ScreenToaster: browser-based screencast tool from France

Screencasts are among most powerful tool in explaining/demo-ing your product/process you might have. See this example or these ones.

So far, to make a screencast you needed to donwload and install a software on your computer (like the well-known Camtasia Studio from Techsmith or the free one Camstudio).

Browser-based screencast tool from Paris

Now, with ScreenToaster service you can do that using just your browser. The Paris-based startup Iteria (founded in 2006 by Marco Fucci – amazingly, they don’t have a company website yet!) developed this nifty tool.

So, how can you record from your screen by just using browser-based ScreenToaster?

• Just click Start recording, sign in, then allow the Java applet to run and you are ready to go.
• You can then use ALT+S to record full screen or ALT+SHIFT+S to record just an area of the screen you select. Use ALT+S to stop the recording.
• Preview your recorded Flash video and publish it. Each video will have a permanent link and can be embedded on webpages (pretty much like any of today’s video sites).

It’s a very easy to use service and people who are creating screencasts regularly will appreciate ScreenToasrer. You can register for a beta testing account be leaving your email address here.

Watch the tutorial on how to use ScreenToaster

There are two drawbacks here

• lack of sound (the team are working to add audio, subtitles and other features before launch)
• Java applet (Java applets weren’t too successful online so far)

They have some competition from ShotScreen or Screen-o-Matic, both services are – just like ScreenToaster – in the phase of beta testing. It will be interesting to see who will conquer the market because all of them are starting from the same position. Trust your blogger, I’ll keep an eye on it.