The Noun Project Presentation Icons

The Tip: Noun Project

We can't think of a better resource for icons than The Noun Project. This LA-based company founded in 2011, has created one of the most comprehensive icon databases available out there.

Icons in platform are created by artists all over the world, who get paid each time their design is used. However, the real strength of Noun Project is that all icons are stored and shared on an SVG (vector) format.

Unlike traditional image files such as JPGs and PNGs, Vectors are infinitely scalable, and their color and properties can be changed at any time.

We have integrated The Noun Project into our Slidebean Create presentation software back in 2014, which allows our users to pull icons directly from their database into their presentations.

If you aren't working on Slidebean (we can't see why), you can also download their Windows and Mac OS Apps here.

The Bad: Apple's Scripted Excitement

Apple has become the standard for product launch keynotes. Companies like Samsung have unsuccessfully tried to build similar hype around the launch of their products.

Steve Jobs was a fantastic presenter. He owned the stage and delivered a compelling message while remaining calm and making it seem natural- which is pretty much the opposite of what we see today.

Apple trains their presenters to what I call 'scripted excitement'. Anyone speaking at an Apple event is apparently forced to finish every other sentence with a punchline like 'It's really great', or 'it's really fun'.

It's really annoying.

Not everyone has the capacity to 'improvise' an exciting presentation delivery, but completely memorizing your script is not a solution.

The Good: (Still) Fantastic Presentations

We can't complain about the quality of their slides, though. Apple's design has always been stellar and their visual aids don't fall behind.

Brand consistency is preserved across all the document (even with their guest speakers). Slides are clean and never overcrowded with information. All images are original (though we understand stock photos are sometimes necessary).