Perfect Image Suite for Laptop Bloggers

As the listeners of the show know, I recently purchased a new laptop for use at home. For those that want the details check out my about page. I have really concentrated on making this as untied to my desktop as possible. I have only installed the essential applications and have synced everything I can. One thing I did not want to do is install a big image suite like Photoshop onto it. For one I am just too used to having the dual screens for that stuff. Second I don’t use the mouse much on the laptop (I am hopeless with the keyboard) and for the amount that I used it it was not worth the space or the footprint. But I needed a solution in order to blog the way I wanted to. I found an awesome solution in SnagIt.

Jeff of Jeffro2pt0 has been raving about SnagIt for ages. I should have listened. I have been putting off trying it as it does cost and it is after all just screen capture software right? Wrong. It is that and so much more.

I am not doing a full review in this post, but I did want to say that if you are looking for a lighter solution for image capture and manipulation and your a blogger then you could do a whole lot worse than SnagIt. Seriously, I tried it for 5 minutes and I got out the credit card. I was blown away. The thing that impressed me the most was that everything I do with a larger image manipulation software I can do (and more) with SnagIt.

For the average blogger this is in my opinion perfect. The fact that you can import any image is a bonus, not just screen caps. There are so many options and features for you to use and play with. It takes every imaginable type of screenshot you could imagine, plus make up your own custom caps. Once captured, manipulate and add annotation or mash up a bunch of images then send it to Powerpoint or maybe over Skype. What about straight to your FTP server or blogging platform, yup it does these things as well. Or maybe you just want to tag it and save it, let the SnagIt image editor organize all your screen captures so they are easy to find later, done. Add extensions and extras from the TechSmith site for additional functionality and annotation. That fellow geeks is the tip of the iceburg.

To top it all off I can do things in far less time than with professional suites like Photoshop. Why? Because I am not a graphics designer, I have to struggle with PS to do anything. SnagIt makes it easy and quick and with awesome results. That said it is possible that the people who are PS guns out there may feel a bit limited by SnagIt. As far as I am concerned they designed SnagIt for Dave Gray.

For the mobile blogger this software rocks. I really am impressed with the features and versatility of the program. Check out the features page and related info on the TechSmith site. There are some videos of SnagIt in action as well. Then do yourself a favour and download the fully functional 30 day free trial.

If your convinced and want to buy it, I paid $39.95 U.S not the advertised $49.95. If you want the coupon code drop me an email. And no I am not making anything from it and no this not a paid post. Despite the enthusiasm!

One other thing I was impressed with is that TechSmith recognise that we often have more than one PC, like me a desktop and a laptop. Under the terms of service your are fully permitted to download and use SnagIt on both. Just not at the same time. So now I have SnagIt on both!

I really do recommend SnagIt, it fulfilled my personal requirements and indeed exceeded what I was expecting.

Software: SnagIt

Company: TechSmith

Platform: Windows XP, Vista

Price: $49.95 U.S. ($51.26 A.U)

Score: 5/5

7 Responses to "Perfect Image Suite for Laptop Bloggers"

Robbed says:

22-Jul-2008 at 01:16

By the looks of it, SnagIt fits somewhere neatly between Picasa (point and click) and Photoshop (Paint on steriods) but with much more features.

I’ve lived in PS for a long time so I’m fairly at home in it – but this may turn out to be a good gift for my sister… who has a sever case of technophobia.

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Herne says:

22-Jul-2008 at 05:15

What about “The Gimp”?

(No, not KW. )

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Keith says:

22-Jul-2008 at 13:37

I hate The Gimp. And I hate the name “The Gimp”. What’s wrong with just “Gimp”? Should we go around putting “the” in front of every piece of software??? “The Windows”, “The Itunes”, “The Excel”?!??!

Humbug.

On another note, the same folks who make SnagIt also make a video screen-capture / screen-cast tool called Camtasia. Also a fabulous product.

Time to close “The Firefox” so I can install my new copy of “The Office::Mac 2008″.

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Herne says:

22-Jul-2008 at 21:48

What does “Gimp” stand for, anyway? I’m guessing, “General Image Manipulation Program”? Maybe I should look that up.

(The) Gimp is ok, I guess, I have pretty much always had the pleasure of Photoshop, at least for the last 10 years or so. That’s what happens when you work for a Graphic Design company.

–The Herne

[Oh, I looked it up... it stands for "GNU Image Manipulation Program".]

What’s GNU?

Not much…what’s gnu with you?

(These are the jokes, folks.)

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Dave says:

22-Jul-2008 at 22:26

Herne have you not heard of Google? http://www.gnu.org (you almost got a douche-bag for that… and you call yourself a geek… all be it a paranoid one)

@Robbed As far as the “fit” of SnagIt – just remember that it’s primary functionality is that of screen capture – it is not a graphics tool primarily. By that I mean that I would not purchase it thinking that it would make a good image editor – it would be a reasonable one – but there are better ones out there for just this purpose. The combination of capture and editing in this suite is awesome.

The other thing Robbed is have you considered referring your sister to Picnik. Dead set easy web based image editing tool. Works really well. Lots more features than you would think. Check it out.

I have looked at GIMP but seriously as far as screen capture and in comparison – they just are not in the same ball park.

There is some software that is worth paying for – this is one of them. I don’t have many and I do not part with cash easily. This was an easy one. It is that good.

And that is my The Response.

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Jeffro2pt0 says:

24-Jul-2008 at 20:26

Hey Dave, great looking theme you’re using for the site. You didn’t mention the access you get to the TechSmith SnagIt FireFox extension which makes taking screengrabs that much easier. With the ability to add text, pointy arrows and different shadowing techniques right within the editor, this thing blows me away time and time again and makes me thankful that I don’t have to wait 10 minutes for Photoshop to load just so I can do a little image editing.

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Dave says:

24-Jul-2008 at 21:52

Your right Jeff there is a Firefox extension for it. I did not mention it because I thought I had raved on enough But here is the link to that for anyone interested:

SnagIt Firefox Extension

I agree I was blown away as well. One thing that it could improve on is the resizing – but it isn’t like it is terrible – just with some images it is asking a bit much. Over all killer app.

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