Most folks know how much we love TechSmith - not only do they sponsor our video InkShows,  but they also make some awesome software. SnagIt, their screen capturing utility, is one of those I use ALL THE TIME, and I couldn't recommend it more highly.

With SnagIt 9 being released, it might be worth going over why you might want to upgrade. Well, TechSmith just sent me an email detailing some of the reasons, so I thought I'd share them here. The upgrade is $19.95.

1. Go with the flow.
Say goodbye to the old, rigid workflow. Now you're free to work with multiple images, on your terms.

2. Combine images easily.
Recent captures are always visible in the new Open Captures Tray...just drag-and-drop them onto the canvas to create a composite image.

3. Save nothing...save everything.
SnagIt now stores every capture automatically; browse and sort them visually with the new Media Library.

4. Find your stuff.
Find captures later by date or Web site captured, using the new Visual Search Pane.

5. Get organized (if you want to).
No need to save anything in folders...just tag captures with keywords or flags!

6. Keep your tools handy.
The Editor's new menus make it quicker to get at the features you use most...and easier to discover the ones you've never used.

My favorite screen capture software just got a major revision. TechSmith has now unleashed SnagIt 9 and it has a range of new features. Snagit 9 now has a redesigned editor and TechSmith is touting that the changes make it easier for you to do things your way. All captured images are now saved and there is a visual search page making it easier to find that image you need when you want it. Tagging is also improved, and it is now easier than ever to combine images.

SnagIt 9 runs $49.95 and there is a special price if you’re upgrading from a previous version. There is also 30 day free trial.

Note that TechSmith sponsors our GBM InkShows and Podcasts. That said, I’m not just hyping TechSmith because of their generosity and support for GBM. SnagIt is a tool I use each and every day. You owe it to yourself to give it a try.

I'm pleased to announce that TechSmith has just renewed their sponsorship of our wildly successful InkShows and Podcasts! This will mark their third consecutive year of sponsorship and we are extremely grateful for their continued support. TechSmith, along with our other loyal advertisers, make it possible for us to deliver the content we do.

Join us in thanking TechSmith by leaving a comment here and also by checking out their products: Camtasia Studio, SnagIt, Morae,  UserVue, and more.

If you are interested in sponsoring some of our other content like the GBM Shortcuts or RSS feed, or are interested in other advertising opportunities, drop me a mail to rob@gottabemobile.com

Just in from TechSmith - Camtasia Studio 5.1 has been released with some much requested improvements:

• lots of updated callouts
• new third audio track
• new presets for the iPhone and iPod Touch
• Spotlighter, which dims everything around you except where the mouse is, and Highlighter
• and more

Check out all the new features here.

GBM reader Phillip sent us a link to a guy that used Snag-It and MindManager to take notes with during a training session.  It's an interesting concept to morph the two together.  I use SnagIt, from TechSmith (one of our site sponsors), in a similar fashion, but not in combination with MindManager.  I normally just take a 'snag' and it automatically gets sent into the clipboard - then I can paste it about anywhere. 

I can see how capturing the screen, adding ink notes/arrows and sending it to MindManager would be very useful during a technical session.  I was in one last week and would have like to use it then...  Maybe I need to take a look at that link for the MM plugin for SnagIt.

TechSmith is seeking your input on features you'd like to see in the next version of Camtasia Studio, and how you'd like to see it improved.

TechSmith is the sponsor of our InkShows. We use Camtasia Studio to record all of our Software InkShows.

CES 2008 is long gone and so is one of my shorter audition trips. I’ve got a longer auditon trip coming up in a few weeks. This year I’m delighted that, so far, my “on the road kit” is performing well. In a previous post I wrote about the hardware that I was using, but in this post I’ll talk about some of the smaller, yet essential, accessories as well as a few essential pieces of software that I go back to time and time again while I’m doing work on the road. I’m not talking about the heavy duty applications (Office 2007, OneNote 2007, etc… ) but the utility applications that make my job a little easier and more productive. (some links below are affiliate)

Essential Accessories

iGo Stowaway BlueTooth Keyboard: I started preparing this post several days ago, but the recent news that iGo was going to discontinue the Stowaway Bluetooth Keyboard, moved this one up to the top of the list. I don’t use it often, but when I need it, it is invaluable. The Stowaway works well with any  Bluetooth enabled device that I carry with me, and has been a life saver in a pinch, when I’m working with smaller devices like the OQO Model 02 or a UMPC. It also has served me well on the Sprint (HTC) Mogul. I did an InkShow about this keyboard awhle back, if you’re interested in taking a look, although I find I have less time for that kind of coffee shop activity these days.

