BP5_2010052_Web2.0Tool2_JayCut

Online video editing from any device, anywhere - that's what JayCut proclaims as their mission. In business  since 2008, it appears they still have a long way to go to live up to that ambition, but even so, JayCut on a computer offers a Web 2.0 video editing solution that doesn't depend on software or operating system.  Users can upload their own media (video, images, audio) via the JayCut interface, edit and export creations without ever downloading or installing a thing.

Pros...
What I liked about JayCut right off was its ease of use. After creating a free account I was able to start editing without having to watch the demo video or read the help file.

I uploaded a screencast video from my desktop computer that was in FLV format and JayCut was just fine with that, as well as a still image. Having learned video editing on Adobe Premiere Pro 6, the timeline in JayCut was like seeing a long-lost friend  Instead of the clunky clip-style interface used by many current consumer programs like iMovie and Windows Live MovieMaker, the timeline performed just as I expected it to.

Also included in the editor is a pretty descent array of video transitions and some titling options. After finishing my creation, clicking Publish Mix presented me with options to save the finished product for mobile device, computer, or web playback.

Mobile device and computer playback options (download) presents various standard video formats for the desired use/device. After selecting the file format the user is emailed a download link when the video is processed. Choosing web playback  presents options to export to YouTube or JayCut's hosting server, or embed on a blog.  Blog embedding also publishes to JayCut's server, and instead of a download link, embed code is presented that can be copy/pasted into the blog.

More features, please!
I hesitated at calling this section "cons" because this more about missing features, not bad software design. I'd love to see JayCut allow me to separate my audio track from video. Inserting still images in the timeline breaks up the audio. I couldn't really find a good way of doing this without disrupting my main audio track.

What I would really, really, REALLY love to see is the ability to edit videos from my cell phone. I tried accessing the site from my Windows Mobile phone, but with no mobile version of the site, I couldn't even find the login button. It would be fabulous to be able to upload and edit footage shot on my phone, right from my phone! I'm not worried, though. I am sure this will be coming soon.

JayCut in academia...
In academia, JayCut could solve the software-licensing cost dilemma. At the same time, though, institutional bandwidth, which always seems to be an issue in education, could be an issue as students upload and manage their projects, especially if they are all doing it at the same time in class. Copyright will also be an issue to address. JayCut provides some excellent answers to ownership questions in their FAQs, and this could make a great teaching and learning opportunity for users.