--- title: "Social Media Roundup: Rethink PowerPoint Presentations With Sway" id: "26563" type: "post" slug: "social-media-roundup-rethink-powerpoint-presentations-with-sway" published_at: "2014-12-17T22:34:39+00:00" modified_at: "2026-11-09T18:22:03+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2014/12/17/social-media-roundup-rethink-powerpoint-presentations-with-sway/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2014/12/17/social-media-roundup-rethink-powerpoint-presentations-with-sway.md" excerpt: "Microsoft releases a preview of its new presentation app, Sway. Plus: a refreshing spin on your Instagram photos." taxonomy_category: - "Marketing / Communications" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "presentations" - "Social Media" - "Technology" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "C-Level" - "Director" - "Manager" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Social Media Roundup: Rethink PowerPoint Presentations With Sway Tired of years and years of PowerPoint presentations? Microsoft’s latest app takes a new, mobile-friendly approach to digital presentations, and you can get a first look at it in today’s Social Media Roundup. ### Introducing Microsoft’s Sway > “Now anyone can take a crack at creating a Sway” [#Neowin (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Neowin?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [http://t.co/HpgOoH2nsP (opens in a new tab)](http://t.co/HpgOoH2nsP) > [pic.twitter.com/tBNwIZ0Egz (opens in a new tab)](http://t.co/tBNwIZ0Egz) > > — Office Sway (@sway) [December 17, 2014 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/sway/status/545263908500811776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) We all deal with PowerPoint, and let’s face it, Microsoft’s presentation-building standby feels a little dusty these days. Sure, there are [plenty of alternatives to the ubiquitous program](http://associationsnow.com/2014/03/thinking-beyond-office-part-1-reconsidering-words-slide-decks/) , and [we’ve even speculated about whether meetings would be better without PowerPoint altogether](http://associationsnow.com/2012/11/lunchtime-links-dont-let-powerpoint-ruin-meetings/) . But the program and the presentations that come out of it remain relatively unchanged, despite the changing tech landscape. But now, Microsoft has introduced Sway, a new app to revamp what PowerPoint does with a particular focus on mobile devices. “Docs and PowerPoint were originally designed with an eye toward emulating an analog form of content: A piece of paper for a document. A flip chart for a presentation,” David Alexander, Sway’s senior product manager, [told Time (opens in a new tab)](http://time.com/3635709/microsoft-sway-powerpoint/) . “We wanted to create a new, digital-oriented output that doesn’t try to emulate a paper-based environment.” Sway is now available to the general public in a preview form, [which can be downloaded right here (opens in a new tab)](https://sway.com/) . And for some examples of Sway presentations in action, [explore the universe (opens in a new tab)](https://sway.com/universe_cheatsheet) or [animal migrations (opens in a new tab)](https://sway.com/animal_migrations) . Check out the debut video for the app below. *(ht @[sway (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/sway/) )* ### Fresh Filters for Instagram https://twitter.com/hunterschwarz/status/545225256479518722 Instagram faithful, rejoice! [There are five new filters (opens in a new tab)](http://blog.instagram.com/post/105365538947/141216-five-new-filters) for the wildly popular photo-sharing site, which means brand-new ways to make your personal or branded moments look way more artistic. Take a look at each of them below: Credit: *Instagram* Instagram has rolled out the new filters and a new filters interface for both iOS and Android users. And for those who may be rolling their eyes at the social network, consider its sheer number of users ([300 million and counting (opens in a new tab)](http://techcrunch.com/2014/12/10/not-a-fad/) ) and [new metrics that show just how huge its engagement potential (opens in a new tab)](http://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-engagement-rates-up-to-50-times-higher-than-twitter-socialbakers-finds-2014-12) is for organizations. *(ht @[hunterschwarz (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hunterschwarz/) )* [Morgan Little](https://associationsnow.com/author/morgan-little/) Morgan Little is a contributor to Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/morgan-little/) Tags: [#presentations](https://associationsnow.com/tag/presentations/) [#Social Media](https://associationsnow.com/tag/social-media/) [#Technology](https://associationsnow.com/tag/technology/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Tech Stack: How AI Is Changing the Association PlaybookOctober 29, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/10/29/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-tech-stack-how-ai-is-changing-the-association-playbook/) - [PodcastAssociations NOW Presents: More Than Marketing: The Power of Strategic CommunicationsJuly 30, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/07/30/associations-now-presents-more-than-marketing-the-power-of-strategic-communications/) - [VideoNimble Nimble for AMS Demo DaysMarch 9, 2021](https://associationsnow.com/2021/03/09/nimble-nimble-for-ams-demo-days/) - [VideoYM for AMS Demo DaysMarch 9, 2021](https://associationsnow.com/2021/03/09/ym-for-ams-demo-days/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2014%2F12%2F17%2Fsocial-media-roundup-rethink-powerpoint-presentations-with-sway%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !