Category Archives: Design

Sometimes, Always, AppleCare

Posted on June 20, 2019 by ricbret

I’m not typically one for extended warranties. AppleCare is the one exception. I always buy AppleCare. Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Deals, Design, Geeking around, Hardware, Technology | Tagged apple, AppleCare, iPad | Comments Off

Why I Judge Books by Their Cover

Posted on April 17, 2018 by ricbret

Book Judgement is someplace where I can review and express my love for the manufacture of books, the binding, typography… Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Design, Film, Media, Movies, Personal, Random thoughts, Review, SciFi Fantasy, Thoughts, Uncategorized | Tagged book, book judgement, design, fanboy, geek, media, reviews, Star Wars | Comments Off

Pointer Points for PowerPoint (And Keynote, and Excel, and…)

Posted on April 21, 2017 by ricbret

Innovating on a number of levels, Logitech brings us Spotlight Presentation Remote, packing some previously unseen pointer tricks. But is that a good thing? Continue reading →

Posted in Audience, Design, Geeking around, PowerPoint, Presentations, Presenting, Review, Software, Technology | Tagged Audience, demo, design, future-proof, google slides, innovation, Keynote, laser pointer, Logitech, Microsoft, PowerPoint, presentation, Presenting, prezi, remote, Review | 1 Comment

The Presentation Guild, a not-for-profit organization, has been hard at work getting ready for you. Quietly creating an environment where presentation professionals can enjoy just the right mix of community, training, support and comradery. Someplace we can all hang out at the virtual water cooler, go to classes, listen to experts in our field talk, and definitively set the presentation professional in the public spotlight as an important and well-defined industry position. Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Design, Graphics, Organizations, Personal, PowerPoint, Presentations, Presenting | Tagged articles, Comradely, forums, Presentation Guild, Presenting, speakers, training, watercooler, webinars | 3 Comments

Death By PowerPoint? No Such Thing.

Posted on May 18, 2016 by ricbret

This is the first time I’ve used the phrase Death By PowerPoint in a title, and it will be the last. Why? Because the phrase is so fraught with bold stupidity I refuse to endorse it. Death by PowerPoint focuses failure away from the real source of the problem. It actually hides the problem it purports to expose. It’s the ultimate look over there of inept redirection in presentations. Continue reading →

Posted in Audience, Business, Design, PowerPoint, Presentations, Presenting | Tagged advice, calligraphy, death by powerpoint, Keynote, learning, PowerPoint, practice, prezi, skill, tools | 2 Comments

Introducing Neo / Ipsum for PowerPoint

Posted on February 18, 2016 by ricbret

Announcing a new, useful, fun and free utility for PowerPoint: Neo / Ipsum from 2D10 Development.
http://www.roll2d10.com Continue reading →

Posted in Audience, Business, Design, Personal, PowerPoint, Presentations, Presenting, Software, Technology | Tagged add-in, business, design, download, free, justin bretschneider, Microsoft, PowerPoint, technology, tips, tools, Tricks, user interface, visual basic, visual basic for applications | 3 Comments

Finally, I’m Sold on Microsoft Office Subscriptions

Posted on November 13, 2015 by ricbret

I’ve been looking forward to writing this article for a couple of weeks now, ever since I got a sneak preview of things to come in the PowerPoint program. It’s not particularly hard for me to keep a secret, but it’s much more fun to share…
Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Design, Graphics, Personal, PowerPoint, Presentations, Random thoughts, Software, Technology | Tagged benefits, confession, features, Microsoft, office, PowerPoint, subscriptions, value | 2 Comments

The Fibonacci Method of Dealing with Difficult Clients

Posted on September 21, 2015 by ricbret

I love a good Fibonacci sequence, especially one with humor. And a friend (thanks, Rob) recently shared a priceless pricelist that did just that. We’ve all dealt with those folks who want to be much more involved in the process than is good for them or you. These are typically the ones who want you… Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Design, Graphics, Presentations, Thoughts, Writing | Tagged clients, fibonacci, friends, money | Comments Off

Want to Request a New PowerPoint feature?

