FlipMino
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Flip Mino HD with 802.11n WiFi hits the FCC
We'd been hearing rumors that a next-gen Flip camera with WiFi would hit sometime in the first half of the year, and what's this? A new Flip video camera with both 2.4GHz and 5GHz 802.11n WiFi just popped up in the FCC database. Based on the shape of the FCC label, the location of the HDMI port, and the M3260 model number, it definitely looks like a member of the Mino family, but that's really all we know -- although if we had to bet, the 5GHz support is there so it can beam movies to the FlipShare TV. We'll see, we'll see.
Flip MinoHD goes premium, we go hands-on
Flip Video just launched a new "premium" take on the MinoHD -- it's fundamentally the same as the existing MinoHD, but with 8GB of storage, a bigger two-inch screen and an HDMI port, all wrapped up in either a sleek aluminum shell or a personalized design from the Flip website. The 8GB of flash means the MinoHD can now record up to two hours of 720p video, and while there's still no image stabilizer, it's not like that's stopped anyone from loving the MinoHD before. There's also a new version of the FlipShare software, which features an automatic Magic Movie mode that'll trim and edit before shooting your video to Facebook, YouTube and MySpace. We're sure the kids will love it, but we'd rather do things the old-fashioned way. The new premium model will sell for $229, while the original MinoHD remains on sale for $199 and the old-school Mino hangs back at $149. After some time playing around with one, we'd say you're well-justified in dropping the extra $30 here -- the newer case and screen are quite nice, and HDMI-out is nothing to sneeze at. It's still the same MinoHD as far as image quality goes, however, so don't walk into this one expecting any surprises -- and no fancy al-yoo-min-ium case will quell the need for a proper stabilizer in these things. Video after the break! %Gallery-75477% %Gallery-75482%
Hands-on with the new iPod nano, part 2
Our planned look at the camera feature on the iPod nano got delayed by a household medical emergency, as described in one of our nano example videos above. It did give me a bit more time to go a little more hands on with the nano video camera, and the end result is satisfactory. You're not going to buy this nano for the camera; it's just a bonus feature. Will it be the deal breaker over buying a nano versus another iPod, an iPhone or even a Flip? It all depends what you want out of it. The video above was shot indoors using the nano. It was actually my fourth attempt at taking an indoor video because if you want any luck with the nano's camera, you've got to have decent lighting. This shot was my first attempt with the camera, and you can see the difference the lighting made. As mentioned during the keynote, Apple is looking to take on Flip mino with the new nano. As such, we decided to see not only how the nano compares to the Flip, but also to an iPhone 3GS. Continue on reading to see how these shots turned out.
Switched On: The iPod touch and the big picture
Ross Rubin (@rossrubin) contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. In a New York Times interview of Steve Jobs conducted by Engadget columnist aspirant David Pogue, Apple's CEO suggested that the company did not include a camera on the iPod touch because the company was now marketing the iPod touch as a game machine and that a camera was not germane to such a device. "We don't need to add new stuff," said Jobs. But why is adding a digital camera any less germane to the portable game device of the iPod touch than it is to adding it to the media player of the iPod nano? Or, if price is an issue, why not exclude it only on the entry-level model? The iPod touch market will soon be large enough to support such diversity. And if the iPod touch is indeed being marketed as a gaming console and a low-cost point of entry to the app store, excluding a camera disrupts the continuity of the touch/iPhone platform, while the iPod imaging message is now more muddled: If you're buying the iPhone 3G, you can capture stills but not video, while the "lower-end" iPod nano offers video capture but not stills, the iPod touch offers neither, and only the iPhone 3GS offers both.
So you just got a camcorder -- now what?
All day on December 25, TUAW presents "Now What?" We've got first steps and recommendations for all the gifts you (hopefully!) found under the tree today. Happy holidays! Did Santa leave you a camcorder for Christmas? If he did, you probably did what most people do -- ripped open the package, slapped a battery pack on it, and started recording the fun. Hopefully you're reading this post before you've succumbed to that temptation, so you can avoid issues later on. Here are some hints to make your future as a filmmaker as trouble-free as possible. 1) Read The Manual. Most people tend to toss out the manual with the wrapping paper, but for something as complex as a camcorder it's a good idea to keep and read the manual. Sure, with a point and shoot camcorder like a Flip Mino you can get away with giving the camcorder a quick charge and then going to town recording the kids bouncing off the walls in a sugar-induced frenzy. But if you were really good and Santa got you a high-end HD camcorder with a powerful zoom lens, image stabilization, and other cool features, you'd better learn how to use them.