Talk about a deal!

TechSmith is giving away Camtasia Studio 3 for free. That's right, for free. Their hope is that you will so enjoy version 3, that you'll want to upgrade to version 5 for $149. Disclosure: TechSmith is the sponsor of our InkShows.

Download it here, then head over here to request a license. I'm not sure how long this deal will last, so make it quick.

Via MobilitySite.com, Red Ferret Journal, and WarriorForum.

TechSmith, the sponsor of our InkShows, just released Camtasia Studio 5. We use Camtasia Studio to record all of our software InkShows and it is a very powerful application. Learn more and download the trial here. Check out the new feature set below. Camtasia Studio is available for $299.

Streamlined recorder for swifter capture
The streamlined Camtasia Recorder makes selecting an area to record both fast and easy. There's just one button, no confusing choices. And the clever, new crosshairs makes it child's play to select a region, object, window, or the whole screen.

SmartFocus: freedom to capture now, decide later
Don't worry about the final product, just relax and record your whole screen. Camtasia SmartFocus keeps track of where the action happens during your recording. It automatically creates editable zoom-n-pan points that keep the important parts visible with razor-sharp clarity...even if you produce the video for iPod-sized screens. Fully automatic, very freeing. You've never seen anything like this.

Kiss supporting files goodbye.
TechSmith ExpressShow creates a single, beautiful Flash SWF file that can be easily embedded into any Web site, blog, or multimedia project. With a glossy thumbnail image, full-screen playback option, and floating table of contents, this is Flash video that makes you look good. Very good.

Predictable, surgically precise editing
Camtasia Studio 5 projects are now edited at 30 frames per second. With more frames to choose from, it’s easier to cut—and keep—precisely what you want, and with greater project stability.

Easy output for bloggers FTP Settings
Camtasia Studio 5 lets bloggers record and publish to Screencast.com, and blog about it in minutes. Or using the built-in FTP support, moving videos to your own server can be just as painless.

An experience you can count on Project Settings
Now with Project Settings and an accurate preview, you can edit your video and see exactly what it will look like before you produce it. And the new AutoSave protects your edits in the event of a crash.

SnagIt is looking to beef up their Beta Testing team for a new version of SnagIt.  You can add your name into the mix over on their site.  Techsmith is a sponsor on the site, and I use SnagIt quite a bit - one of the features I was just turned on to the other day was the copy to clipboard.  Yes, this has always been there, but I never really used it at all.  What it helps for me is when in Live Messenger I can take a 'snag' and then just paste it into the conversation - much better than having to save an image onto my computer and then copying and pasting it into the chat window!

From their site:

Guess what? Your feedback helps to shape the future of SnagIt. Want to give your feedback and opinions about SnagIt directly to the SnagIt development team? We're looking to grow the team of beta testers. And, you're invited to apply! Sign up here!

What's in it for you? You get to be apart of an elite group who help impact and test the latest and greatest SnagIt technology. And, you have direct access to the SnagIt development team. There is no pay involved, but you will have fun.

This is cool. One of my favorite tools has just added some new functionality that allows it to collaborate with another of my favorite tools. TechSmith (our generous InkShow Sponsor) has released a new Output accessory to SnagIt that allows you to send your snagged items to OneNote 2007. This will come in very, very handy.

Basically you snag the screen (or whatever you need) and from the SnagIt preview screen you hit the OneNote 2007 button and voila. You can also change the locations of where the snags get sent, or have SnagIt create a new page for your output.

I picked this up from good friend and OneNote MVP Kathy Jacobs (she broadcast it on Twitter and has this post on her blog.)

Very cool. Here’s a quick and dirty little video of the new output in action. (Sorry, no audio.)

You can get the new tool here.

UPDATE: If you drop Kathy a comment and tell her how you use the new tool, you can be eligible to win license keys for SnagIt and Camtasia Studio. Check it out here.

