TechSmith and Mac: When Will These Two Kids Finally Hook Up?
January 16, 2008
There are precious few applications on the Windows side of the world that I truly miss when I’m on my Mac (not counting games, of course). Two of those applications come from TechSmith: SnagIt and Camtasia.
With the visual design emphasis of Macs (and Mac users), the dearth of great screen capture applications is truly baffling. Snapz Pro X is nearly featureless compared to SnagIt or Camtasia, and has shown about as much evolution over the last few years as, say, Internet Explorer for Mac (read: zero). Seriously, Ambrosia, how many years can you milk $70 out of this thing without adding a few significant new features? Please?
Aside from games (again), screen capturing seems to be one of the very few niches where the Mac doesn’t have competitive (or superior) applications to what you can get on the Windows side. Why no Mac developer has taken up this challenge with great enthusiasm is inexplicable to me.
Skitch looks somewhat promising, if it ever actually makes it out of beta. Even then, it lacks much of the functionality of SnagIt.
And there is the Jing Project by TechSmith, which offers a Mac version. But it’s no SnagIt (nor is it meant to be).
Now, by my standards, neither Camtasia nor SnagIt are terribly polished in the visuals department. They both offer a tremendous amount of functionality, but ultimately they look like…well…Windows apps.
But hey, I’d still take either over what we have on the Mac side.
Personally, I’d love to know what Apple uses to do all those cool zooms, pans, etc. in their software demos and tutorials.
I was quite encouraged recently when I received an email from TechSmith with the hope-inspiring banner proclaiming Mac Edition and Come visit us at (Macworld)!
Sadly, they were not announcing the immediate (or even projected) availability of SnagIt or Camtasia for Mac. Rather, they were holding a discussion session (sigh) regarding the active development of Camtasia for Mac, and another discussion session to discuss whether they should build SnagIt for Mac at all (note to TechSmith: yes!).
I wish I had been there to participate in the discussion - I would love to see both these apps on the Mac. And soon. And please TechSmith, make them look and feel like real Mac apps, not like Windows ports.
If you are a Mac-using eLearning developer, you can sign up for news about TechSmith’s Mac development efforts. In fact, please do so. They need to know we’re here. We’re hungry. And we have some dollars to spend.
Of course, I can still run SnagIt and Camtasia on my Mac just like I do Articulate’s applications: using VMWare Fusion and Windows (though I couldn’t do screen capture work in the OS X environment this way, obviously). But wouldn’t it be so much better to have real, Mac-native versions of all of these apps?
Why yes. Yes it would.
Postscript (pun intended - sorry): hey Adobe! Captivate for Mac would be nice too! You know, you used to be Mac guys. Sheesh.
Posted in Apple, eLearning Development Tools
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January 17th, 2008 at 3:32 am
Hey Chris,
TechSmith as released information that Camtasia Studio is under development for Macintosh - so no discussion there
When it comes to Snagit for Mac I am sure there is just a matter of time. I wrote a blog post on the subject and in a matter of days we have a lot of comments. Please see:
http://www.snagitguide.com/42/snagit-for-mac/
I am betting it is just a matter of time until TechSmith announces there will be a Snagit Software for Mac too.
Many newly converted Mac users say it’s the only software the miss when doing the move…
January 28th, 2008 at 11:11 am
Hi Chris,
quick update: Camtasia for the Mac under way. Its being built from the ground up. New code, new UI, new workflow. Not a port over to the mac. We hope to have it out by the end of this year. If you (or your readers) care to help us beta test it later this summer, shoot me an email at t dot stein at techsmith.com (email obscured to minimize spam).
Troy Stein
Camtasia Studio Product Manager
February 11th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
[...] can enter your email address there to receive updates. Troy Stein, Camtasia Studio Product Manager, writes: Camtasia for the Mac under way. Its being built from the ground up. New code, new UI, new [...]
March 26th, 2008 at 12:32 am
I aM interested in screen capture software for MAC Thanks. I am willing to test beta version on my imac
June 17th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
READY 2 BETA TEST FOR MAC
June 17th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO BETA TESTING ON MY MAC.
July 6th, 2008 at 7:03 am
Chris referred me for your beta test. I’m would like to participate please. Thank you!
July 10th, 2008 at 7:56 am
I’d like to participate in the Beta as well.
August 5th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
I would love to beta test Camtasia for the Mac
August 16th, 2008 at 6:34 am
Why not have a look at Screenflow? I just picked it up for some basic screencasting for some classes I am teaching and it does most, if not everything that I used in Camtasia for USD$100. Obviously not as “full-featured” but for most people, quite a step above Snapz.
http://www.varasoftware.com/products/screenflow/
August 26th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
I would love to beta test for the mac
August 26th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
NOTE TO READERS: simply adding a comment that you would like to beta test Camtasia for Mac will get you nowhere. Please see Troy’s instructions (comment #2).
August 28th, 2008 at 8:30 am
Here! Here! I’m an avid Apple fan myself. Been one since the the SE and Classic. If that doesn’t say something, what does? But man, I’d love to see Camtasia running native on my Apple network.
We manage cabins in Pigeon Forge and the ability to use Camtasia in our work-flow would be great. I know iMovie can do some great things but Camtasia’s is just so easy and explainable.
Come on guys, put it out for us. We want Camtasia. We want Camtasia…..
September 17th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
[...] years of screenshot app neglect, the Mac platform is finally starting to get some much-needed love. I lamented over one of the few Windows apps I use that has no true Mac equivalent, SnagIt from TechSmith. And [...]
September 18th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Check out ishowu - $20 and encodes while processing. Sweet.
October 29th, 2008 at 10:13 am
screnflow — see Matt F’s comment
February 27th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
I would definitely enjoy beta testing camtasia for the mac.