An Interview with Michael Doyle

Interviewed by Geetesh Bajaj, June 8th 2006

See Also: An earlier interview with Michael Doyle

Since 2001, thousands of organizations have used Impatica for PowerPoint to deliver their PowerPoint presentations online. Go to Indezine.com to view an article about Impatica for PowerPoint that I wrote two years ago, providing an overview of the product and its functionality.

Last year, I met Mike Doyle, President and CEO of Impatica.  Mike shared with me then some of the exciting and wonderful initiatives they were developing and I recently contacted Mike to find out how these initiatives were progressing.

Geetesh:	What new developments have evolved since the last time we spoke?
Michael:	Impatica for PowerPoint continues to enjoy a high degree of success in both the education and corporate markets. In fact, our products are being used in over 50% of the universities and colleges in the United States today; a powerful testament to the effectiveness and ease of use of our software. With so many educators using Microsoft PowerPoint as a tool in their traditional and virtual classrooms, Impatica is filling a need for them to ensure that media rich presentations always reach their students without software issues, file size complications, or plug-in problems. Impatica gives them the confidence that their material will consistently reach students regardless of connection speeds, operating systems or other technical issues.
Geetesh:	What about Impatica for PowerPoint in the corporate world?  What sort of initiatives are you exploring there?
Michael:	We’re very happy to see our business growing with organizations of all kinds; from small and medium size enterprises through to Fortune 500 companies. We have found that corporate users of Impatica products have been very successful in using our products to create effective, attractive, and efficient advertising material. Impatica software offers the same high quality, media rich content output as flash but without the plug-in issues – it really is the best of both worlds. Business customers also appreciate the fact that Impatica for PowerPoint compresses media rich presentations to as little as 5% of original file size, allowing them to send Impaticized content to clients with confidence that their message is always reaching their audience. Impaticized presentations are also viewable on BlackBerry and other handheld devices, which adds another whole tier of value for mobile professionals who need information on the go.
Geetesh:	When we spoke last year, you shared information with me about the Impatica ShowMate.  What can you tell me about your new hardware device?
Michael:	Released in March, Impatica ShowMate is a revolutionary device that enables you to connect your BlackBerry handheld device to any VGA device such as a projector or large screen display and present compelling PowerPoint presentations wherever you go. Users simply connect the ShowMate to their projector, and are then ready to present. To get the show started, users open a PowerPoint e-mail attachment, or select a presentation that they have already saved to the handheld. The Impaticized PowerPoint presentation is transmitted and controlled from the BlackBerry via a BlueTooth connection. Text, graphics, charts, graphs and even advanced animations and transition effects are shown in full fidelity. The BlackBerry becomes an easy-to-use remote, allowing the user to navigate through the presentation while viewing a slide list, text or speakers notes. In the “View Notes” mode the BlackBerry becomes the speaker’s personal telepromptor. With BlackBerry and ShowMate, slide show presentations deliver the same impact with the power and convenience of true mobility.
Geetesh:	How do you think the ShowMate will affect presentation technology?
Michael:	We believe that the ShowMate is the next evolution in presentation technology.  Mobile professionals, educators and many others are now enabled to do from their handhelds what they could once do only from a computer. Impatica ShowMate gives presenters the ability to travel and present without a laptop, the power to move and engage their audience in new innovative ways, and the impact of fully functioning, animated presentations that they expect from PowerPoint.  Impatica ShowMate really has given presenters the opportunity to break free from their laptop. Without question it significantly extends the functionality of Microsoft PowerPoint.