Hello Kitty Flip Mino can't stop recording self in mirror
Pure Digital Technologies' Flip Video lineup is getting Hello Kitty-fied with the Mino and MinoHD. Like their not-as-adorable kin, the camcorders sport one-touch video recording, a built-in USB port, and are able to record 60 minutes of video with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Most importantly -- and sure to tip the scales in Flip's favor over the Vado HD 720p Pocket -- the camcorders come in eleven different Hello Kitty designs. Far East Gizmos says the price will be $179.99 for Mino and $229.99 for MinoHD, which is the same price as the respective models without these adorable skins. Between this and last month's C1 netbook, we hope this is a sign of an uptick in lip-bitingly cute Hello Kitty-branded tech gear.
Customize your Flip Mino for free, regret it when eBay time comes
For whatever reason, Pure Digital's Flip Mino has been a runaway hit. The video quality ain't that great, and it's downright bad in low-light scenarios, but there's something about the convenience factor that keeps folks coming. Now, there's one more reason to give this one a look over rivals: personalization. Thanks to a new partnership with CafePress, prospective buyers can customize their Flip Mino with a design of their own or choose one from thousands of professional designs, and contrary to what you're expecting, the service is completely free. In other words, you can finally get that pocket camcorder you've been wanting with your 2-week old girlfriend (or you skateboarding) plastered on there for not a dime more -- but who'll be laughing when it comes time to sell and upgrade?[Via Switched]
Kodak's new Zi6 HD pocket video camera for the YouTube set
Sure, it might shoot 720p video, but you aren't gonna catch indie filmmakers capturing the next low-budget masterpiece on Kodak's new Zi6 HD pocket video camera. The camera is Kodak's response to Pure Digital's Flip and Creative's Vado, complete with upright form factor, YouTube friendliness, simple as could be interface, a flip-out USB plug (with some surprising spring action), and, of course, totally shoddy video quality. The camera is powered by a pair of AA batteries, sports a 2.4-inch LCD, and can switch between VGA video, 30fps HD and 60fps HD. It'll sell for $180 in September, in black or pink, but there's only 128MB of memory on board -- you'll have to spring for an SD card if you want to do any substantial shooting.
Pure Digital Flip Mino review round-up
While it certainly didn't appeal to everybody, Pure Digital's Flip Video Ultra cheapcorder nonetheless found quite the audience, which has not surprisingly led to some raised expectations for the company's just-released follow-up, the Flip Mino. Judging from the first batch of reviews, however, it looks like Pure Digital has mostly managed to hit the mark ($30 premium notwithstanding), even if it still likely won't be getting folks to ditch their more full-featured cameras. Among the first out of the gate with a review was Laptop Magazine, which put the Ultra and Mino head-to-head and found that Mino won out in terms of design, specs, and power options, although the Ultra hung on to an edge in video quality, which it says remained "consistently brighter," particularly in low-light conditions. The Wall Street Journal's Mossberg Solution (not Moss himself) didn't have as much of a problem with the video quality (given the expectations), but it did find that while the Mino's touch-sensitive buttons look great, "they aren't as functional as they needed to be." Wired's Gadget Lab also had some quibbles about the hard to press buttons, but that wasn't enough to stop it from handing out an initial rating of 8 out of 10 (a more in-depth review is promised for later), with the cam's slimmer design and ability to get video up onto the web quickly winning it high marks. If that still hasn't made up your mind, you can find some sample videos taken with the camera and plenty more details by hitting up the links below.Read - Laptop Magazine ("the Mino won three out of the four rounds," but not the biggest category: video quality)Read - Mossberg Solution ("looks much cooler than older models")Read - Gadget Lab (8 out of 10)
Pure Digital introduces Flip Mino video sharing camcorder
It's been quite awhile since Pure Digital's YouTube-lovin' Flip Video Ultra came around, but folks looking for its rightful successor can finally stop peering around every bend in vain. Announced today, the Flip Mino checks in at just 4- x 2- x 0.6-inches and weighs 3.3-ounces -- a full 40% smaller than the previously mentioned Ultra. You'll also find 2GB of internal storage for holding an hour of footage, along with a sealed rechargeable Li-ion, 1.5-inch anti-glare screen, touch-sensitive buttons and a TV output to boot. As predicted, this pocket-friendly camcorder comes ready to upload to some of the most popular video sharing sites on the web, and users in the US can procure their own (in black or white) on June 5th for $179.99.
