Jing 

Jing is a very handy tool you can use to take snapshots and record videos from any portion of your screen. What is really special about Jing is that it allows you to share your recently created snapshot or video instantly through Screencast.com, without requiring to save the file first and upload it manually. The program is so intuitive that even complete beginners can use it effectively.

The program features a totally unconventional interface that makes it even more interesting. In fact, it installs a semitransparent "sun" in the middle-top area of your desktop, which is designed to stay in always-on-top mode. Whenever you want to make a capture, you just need to move your mouse towards that sun and select "Capture" from among the options that emerge. This will enable you to select the area of your screen you want to capture and whether you want to make a snapshot or start a video recording. If you select the "Capture image" option, the program allows you to apply a few basic editing functions to the image, namely adding texts, arrows and frames to it and highlighting any sub-area. If on the other hand you select the "Capture video" option, you are allowed to enable or disable your microphone, stop or pause the recording at any moment or restart it. Whatever option you choose, once you finish your capture, the program will allow you to save it as an image/video file, share it directly using your Screencast.com account or, in the case of a snapshot only, copy it to your clipboard.

Another option offered by the program's "sun" icon is "History" and it shows you all the captured snapshots and videos in a new window. Finally, the last available option is "More" and it basically allows you to access the program's "About" information and its settings panel. The only setback I can mention for this tool is that, during the installation process, you need to provide a Screencast.com account username/password combination. You can provide the info of an existing account, but if you don't have one, you can create it directly from the program's installer very quickly. Finally, the program also installs an icon in your desktop tray, which gives you access to the same options as the "sun" icon.

In conclusion, Jing is a lightweight yet versatile tool that provides you with a very simple and practical way to capture your screen action either as images or as videos. You can use it totally free or charge, so I can't see any reason for not giving it a try.