Hailed as the first and only handheld video recorder to record HD audio, Zoom's Q3 Handy Video recorder is definitely a unique offering amongst the legions of me-toos. After being announced in July and tickling our senses right around a month ago, the Q3 has finally begun to ship en masse to eager consumers. Just in case you've forgotten, this bugger records 24-bit/48 kHz audio via a pair of condenser microphones, gets powered by two AA cells and captures video at 640 x 480 (30fps). There's also a 2.4-inch 320 x 240 LCD and an SDHC card slot, though you'll have to shell out $249 in order to get this kind of technology into your own pocket. Order up, kids!

We already saw the Picsio GC-FM1's splashy debut for Japan, but now JVC is announcing the camera for a Stateside release. Its advertised "1080p" resolution is actually 1440 x 1080 at 30 fps, while the 1280 x 720 mode at 60 fps sounds much more enticing to us, and it's all recorded to SD card (none is included) as H.264 .MOV files. There's really not a lot to set the camera apart in a sea of pocket cams, but you can always watch the incredible all-dancing, all-crazy promo video again after the break to pique your interest. The GC-FM1 is available now for $200.

Apple sure took long enough to get to this, but just as rumored, the iPod nano is seeing a hotly-anticipated refresh today. The big addition? A camera that just so happens to shoot live video (but not stills, apparently). On the lower left of the new fifth-generation nano, you'll find the camera as well as a speaker and microphone, but unfortunately you'll have to sync it with your computer before you upload clips to YouTube. The camera-laden nanos will be available starting today in a rainbow's worth of hues (nine, if we're being precise), with the 8GB model pegged at $149 and the 16GB edition at $179 -- though, we should mention that yellow and red are Apple Store exclusives. Oh, and oddly / tragically enough, the iPod nano is officially the only dedicated iPod with a camera, leaving the iPod touch -- and every human on the planet -- scratching their head in befuddlement. Meanwhile, iPhone 3G users are equally bewildered by the fact that a mid-range iPod can shoot video while a fully-capable smartphone cannot.

As for other specs, you'll find a built-in FM tuner with Live Pause (!) and iTunes Tagging, a pedometer (you know, for that fancy Nike+ integration), VoiceOver, support for voice memos and a larger 2.2-inch display (up from 2.0-inches) with a 376 x 240 resolution. As for the camera, we're told that the video capture mode snags footage in VGA quality (640 x 480) H.264, with up to 30fps and AAC audio. If you're feeling fancy, there's also 15 real-time special effects including Sepia, Black and White, X-Ray, Film Grain, Thermal, Security Cam, Cyborg, Bulge, Kaleido and Motion Blur (among others). As for dimensions, the 5G nano remains identical to the 4G nano at 3.6- x 1.5- x 0.24-inches, though it somehow shaves a whopping 0.02 ounces as it climbs down from 1.3 to 1.28 ounces. Curious about battery life? Apple claims that the new nano can last up to 24 hours when playing back audio (same as 4G nano), while video playback should zap the rechargeable battery in just five hours (which is up an hour over its predecessor).

Update: Check out our first hands-on live from the event!

Peoples' pants must be getting smaller, because so too are pocket camcorders shrinking down. Despite not making any dubious "world's smallest" claims, Aiptek's latest is one of the most slender we've seen that's able to shoot high-def video, and quite possibly the first with a 1.1-inch OLED screen on the back for previewing what your footage might look like on a First Class Forever stamp. It'll shoot video at 720p30, capture 5 megapixel stills, and record them both to 4GB of internal memory -- good for about two hours' worth of footage. You can upload to YouTube straight from the camera's (Windows-only) software, or spin it to your TV through the integrated HDMI port. It sounds like quite a nice little package, and while we wouldn't expect the video quality to knock anyone's proverbial socks off, given the brand we wouldn't expect a shockingly high price, either. But, that we can't say for sure, nor when these will be available.

[Via OLED-Display.net]

If we recall, the previous Vado HD could at one point hold its own against pocket camcorders, but times have changed and new challengers have entered the competition. So how does Creative's second generation Vado HD keep up? We actually don't know -- the press release is sparse on details, except to say the 4GB / 60-minute white-and-green model will cost $180 and the 8GB / 120-minute black-and-red one is $200. Also on the horizon early this month is Vado Central software for OS X machines. It'll be compatible with all Vado models, and features easy import to iMovie for quick-and-dirty editing projects. Pre-order listings for the camcorders are supposed to pop up on Amazon and Creative's any time now, so hopefully there'll be some more data to shed light on things -- image stabilization would be a nice touch, but we're not getting our hopes up.

We've been messing around with Kodak's latest pocket camcorder, the Zi8, and find the shooter to be an interesting hybrid. With a flip-out USB plug, HDMI out and an easily accessible SD card slot, this is clearly a "premium" mix of features for the class, but the $180 pricetag keeps the device firmly grounded in Walmart-friendly reality. Other odd perks like a line-in jack and 1080p have us scratching our heads -- but in a good way. Overall, we'd feel pretty comfortable saying the footage is about the best you can obtain at this pricepoint. Colors are great, the image stabilization isn't a gimmick (sorry, Flip), and if you squint hard enough you can almost believe the 1080p is 1080p. Still, the camera is hampered by its cheap approach to processing and compressing the footage it's taking in -- despite its limitations, we'd say the iPhone 3GS is besting most cheap pocket camcorders on this front, motion just looks much more fluid. But don't take our word for it, check out a couple of video samples after the break.

