What’s caught our eye
We – and an estimated 1.2 billion others worldwide – have all been guilty of doing it: giving a PowerPoint presentation, that is. It’s way too easy to quickly pull a few slides together for a plan, report, or pitch; you name it. SO easy in fact that we have stopped asking ourselves if PowerPoint actually is the best way to communicate what we have to say. For that reason, the BBC rounded up a few useful tips about how to avoid making your audience fall asleep during a presentation, for example that we should think about the story first and about the slides last. Or, most importantly, ask ourselves if we need slides at all.
What’s trending
Unless you’ve been living in a swamp on Dagobah this year, you cannot fail to have been swept up the tour de force that is Disney’s marketing push around the new Star Wars film. From your supermarket oranges, to Foie Gras cream (really), the Star Wars brand is looming larger over us than the second Death Star. And while we’re big fans of Star Wars here, we cannot help but think Disney could’ve found a more charitable use of £24,000 at Christmas time than turning Nelson’s Column into a giant Lightsabre .
One to watch
Santa trackers are usually only used once a year on 25th December but Google is in the Christmas spirit and has extended this novelty to last the whole month of December. Santa Tracker 2015 , its version of a digital advent calendar, is packed full of interactive treats offering kids the opportunity to learn about holiday traditions, the season of giving, and many more educational aspects of Christmas. On 24th December it turns into a live tracker, allowing visitors to track Santa’s progress all through the night as he travels around the world delivering presents.
What we’ve been up to
This week we hosted our annual Christmas party for our technology journalist friends, giving us the chance to meet with the latest movers and shakers and hear what they’ve been up to over the rather unusual combo of mince pies and pizza. Amongst the merriment we also got some great Xmas tips including gadget gift ideas , how to neatly wrap Christmas pressies and some feisty recommendations for the ‘must-see’ Christmas movies. The festivities continue today at NBU towers with Christmas jumper day in support of Save the Children.