The Flip MinoHD Camcorder
The newest Flip camcorder is even sleeker than earlier models.
Nov. 28, 2008— -- Are you the kind of person who likes to capture slices of life wherever you go?
Do you constantly max out the 30-second video recording option on your phone? Or frequently play filmmaker with your point and shoot?
If so, then the Flip MinoHD is for you.
This small device captures up to an hour of HD (1280 x 720) video with sound and the option to digitally zoom. It is about the size of a phone, and has a battery life of about two hours.
The MinoHD is ultra slick -- so slick, most people don't even know it's a camera. It looks more like a phone.
It's the latest mini-camcorder from Pure Digital Technologies, which first wowed the gadget world more than a year ago with its original Flip Video.
Like its predecessors, the MinoHD makes it easy and affordable to "shoot and share." At $229.99, the latest flip is pricier than the $149.99 and $179.99 models that came before it. But the extra expense gives you HD quality video and a sleeker design.
If you want to do some film scouting then the Flip comes to the rescue. Want to document a boys' or girls' night out? Bringing the Flip to a bar is not a problem.
Are you traveling and want to capture the feeling of a jaunt through a bazaar on the streets of Cairo? The Flip can capture those memories.
This thing is easy to use, takes great video and even has a hole on the bottom for a tripod!
The best part is that once you've shot your masterpiece, simply flip open the usb plug, slap it into your computer and the video appears as if the Flip is an external hard drive. You can drag and drop it onto your desktop and edit using iMovie or any other software.
Once you've edited the video, it's easy to share with friends on YouTube, MySpace or other video-sharing sites.
I loved shooting scenery while moving in a car or on the subway. Not sure why, but this was soothing.
Because the Flip is so discrete, it gives you an unobtrusive way to record people as they move about.
There are still a few things that I would add to my Flip wish list.
Carrying the Flip, a phone and an iPod can be a bit much. It's unfortunate that this isn't a music player too -- or a phone for that matter.
Also, it'd be great to be able to take at least a few still images. After all, I've combined both stills and video when in the editing room, so why not let me do all my shooting with one device?
Lastly, when watching playback of the video I shot on the device, I wished that I could fast forward through the clip. Now, you have to watch the whole clip, which can get annoying.
In the end though, this thing is life altering, if you like capturing life.