We have an important announcement to make. The free version of Jing, which is used by over two million folks out there, isn't going anywhere. In fact, an update to Jing is available today. However, when it comes to Jing Pro, TechSmith is no longer processing orders for Pro subscriptions. If you have Jing Pro today, we are extending all subscriptions, at no cost, through February 28, 2013. One year from today, all Jing Pro subscriptions will revert to the free version of Jing.
Why are we doing this? Well, one answer is that Jing Pro benefits (like MP4 video recording and YouTube output) are now in the newest version of Snagit. By the way, videos recorded with Snagit don't have a time limitation. We know that will make a lot of people happy.
Today's release of Jing also contains some minor improvements, including:
- New dialogs when you share an image or video
- Added the ability for Mac users to send their images directly to Snagit
- Reworked countdown so it's more clear when you're about to run out of recording time
Questions? Leave a comment here or visit our Feedback site.
Paraphrased from Tech Support: "Hi, I bought a new USB microphone to use for my screencasts, but my audio still sounds terrible. It's tinny and there's a lot of background noise. The mic sounds great in other apps though."
Ah-ha! Here's what's probably going on. I'd like to explain how Jing works with audio devices (microphones).
The core issue is that if Jing finds a microphone that has worked before, it will keep on using it until you say otherwise. It doesn't automatically pick "the best" microphone or the newest one connected. The following example will make the workflow more clear.
Let's say your computer has multiple audio devices connected. For example, perhaps it has USB mic, and a 3.5mm analog mic that likely came with your computer (or often the built-in mic in the case of laptops).
If you're using audio from the USB microphone, and then disconnect it, the next time you go to make a Jing recording, Jing will interrupt the countdown and warn you--asking you to choose a new audio input device.
However, Jing does NOT warn you if you add a new microphone that wasn't there the last time you made a video. (Whether this is a good idea or not is a fair matter for debate and perhaps we indeed should notify the user.) Therefore, you need to tell Jing to use the microphone you wish.
Here's how to do that:
- Click More > Preferences.
- Next, under Audio Input, click Select Device.
- Jing will present available audio devices. Choose the one you wish to use, and click OK.
Fame. Glory. Groupies. Bragging rights. A really cool trophy. Oh, and some cool new technology (MacbookPro, Wacom Tablet and more)... These could all be yours if, and only if, you enter our ScreenChamp awards. We're looking for the best of the best screencasters.
Think you got what it takes? Here are some of the important details:
- You can find out all about the contest here.
- We're accepting submissions from 9/8/11 - 10/17/11. You can submit them here
- There are three different categories of Screencasts we're looking for: Education, Industry and Entertainment
- Submissions will be narrowed down to top 5 per category. 15 total top entries will be eligible to win Best in Show which will be voted on by the community
- Top winner in each of 3 categories selected by celebrity judges
- We'll announce the winners live on The Forge on 1/19/12
- Use the screencasting tool and hosting site of your choice. Of course we'd love to see you use Jing, Camtasia Studio, Camtasia for Mac, ScreenChomp (iPad) or Screencast.com, but it is certainly not required. :-)
- The hashtag we're using is: #screenchamp
Super official rules are posted here.
And, as Helen Rowland (English-American writer, 1876-1950) says, "You will never win if you never begin." So, let's get started! Show me what you got!
It didn't used to. When Apple gave us their first preview of OS X 10.7, code named Lion, Jing rolled over and played dead. In fact, all of TechSmith's screen recording software tools choked on the new OS. This wasn't good.
Our development teams went into hyperdrive and came up with a new way to capture screen video on Macs and the updated versions of our products released today are testaments to the agility of our development organization as a whole.
For Jing specifically, this release also marks the last update for PowerPC Macs. PPC Mac users won't be prompted to upgrade to a newer version of Jing until they migrate to a newer Mac platform. We didn't want to cut the PPC users out and leave them high and dry as that would suck, and isn't our style.
Download the new version now! (It will work on your current operating system AND on Lion when it's released.)
To be clear:
- Today's Jing for Mac update supports Lion (in addition to previously supported OS versions).
- All Mac Jing users should install the update (even PPC Mac users).
- From today forward, Mac PPC users will no longer receive Jing updates. However, today's version can still be used indefinitely.
As always, if you notice anything unusual after updating to this new version of Jing, or want to send us feedback please let us know. Thank you for using Jing...Rrrraaaarrrr!
-Dirk Frazier, Jing and Screencast.com Product Manager
PS - If you use Snagit or Camtasia on Mac, those apps have been updated to be ready for the Lion release, too.
