Jing 2.6

Jing is a basic screenshot and video screen recording application that serves as publicity for TechSmith's more fully-featured products.

The PNG screenshots it takes can be annotated and marked up in several ways, and it can record SWF videos up to 5 minutes in length. (Other file formats are not supported.) Either type of media can be taken of the whole screen or any area therein, selected by click-and-drag or by choosing an open window. There are also options for quickly sharing the generated media through various websites.

In addition to your chosen file destination, the photos and videos you take with Jing are stored in a history panel that can be sorted by date and by size. Preferences include a customizable hotkey for quick capture, selection of a connected or virtual audio device, and use of a standard menubar icon, among other interface features. By default, one way Jing sets itself apart from any other app is by its availability as a "sun" hot corner in the upper right-hand corner of the screen, just under the menu bar. Mouseover toggles enlargement and the ability to open a new capture, the history, or the preferences.

It may be relevant to note that there was formerly a paid "Jing Pro" subscription that unlocked several feature restrictions, but this offer has been retired. In its place, ads for TechSmith's Snagit adorn every relevantly restricted part of Jing.

Sam's Protip: Jing can resize images automatically upon save, among other features, with customization of the "Jing buttons" shelf.