Screen Capturing Is A Jing

excellent
key review info
application features
  • Capture Images: Snap a picture of anything on your desktop.
  • (2 more, see all...)

What are you going to do when a less computer savvy friend of yours asks for your help in dealing with an application? I never spell it out for fear of blistering my fingertips in vane. My solution for the problem is taking a snapshot of that application and draw the answer on it. I usually send it via instant messenger. But generally the interlocutor does not have the same version of instant messenger as I have, and different answers for sending the file have to be sought.

A more elegant way to help your friend in need is to appeal to the Techinline Remote Desktop service, but this is subscription-based and you only get a 15 days trial.

If you are looking for cheaper effortless alternatives you should check Jing (I know it sounds peculiar and giddy), a freebie with concise screen capture and share purposes. You have never tried something easier, this I tell you. And if you need more details, read on.

The application is developed by the authors of SnagIt and Camtasia, namely TechSmith and it is their newest product. Jing is different from all other screen-capture software as it also has online sharing capabilities. You can make a snapshot of your screen and store it online. The image can be viewed by anyone that has the link to it.

And to make it easier for you to share your images the application will copy the link on the clipboard, Thus a simple paste into the web browser will take you to it.

However, online storage does not come free, but with the cost of an account. Making the account is free for now, so I suggest you hurry up and make one right away. No sensitive data is required for creating your screencast account, just an email address and a password of your choice. You won't even have to check your email for a confirmation message to activate your account, that's how easy it is.

The interface?

There is no proper interface for the application. After the installation process is complete the application can be accessed from a little yellow ball (well, only half of it is visible) perched in the upper part of your desktop, right in the middle. That is if it doesn't take you too long to find the launching executable (I'll save you some time, it is in Start>Programs>TechSmith) as there is no shortcut placed on the desktop. It is not at all intrusive as its small size and fade effect make it almost invisible if you did not know it is there.

All the options of the software extend like tentacles as soon as you hover your mouse over the unfinished ball. The three alternatives let you capture images or video on your desktop, go into History menu and take a peek into settings area.

Making a screen capture, still image or video is always done with the help of a grid. The place where the X and Y axis intersect is actually where the pointer of your mouse is. Clicking and dragging it will cause the entire desktop to turn grey and only the area that will be captured will still be colored. This way you will know exactly how much of the screen is included in the capture.

Release your mouse button and the borders of the selected rectangle will start to glow. Now is the time to decide whether the capture should be video or a still image (check the lower left hand corner for these options). The image will be saved in PNG format and the video is actually a SWF file.

For more options when capturing images, take a look in the top left hand corner. Jing makes available basic editing tools like drawing arrows (very handy when you are trying to point out something), text tool, frame tool and highlight option. The last alternative available is color tool which can change the color of all the other tools (save text which can be configured from the text editor). Don't fret if you scribble on the image, Undo works just fine at a press of Ctrl+Z or from the button at the bottom of the page.

When you are done with all the explanations and drawing, you can choose to post the image on the web or share it locally. In the first case, depending on your Internet connection, you will wait a while an then Jing will kindly inform you that the URL is available on the clipboard (paste it in a text editor if you are not convinced).

When recording a video with your desktop or a clip running in some player there aren't any drawing options, unfortunately. But you can pause the recording at any time you wish and even mute the volume. The time elapsing is also displayed. This is useful when you are shooting a video with the purpose of sharing it with others. The larger the size, the more time it'll take you to upload the file and for the others to view it.

Time for checking out the settings. This is an arid place as there is almost nothing to configure. All you can do is add more functionality to the application by setting a capture hotkey and choosing a different location (top, left, right, bottom) of the dock site (the half yellow ball doming your desktop).

The minute I learned that Jing can store all the captures online, I kept wondering if they can be removed so space should be gained and the developer not be forced to provide the service subscription based. Jing History seems to solve the problem admirably. Deleting all the files in History window will also eliminate them from your online storage account.

I really hope the online storage does not turn into a subscription-based service as it will really cut the wings of the project big time.

The Good

It is absolutely free and the ease of use is amazing. Free online storage from Screencast and unlimited image and video capture powers. I'm all hyped up on the video part as now I can share my videos with my friends without having to include the appropriate codecs to watch it.

The Bad

When I first heard the name, it sounded yellow to me but I never expected I could not change the color. And this is the biggest problem with the application.

Maybe letting users download the captured videos wouldn't be such a bad idea and giving a hint on the storage limit would make users more responsible.

Removing the download link at the end of the video when previewing it locally would really make video playing less annoying. If I watch the video in Jing, I obviously have the application and use it, don't I?

The Truth

Jing is not for everybody. If you don't have a broadband Internet connection and 1GB of RAM, then you are not going to be content with what the product offers.

But I guess these are the minimum requirements nowadays. For a sample of Jing video, check this out.

Here are some snapshots of the application in action:

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user interface 5
features 5
ease of use 5
pricing / value 5


final rating 5
Editor's review
excellent
 
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