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Sway: Microsoft Offers New Free Alternative To PowerPoint, But Is It Better?

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Accompanying the release of Windows 10 from Microsoft is Sway. Sway is similar to Microsoft’s PowerPoint program, with a few key differences.
Sway really keys in on social media compatibility. Like PowerPoint, Sway allows users to build slide show presentations and enhances them with photos and videos, but Sway encourages those photos and videos to be brought in from platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest. Additionally, users can import videos from YouTube and Vine, and use music from Soundcloud. While none of that may sound out of this world amazing, it is a good sign of cooperation within the computing world, as it signals that Microsoft is ready and willing to play with Google and Twitter’s extended universe of platforms. Cooperation between software companies always benefits the user. In fact, Microsoft actually not only beta tested the new Sway program on various web browsers, but also on the iPad and iPhone to make sure it was compatible with ultra-popular Apple products. Microsoft’s ego seems to have been tempered a bit in favor of common sense. Another win for users.
Sway has an intuitive storytelling interaction that conceives logical design options on the fly. Things like slide color and photo placement is automatically suggested to the user, saving time and making the program easier to use than its predecessor.
Microsoft revealed on Wednesday that Sway is now available for free to use with its Windows 10 operating system, which was just released a week-and-a-half ago.
Microsoft seems intent on wiping away the old and bringing in the new with the Windows 10 operating system. They’ve replaced their long-dogged Internet Explorer with a newEdge internet browser, and Sway seems to be the program that will replace PowerPoint in the realm of programs of the past.
The ability of users to get Sway for free indicates another positive shift in Microsoft’s business model. No app subscription is required for users to utilize Sway and its benefits. For the past 18 months, Microsoft has reportedly been busy reworking its entire business structure in the way it offers its products to consumers and in how they ultimately use them.
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