundation 2010
•   For PowerPoint Slide Libraries — connectivity to SharePoint Server 2007 or later

Price: £8.00 + VAT