PlaceIt, by Breezi, is a free web app tool that lets you quickly generate quality product screenshots of your apps in realistic environments. All in a matter of seconds.
The steps are simple and the web app’s design reflects just that. Use the horizontal selection tool up top to choose which environment (or “stage”) you want. Then simply grab the JPG or PNG screenshot file of your app (or pull from the web via a URL), drag-and-drop the image over the active canvas, and watch your product come to “life” in a matter of seconds.
From there, you can share the image on your social networks (Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn), save it to your computer, or copy the unique Breezi link to share with others.
As of this writing, PlaceIt supports uploads for screenshots of iOS, Microsoft, and Android products. Specifically, the iPhone 4/4S/5, iPad 2/3rd & 4th generation, MacBook Air/Pro, iMac, Google Nexus, Galaxy SII/SIII, Kindle Fire, Nokia Lumia, and Microsoft Slate.
Apps are the new norm. Everyday, hundreds are released on iOS, Android, Mac, PC, the browser, and other platforms. They are what’s hot, what’s trending. And the people behind these apps love to build concise galleries and websites to showcase them. The websites often consist of the following divs:
But the emphasis is usually put on that “realistic image.” You know, the one where a person is holding the product’s corresponding device with the app loaded in all its glory. A nice shade here and reflection there to make the UI’s pixels pop. But nailing such images is often a task of its own. It usually involves one of two methods. 1) a quality camera (not to hard to find nowadays — smartphone), clean setting, enough natural light, a willing model who can keep still, and a few snaps. 2) Photoshop. But either method can easily total up in time.
So having a tool like PlaceIt to curtail an extensive process down to a matter of seconds is highly welcomed. Use it for showing of work to friends or clients, spicing up your design portfolio, or for the norm — product websites. Of course, the existing “stages” might not work well for everyone. But the Breezi team is already on top of that. In addition to making more of their own, they’re allowing people to easily contribute a photo for use in the web app. If selected, they will “attribute the photo to you when the user clicks on that particular stage with a link back to your site.” And fans can stay up to date on additions by subscribing to their newsletter.
Commercial Purposes?
By now, you’ve probably already clicked over to PlaceIt to test it out. But the question will arise, “can I use this commercially?” Short answer — yes.
“You’re completely ok to use PlaceIt-generated-images for commercial use. You just need to attribute PlaceIt if the work is publicly displayed. We’re ok with any attribution so long as you’re clearly not trying to be an asshole and just burying it. Doesn’t have to be large or very prominent either. Anything along the lines of mentioning PlaceIt is fine. We’d obviously really appreciate a link back.”
The app looks great, and most importantly, it works well. So go check out PlaceIt for yourself. Obviously, it won’t replace everyone’s promotion process, but check it out anyways.