Hi! I'm cross-posting this from Betsy Weber's Visual Lounge TechSmith blog. I'll be at this camp and would love to meet some fellow Jingers!
Come on in! Our doors at TechSmith are open! I'm really excited to invite you to the first ever ScreencastCamp!
So, what is ScreencastCamp? It is a gathering of screencasters and visual communication aficionados who want to network, learn, and collaborate on the art of screencasting.
The event relies on... YOU! All sessions, discussions, and demos are led by attendees sharing their knowledge. The program isn't determined beforehand--it's created the first day by the participants. Anyone with something to contribute or with the desire to learn is welcome and invited to join. ScreencastCamp follows the BarCamp model-an ad-hoc unconference born from the desire for people to share and learn in an open environment. It is for new screencasters and veterans alike.
TechSmith trainers, developers, video staff and evangelists will be onsite and sharing their knowledge too. You'll have access to TechSmith's studio and sound room. You can even visit the giant spork.
Here are some more details:
- When: Friday, August 12 to Sunday, August 14
- Where? At TechSmith headquarters, in Okemos, Michigan.
- Cost: Free! All meals and drinks Friday evening through Sunday afternoon are provided by TechSmith.
- How do I sign up to attend: Sign up through the Eventbrite site here. Note: We have a limit of 100 attendees.
I know you're probably thinking, "Do I really have to set up a tent and camp?" No, you don't have to camp. If you don't feel like roughing it, you can camp inside TechSmith or there are a couple hotels within walking distance. I'd encourage you to camp - around the campfire is where great ideas are born, interesting conversations happen, new friends are made and creativity is sparked... and, lets not forget about s'mores (did I mention I make homemade marshmallows?)!
The hashtag we're using for the event is #screencastcamp. You can follow @screencastcamp on Twitter. You can find out more about ScreencastCamp here plus I'll make periodic updates on the Visual Lounge as well.
Will I see you at ScreencastCamp? I'll bring the marshmallows if you bring yourself!
Something I've not done in a long time is use Jing to capture a score from a game. Today, I decided to look for the most odd game I could find in 60 seconds.
I'm not sure who thinks of this stuff, but here's a game where you're a piece of toast trying to get as much jelly as you can while avoiding being eaten. You get to be launched out of a toaster, so I suppose that's fun.
I only played it once--and I was only able to run for 85 seconds. Here's my high score having never played it before. Can you beat it? Put a link to your score screen in the comments. Then get back to work! :)
I wanted to mention the Screencast.com beta over here on the Jing blog, mainly because we just released a new Search feature and greatly enhanced the ability to move and manage content.
If you're a Jing user that uses Screencast.com, we think that you'll find it much faster and more efficient to locate some of your Jings in the often-crowded Jing folder.
What do you think? The best way to send us feedback is to post it here. Thanks in advance for taking the time to tell us your thoughts. We crave it.
Have three minutes? Check out this overview video.
You’ve no doubt heard of The Cloud. You’ve got cloud computing, Azure, Amazon S3... It’s like “The Internet” but so much more exciting, new, and profound.
The thing is, Jing’s been there and done that--we’ve been letting people host images and videos in "the cloud" for years. Sure, it’s great. People can click a link and see the video. We get it.
But what does the future really hold? The Jing team never stops looking ahead. We’re visionaries. And we’re convinced the future lies in The Clod.
We asked ourselves this question: Why do people like the Internet? Why do they call it the Cloud? Wouldn’t a more accurate name be “huge-tangled-mess-of-wires-and-radio-signals-I-have-to-pay-to-have-inconsistent-access-to”?
The answer is clouds are cute, puffy, day-dreamy. You don’t need to understand them or explain them--you just sort of know they’re there. People don’t associate clouds with something that’s going to store a bunch of your important stuff for free and then likely lose it or charge you for it later.
Brilliant marketing and naming, but we know the truth. Clouds are here one day and gone the next. People: Are you with us? Get your heads out of the Cloud and come back down to the Clod.
So what is Jing and the Clod?
It’s the texture of punch cards
The whirr of a hard drive
The motion of magnetic tape
It’s the heat generated from a physically altered piece of plastic
In short, if you can’t touch it, it’s not the Clod.
And Jing’s going there. Now with a multitude of output buttons, including the “Mother Earth” Button XL Combo which not only saves your video to your hard drive, but also puts a copy on an SD card, USB thumb drive, DVD, CD, Zoetrope, View-Master, and 8-track tape--you can rest easy knowing that not only will that video be yours forever, but you can deliver it to just about anyone in a format they can use. And by deliver, we mean you can even throw it at them if you are so inclined.
Can you do that in the Cloud?
Didn’t think so.
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