Even though the version numbering of SlideDeck 2.1 – which was released today may sound like a somewhat minor update, it really is kinda major.
First a little history: SlideDeck 1
When SlideDeck 2 was released back in March, it was an entirely different beast compared to SlideDeck version 1. The old SlideDeck was focused on individual slides containing either raw HTML or whatever you could cook up with the standard WordPress WYSIWYG editor.
But you could also choose another route: To populate your slides dynamically with your latest posts.
The big problem with both of the above was always customization. You had to mangle the existing few skins (themes/templates) into what you wanted your finished slidedecks to look like. It wasn’t easy, as the code was rather idiosyncratically organized and not very well documented. Like being back in the late 90’s again, modifying code in Microsoft Frontpage.
SlideDeck 1 was always a nice-to-have WordPress plugin. But it was also a buggy and inflexible plugin, and hence a somewhat frustrating experience. SlideDeck 2 is much better in that regard. It’s less buggy and sports a vastly improved UI.
Enter the present: SlideDeck 2.0
SlideDeck 2.0 took on a new face and a new direction, introducing the new concepts of Content Sources and Lenses (easily customizable skins). You could choose to dynamically feed your slidedeck with content from various sources: Your YouTube or Vimeo videos, your WordPress posts, your Instagrams, Flickr photos, you name it. But NOT custom HTML! So while the new version was nice and sexy, no custom HTML input severely limited the practical use of SlideDeck 2. Aggregating is fine and good, but often you find a need to create story-based, narrative slidedecks, or step-by-step slidedecks.
Welcome to the future: SlideDeck 2.1
Today, SlideDeck 2.1 brings back the functionality that was missing in SlideDeck 2.0, and it does so very elegantly. They not only brought back what was missing in SlideDeck 2.0, they revamped the UI and made it do more than just accept HTML input. You can now also make mixed slidedecks, where each contain either HTML, text (even in columns), as well as an image or video.
SlideDeck 2.1 arrives here very well conceived – I really like it, and I recommend it highly for your instant WordPress consumption.
Give the demo a whirl for free right here! »