There has been quite a stir on the Internet lately concerning the new Flip Video Digital Camcorder. Let me begin with some specifications for this little jewel. The Flip video camera is about the same size as the first ipod that went into production, measuring just a little more than 4 inches tall, 2.25 inches wide, and 1.25 inches thick, and weighing a mere 4.9 oz.

The Flip Video records in a mpeg4 avi video format, and is saved on the cameras built in flash memory. The Flip video comes in 2 varieties, a 512mb memory for up to 30 minutes of video, or a 1gb version, for up to 60 minutes of video.

The LCD screen measures 1.5″ (diagonal) and has a resolution of 280X120 pixels. The video quality is a 640X480 resolution, 30 frames per second, with a 2.8Mbps Video Bitrate.

The Flip Video spots 8 buttons, power, play, delete, record, and a 4 way navigation with a 2X zoom. It has a built in speaker and a built in wide range microphone. It runs off of 2 X AA Batteries or a 1.2 Volt NiMh rechargeable. You get up to 2 hours record time with the AA batteries or up to 5 hours on the lithium batteries.

The Coolest feature other than the portability, is the method to get your videos off of the camera into your computer. It has a built in flip out usb connection that plugs the whole camera into your computer.

The Flip Video supports both Windows and Apple Macintosh computers, with pc requirements of Windows XP or Vista with an Intel Pentium4 2.0 gig or AMD equivalent, 512 mb of RAM. The MAC requirements are Mac OSX with at least 512 mb of RAM.

Check out some Hot New Flip Video Accessories

Reviews

The Flip Video™ is a new line of digital camcorders designed to revolutionize how everyday consumers shoot and share video. These remarkably simple and affordable devices feature a major advance in video sharing technology combined with an ultra-portable design and easy video capture and editing. Developed with Internet video sharing software integrated into the device, Flip Video is the first camcorder to seamlessly upload directly to YouTube and other online video sharing sites. The camcorder retails at $119.99 for the 30-minute model and $149.99 for the 60-minute model.

“With Flip Video, Pure Digital has created a brand new category of camcorder that puts the power to instantly capture, edit, and share video in the pocket of everyday consumers, and in only a year, has captured 13% of the video camera market” said Jonathan Kaplan, Chairperson and CEO of Pure Digital Technologies. “Flip Video has the potential to forever change the way people use this increasingly popular medium.”

“Flip Video is a new breed of camcorder that recognizes and leverages the tremendous demand for video sharing.” said Kelly Liang, Business Development, YouTube. “Not only does Flip Video make it easy to capture video, it also makes it simple to instantly share it with friends, family or the world via YouTube.”

These things –which are cheap and the video isn’t too bad– seem to have been designed for making it easy to shoot video and put it up on the web. The camera even has a little flip-out USB connector you just slot into your computer.

I don’t think I have ever been as thrilled with any purchase as I am with this one. Really. I saw an ad for this little Flip Video recorder and decided to check it out. They are really inexpensive, only run about $120 for the more expensive model. I always wanted a digital video recorder but can’t stomach spending hundreds of dollars on something that isn’t going to be used daily or could fall of the counter and be gone forever. I figured that for the price I really couldn’t go terribly wrong. I expected to be a little disappointed but I was totally surprised at how easy it is to use and the fact that it really doesn’t feel like junk. It is so easy to use my then 6-year-old could easily use it…even my technologically retarded husband could use it…and that’s asking a lot. It runs on AA batteries which I love because nothing stinks worse than having to pay $70 for a replacement battery for a video camera. The user interface is the simplest I have seen yet…it actually exsists in the camera and comes on automatically when you plug the camera into your USB drive. Poof…just that easy. Which brings me to another pro…the fact that there are no cords…the USB plug clicks down into the camera itself…when you want to plug it in you just click it up and plug it right into the front of your computer. Super easy. I am also very impressed by the sound…it picks up everything even though it appears that the mic is very small…you don’t have to talk very loudly while you are using it for it to catch every single word. Also, it’s pretty small and will fit in a purse very easily which I love. The larger model holds an hour worth of video which I didn’t think was much but I haven’t ever filled it all the way up…so it’s obviously more than I thought. When I bought mine they only offered silver and black…I have the black one. Now they make them in every color almost and would make a great gift for that teen in your life…not too expensive and very easy to use. My 7-year-old wants the pink one. What more can I say? I love this thing and I think everyone should have one.

This is the easiest piece of electronic equipment that I have ever used! Literally, take it out of the package, hit the power button, then hit the record button, and you are on your way! When you are done with your video, pop the little USB arm out from the side of the camera and plug it in to your PC. The software is on the camera, there are no CD-Roms to lose, no cable to fiddle with, nothing. It is that easy. Your videos just pop up on your screen. I can’t think of anything that I have ever used was this easy. There isn’t even a manual, it is just a small instruction sheet. They do include a cable so that you can watch your videos on a regular TV.

If you are a video pro, this might not be for you. So far, they are only available with space for 60 minutes, it has internal memory and there is no removable card or chance for upgrading that 60 minutes to more. And the editing features are limited, but I was able to edit my videos more with other software that I already had. This is a great video camera for the tech challenged, the YouTube addict, or anyone that just wants to capture a moment quickly and easily.

The Flip Video Ultra Camcorder by Pure Digital is a force to be reckoned with in the lower end video recorders. It’s very lightweight design and slim profile make this a favorite among portable video recording devices.

So, how does this little video recorder perform when put to the test? With it’s 2GB capacity you get around 60 minutes of video recording time. Not too shabby for something so small. A total of 60 minutes does not sound like much but you are usually not constantly recording and should do the trick unless you are a huge video nut.

The Flip Video Ultra has a 1.5 inch LCD screen, a built in microphone and a zoom lens. It also has a built in TV out port and a USB port so you can plug in to your nearest PC and download the videos you have just recorded. Also, it stores the videos in either MPEG 4 or AVI format so it is compatible with importing into your favorite video editing software.

The Bad

There is not much to say here other than there is no SD/MMC card expansion slot which kind of stinks. That would be a nice addition to see in the next generation of the Flip Video devices.

Conclusion

This model has been greatly improved over the previous generation. With it’s improved video quality, slimmer design and upgraded software, the Pure Digital Flip Video Ultra is gaining great momentum in the lower end digital recorders category and becoming very popular for a reason. This is a nice and cheap way to record digital video without killing your wallet.