Yeah, you don't really need 1080p in a compact like this. You know it, we know it. Kodak probably knows it too. Still, it's always pretty wild to pick up a little piece like this and know it can shoot to a native resolution that our parents can't even pronounce. The new Zi8 is certainly bulky for a "pocket" camcorder, but makes up for it by sporting a rechargeable battery, line-in audio jack, HDMI out, 2.5-inch LCD and even keeping the pop-out USB plug around for old times sake. The perks of face recognition for improved exposure and gyroscope-based image stabilization are also pretty snazzy at this $180 pricepoint. We still aren't quite sold on the way this camera (like most of these compacts) processes video -- it seems to do a lot of damage to frame-to-frame motion, something that Apple fought off pretty well with the iPhone 3GS -- but we're going to take one home and test it out a little before we throw down a verdict.

The Zi6 is still fairly fresh in our memory banks, but Kodak's already looking ahead with its newly unveiled Zi8 pocket camcorder. The Flip Ultra HD competitor boasts 1080p recording this time around, in addition to usual features like face tracking, image stabilization, a 2.5-inch LCD display, and SD card slot. YouTube uploading is back, and joining it Facebook support, too. It'll be out in September in blue, red, and black colors for just a hair under $180.

While those into good sound likely warmed to Zoom's H4n Handy Recorder back at CES, the Samson Technologies-owned company has just switched the game up on us with its newfangled Q3 Handy Video Recorder. As the product name implies, it's the first pocket camcorder to hit the market with such a serious focus on good sound, packing a directional, dual condenser microphone setup that enables shooters to capture clips at 24-bit/48 kHz while even focusing the mics on the sound source. The camcorder itself can log clips at an uninspiring 640 x 480 (30fps), while a pair of AA batteries gives you around two hours of life. There's also a 2.4-inch LCD, a bundled 32GB SD card (holds 16 hours of footage), a built-in speaker for previews, TV output, a tripod mount and USB 2.0 connectivity. If this bad boy did 720p, we'd be handing over our $249 with a heart full of thanks. Full release is after the break.

Step aside Flip, Samsung's aiming its massive consumer-electronics guns directly at your point-shoot-n-upload to YouTube base. Samsung's new HMX-U10 fixed-focus, ultra-compact camcorder takes 10 megapixel stills or 1920 x 1080 Full HD H.264 video to SDHC cards courtesy of a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor. There's also a 2-inch LCD so you can playback, edit, or upload your videos with help from Samsung's built-in Intelli-studio software and USB cable, naturally. Unfortunately, Samsung makes no mention of image stabilization typically missing from these pocket camcorders. We do know, however, that it'll ship in September for $200 with a footprint measuring 56 x 103 x 15.5-mm / 95g and that peculiarly angled lens first seen on Sammy's HMX-R10 and SMX-C10 camcorders. So for the same price you get a bigger sensor with higher resolution from a better-looking camera that's also smaller and lighter than the Flip UltraHD. Care to respond PureDigital Cisco? Backside pic after the break.

[Via InfoSync]

Another wild one from the surreal landscape of Computex. DigiLife's new DDV-JF1 camera bears much resemblance to most mini camcorders, but while it's perfectly content to shoot 720p footage and show it off on its 2.5-inch LCD, things really start to get wild when you notice that there's a 640 x 360 pico projector built right into the thing. No word on price or when to expect this thing to show up in your local Dalí-ist electronics shop.

It's been about a day after forever ago since we've seen a new camcorder from Genius, but if you're scouting a low-end, low-cost option that'll still capture clips at a halfway respectable resolution, you're in luck. Similar to many of the DXG offerings, the G-Shot HD520 provides 720p footage for under $150, and it can also capture 11 megapixel still shots when things slow down a bit. The six-ounce device records in MPEG-4 / H.264 format and features a 2.5-inch LCD and room for up to 8GB of storage -- you know, in case you fill up the 32MB that are included, which will probably never happen. It's available now from a smorgasbord of legitimate online retailers. Full release is after the break.

Thanks Best Buy, we owe you (another) one. Yet again, the big box retailer everyone loves to hate has provided the world with a glimpse of a heretofore unannounced product, and this one's got our mouths all kinds of damp. Barely a month after Cisco picked up Pure Digital for a small fortune, the Flip Video Ultra HD -- which seems to be the natural successor to the standard Ultra -- has already begun to hit select store shelves in America. Notable niceties include an HDMI output, 120 minutes of record time (up from 60 minutes), a removable / rechargeable battery and support for AA cells in a pinch. We're still waiting for the full rundown of specifications (and the price, too), but feel free to tap the read link for a stellar unboxing in the meanwhile.

Update: Looks like it's going for $199.99. Thanks Matthies!