I'm an iPhone dev, and the thought of building something this big makes my stomach (and wallet) hurt. This could easily cost $50-$100k to produce.
However, if this didn't have to have it's own version of powerpoint built in, it would be a lot more feasible.
In other words, a lot of the cost would go into duplicating the slide creation tools in powerpoint and keynote. What if there was an "import powerpoint/keynote" option? You would build your slides in powerpoint/keynote, then import them into this for presentation. There could also be simple slide creation tools, so you could import and duplicate a basic template, then the talkingpad app could insert basic text and such.
As long as you don't have to create all the charting, graphing, detailed text manipulation tools, etc. of powerpoint, the app dev could focus on the more important stuff.
Workflow:
1. Launch new project
2. Import slide presentation that you created in powerpoint/keynote, which includes a blank slide for template purposes in talkingpad.
3. Rearrange slides in new nav system.
4. Add links, movies, etc.
5. Add WebUI based webpage "slides." (Basically just a browser page within the presentation, with address loaded up.)
Etc., etc., etc….
That way this program doesn't have to do everything that the highly advanced powerpoint programs do, it's just a shell that takes pre-made presentations and is much better at PRESENTING.
SO… I guess Seth could say that powerpoint and keynote have always focused on the CREATING of presentations, and this app would focus on the PRESENTING of presentations.