Posted on September 1, 2015 by ricbret

Stop yelling at PowerPoint and start yelling directly at the PowerPoint team!
Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Design, PowerPoint, Presentations, Presenting, Software, Technology | Tagged apple, Microsoft, PowerPoint, progress, software | 1 Comment

Pebble Time Unboxing

Posted on June 3, 2015 by ricbret

I love the unboxing experience, even when it’s simply unzipping a package and unfolding the cover… Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Design, Geeking around, Hardware, Media, Personal, Technology, Thoughts | Tagged demo, pebble, pebble time, sample, setup, smartwatch, technology, Unboxing, unzipped, user experience, watch | Comments Off

Design vs. Fashion vs. User

Posted on October 24, 2014 by ricbret

I found myself rereading parts of Richard Saul Wurman’s Information Anxiety this afternoon. Last week at Presentation Summit I gave a talk on the Pecha Kucha format. Pecha Kucha is a form of presentation using exactly 20 slides, with each slide advancing automatically after 20 … Continue reading →

Posted in Audience, Books, Business, Design, Entertainment, Geeking around, History, Media, Personal, Presentations, Presenting, Random thoughts, Technology, Writing | Tagged bookies, books, design, fashion | Comments Off

Wireless… Not Really.

Posted on September 6, 2014 by ricbret

Looking at the otherwise seductive Moto 360, I’m struck by the beauty of the watch and the confusion it represents. Its charger is labeled “wireless” which is mismanaged marketing of what is more correctly known as inductive charging. Inductive charging means … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Design, Geeking around, Hardware, Random thoughts, Technology, Travel | Tagged electronics, inductive charging, progress, technology, watches | Comments Off

Take the Red Pill…

Posted on July 26, 2014 by ricbret

As well as producing the weekly podcast, I often write for a web site called Fanboy Planet. Fanboy Planet reports on all the silly and serious aspects of being a fan in this modern day. Being involved in fannish media is … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Design, Entertainment, Geeking around, Media, Movies, Personal, Random thoughts, Software, Writing | Comments Off

Book Judgement is on Fire!

Posted on July 16, 2014 by ricbret

Well, it’s at least warming up… Just a quick note that I’m so pleased to welcome Christopher J. Garcia back for his second submission to Book Judgement: A Book That Must Be Called Luscious. It is a love letter to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Business, Design, Entertainment, Personal | Comments Off

And another new blog… Book Judgement

Posted on July 10, 2014 by ricbret

Have I mentioned Book Judgement? It’s a project I’ve wanted to do for years, but never figured out exactly what it was and how I would do it. Together those are pretty inhibiting factors. Simply put, I love books. Not … Continue reading →

Posted in Audience, Books, Design, Entertainment, Geeking around, History, Media, Writing | Comments Off

The Shiny New Blog

Posted on July 8, 2014 by ricbret

Hey! You either followed the breadcrumbs or somehow just got lucky and stumbled into the new blog location. Congratulations either way. I’m really happy you made it here. For years I’ve used the free WordPress-hosted blogging, and I was happy. … Continue reading →

Posted in Design, Geeking around, History, Personal, PowerPoint, Presentations, Software, Technology, Uncategorized, Writing | Comments Off

She’s Giving It Away…

Posted on November 7, 2013 by ricbret

No secret to anyone about my love of this book. So why is it news today? This morning Nancy Duarte announced that “the multimedia version of Resonate is now available on HTML5 and iTunes for FREE! You can read, learn, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Business, Design, Personal, PowerPoint, Presentations, Uncategorized, Writing | Comments Off

How Screwed-Up is Apple Safari? I Think It Needs Therapy.

Posted on June 23, 2013 by ricbret

Some people think that because I worked for Microsoft for so many years that I’m an Apple hater. Well, that’s not actually true. Fact is, I’ve had a Macintosh on my desks, at work and home, pretty much constantly since … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Design, Geeking around, Media, Organizations, Software, Technology, Thoughts | Tagged apple, Chrome, Internet Explorer, Microsoft, Safari, WWDC | Comments Off

Calming Down the Grandpa in Office 2013

Posted on January 19, 2013 by ricbret

I got a lot of good feedback on The First Thing to Do to Your New PowerPoint 2013, thanks and wow – happy to help. So OK, here’s the second thing you should do after you install Office 2013. It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Design, Geeking around, Health and wellness, Personal, PowerPoint, Presentations, Random thoughts, Software, Thoughts | 6 Comments

Love of Books – An Unboxing of “The Fifty Year Sword”

Posted on December 10, 2012 by ricbret

I’m a big fan of books. Not just the stories, but the book construction as well. From bindings, paper choice, typeset, typography, layout, it’s all interesting to me. Mark Z. Danielewski is most famous for House of Leaves, an inventive … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Design, Entertainment, Geeking around, Movies, Personal, Technology, Uncategorized, Writing | 1 Comment