You know we love TechSmith products at GottaBeMobile.com and we are very appreciative of their InkShow sponsorship. Well they’ve launched a new project called Jing. Jing looks to be an evolution of their still and video screen capture technology that lots of folks use in SnagIt and Camtasia Studio. You capture what you want on screen and share it (via TechSmith’s Screencast.com service.)

Here’s a quick test of this as a video capture I did this morning.

To do a lot of the screen captures and images you see on GottaBeMobile.com, we frequently use SnagIt to capture and “jazz up” the image. TechSmith, the makers of SnagIt, have just released a version upgrade to SnagIt getting it ready to Vista and addressing some usability issues, and browser compatabilities.

Checkout this screencast by SnagIt Product Manager, Tony Dunckel, for more details on SnagIt and head over to TechSmith to download a trial.

First person to correctly tell me the model of Tablet PC they are using in the video gets a Tablet PC guy. Be sure to leave your email address so I can get your mailing address.

FYI: TechSmith is the sponsor for the InkShows we produce on GottaBeMobile.com

TechSmith Corporation is due to release version 4.0 of Camtasia Studio on October 17. This excellent screen recording software is what we use for our InkShow videos here on GottaBeMobile. (TechSmith is the sponsor of our Inkshows.) On the way to launch, they are showing off a Sneak Peek of Camtasia Studio 4.0 and we’ve had the opportunity to take a look. It is quite amazing. Some of the new features inlcude:

• Simultaneously produce videos in multiple formats.
• Improved audio
• Compare different formats before producing
• More customization of the final product.

As we continue to bring you new Inkshows, we’ll be taking a look at the new functionality that Camtasia Studio 4.0 offers and taking advantage of it you can be sure. To get a sneak peek, TechSmith is posting 30 videos in 30 days showing off the new features. You can check them out on their blog, The Visual Lounge.

TechSmith has just announced the release of SnagIt 8.l. We all use SnagIt to do most of the screen captures here on GottaBeMobile.com, and many in the Tablet PC space use SnagIt a lot as well. Although this release doesn’t offer anything new for Tablet PC users, they have made integrating SnagIt with PowerPoint much easier, improved the Callouts features, improved add-ins for Office and FireFox, and fixed support for IE7. Learn more here.

Now, about that Tablet PC support. I’d love to see the features from the Snipping Tool PowerToy integrated into SnagIt. It would allow Tablet PC users the ability to create those pen circled captures and annotations, and then apply the wonderful features of SnagIT in one step.

Any business venture depends on having the right support and partnerships to be successful.  Well, we here at GottaBeMobile.com are no different. Rob and Dennis started GBM with an eye toward lots of great premium content besides just the daily news updates we provide.  The first premium content we produced were small software reviews and demos that we labled, “InkShows”, all of which were produced using Camtasia Studio by TechSmith Corporation.  The more we used their tools, the more we realized how awesome they were, and how many other things we could accomplish with them.  Although we do at times use other tools to help with certain aspects of camera video production, Camtasia Studio is still the centerpiece of our toolset.  In addition, if you have never seen SnagIt, their screen capture / screen print utility, you are living a deprived computer life!  We use Snagit just about every day as well.

Well, we are now VERY excited to announce that TechSmith Corporation has now indicated their desire to be the offiial sponsor of all GottaBeMobile.com InkShows!  Their financial support will allow us to move into other areas of premium content that we think GottaBeMobile.com readers want to see.  We won’t get into specifics today, but we are moving forward with new server equipment, some underlying site engine changes, etc. to support more and better content for you in the future. Keep an eye on GottaBeMobile.com for cool new stuff!

It’s an exciting time at GottaBeMobile.com, and it is great to welcome TechSmith to the process!  Please take a moment and check out this page for more on Techsmith’s products, software trials, etc.

Welcome TechSmith, and thanks for your support!

Two of favorite applications that I use all the time on my Tablet PC have recently issued minor updates.

TechSmith’s amazing screen clipping tool SnagIt is like the Snipping Tool on steriods and allowing you to grab just about anything on your screen, set various output profiles, and manipulate the clippings in a number of ways. When TechSmith finally adds ink support to their annoation feature this will move from a must-have application to a killer application.

Paint.NET is an excellent image and and photo manipulation program along the lines of PhotoShop that works very well with the Tablet PC and has excellent pen support. By the way it is free.

If you haven’t checked out these apps, now might be a great time to do so.

• Check out SnagIt.
• Check out Paint.NET