PureDigital
Latest
Flip Video Ultra HD makes its unofficial debut, gets unboxed
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!
Pure Digital founder talks of Flip Video's future
When we got wind of Cisco's $590 million acquisition of Flip Video-maker Pure Digital, we immediately came to grips with the fit. After all, Cisco's been dying to pull another Linksys for some time now, and what better to expand its consumer electronics presence than with a cheap-o camcorder that's ripe for the addition of WiFi. Bigwig (and Pure Digital founder) Jonathan Kaplan recently sat down to talk about the product's future, and unsurprisingly, he definitely mentions the integration of Cisco's "strengths" into the handheld camcorder. Furthermore, he's hoping that an entity as large as Cisco can get the Flip Video line overseas, and he's also quite big on "building the brand." The takeaway? Don't be alarmed when a WiFi-equipped, streaming-capable successor hits the scene at CES 2010, complete with automatic upload-to-YouTube functionality.
Cisco acquiring Flip Video-maker Pure Digital for $590 million in stock
Funny -- that patently absurd half a billion figure we heard tossed about earlier this month was low. In reality, Cisco has just announced its full intentions to acquire all of Pure Digital, the maker of the immensely popular Flip Video camcorder, for around $590 million in stock. According to Ned Hooper, senior vice president of Cisco's Corporate Development and Consumer Groups, the "acquisition of Pure Digital is key to Cisco's strategy to expand our momentum in the media-enabled home and to capture the consumer market transition to visual networking." To an outsider, the move may seem somewhat odd; after all, what's Cisco doing spending this much on a consumer product? Let's just say that uploading HD video requires loads of bandwidth, and Cisco's all about that. Expect the deal to close in Cisco's fiscal fourth quarter of 2009.
Cisco said to be buying Pure Digital for around $500 million
Believe us people, popularity pays off. Just ask Pure Digital CEO Jonathan Kaplan, who is reportedly scrambling for ways to spend $80 million of the $500 million Cisco Systems is about to hand over in order to acquire the company. Granted, none of this has been confirmed just yet, but TechCrunch has it that the deal is all but done. Reportedly, Cisco's interested in bringing the firm into its portfolio in order to further push high-bandwidth using services. Obviously, user generated HD video fits pretty perfectly into that agenda. We suspect we'll be hearing more on the subject as the work week begins in earnest, but it sure sounds like Linksys is about to get a new cousin.
Flip Mino goes H to the D with a WSJ review
Pure Digital's Flip Mino just broke free from the confines of the VGA kiddie-pool to find itself tip-toeing gingerly into the shallow end of sacred high-definition waters. But with a retail price of $230, it's best to temper your expectations of the new Flip Mino HD. For that price you get about an hour's worth of fixed zoom, 720p, MPEG-4 video recorded to 4GB of built-in flash memory. Plug the USB cam into your PC or Mac to launch the built-in FlipShare editing software for fine-tuning your videos before sharing (compressed down to 480x270) to MySpace, YouTube or direct over email -- HD sharing via an unnamed partner is coming early next year according to Pure. Walt's buddy, Katie Boehret, over at the Wall Street Journal already put hands to gear and came away duly impressed by the video and improved sound quality. The she-Walt also found the FlipShare software to be much improved over the Flip's previous bundled wares while the camera remained dead-simple to use. All in all, well worth the $50 premium over the previous Flip Mino. Sample video posted after the break.
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]
Pure gets with the internet radio game, debuts EVOKE Flow
Man, talk about quick reflexes. Not even a fortnight after Radiopaq announced its WiFi radio-enabled Rp5, along comes Pure Digital to keep things competitive. The stylish-in-its-own-way EVOKE Flow not only taps into the intarwebz for streaming music, but it also includes FM / DAB tuners and support for DAB+. Expect it to hit British tables next month for £150 ($279).[Thanks, Joe]
Pure debuts ONE Elite DAB / FM radio
There are few more prolific DAB proponents out there than the folks at Pure, and it looks like the company isn't showing any signs of letting up, with it now introducing the ONE Elite radio to fill in its lower-end offerings. True to that status, this one keeps its features as basic as its appearance, with just DAB and FM radio and none of that fancy internet radio on offer, but you will get a line-in jack to accommodate the audio device of your choice, and even a USB port, although that's apparently only used to provide updates to the radio itself. Like its other recent radios, this one is also manufactured to Pure's own EcoPlus standards, and it's available in your choice of black or white, each of which will set you back £70 (or $140).[Via Tech Digest]
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.
Pure Digital intros Highway in-car DAB radio
Pure Digital is probably already bringing that DAB goodness to your dwelling, but we know how bad the withdrawals can be once you head out to the car. No worries, though, as the firm is cranking out "the world's first in-car DAB digital radio that doesn't require complicated installation," which is a fancy way of explaining that this unit relies on FM transmission to get DAB signals into your vehicle's stereo. As expected, the Highway gets its juice from a cigarette lighter adapter, and users simply affix a small DAB antenna on their windshield, find an open FM slot and tune their in-dash radio to match the station. Furthermore, the unit can even be used on-the-go, as it includes a built-in headphone jack and can go for six hours on a pair of AA cells. It even sports an auxiliary input along with Pure's ReVu technology to pause / rewind live content, and if any new features crop up in the future, owners can update their device via USB. Thrill someone you love (yeah, that can be you) this holiday season when it lands for £69.99 ($146).[Via Gadgeteer]
Pure Digital announces million camcorder giveaway for non-profits
At under $200, Pure Digital's recently announced Flip Video camcorders are already pretty inexpensive, but the company now looks to be trying to make them even cheaper for non-profit organizations -- as in free. That's the goal of the company's just announced Flip Video Spotlight program, which aims to give up to one million of the camcorders to non-profits and other non-governmental organizations over the next five years. Apparently, the initiative (which is set to get underway this December) will operate as a donor matching program, with donors (or the organizations themselves) able to purchase so-called Flip Video Spotlight Kits, which Flip Video will match one-to-one. Much like the OLPC program, Flip Video sees virtually no end to the benefits of its camcorders, with Pure Digital CEO Jonathan Kaplan saying the company believes "video can help change the world."
Pure Digital reveals YouTube-friendly Flip Video Ultra camcorder
Merely months after launching the Flip Video, Pure Digital is hitting back with the sleeker, sexier Flip Video Ultra. The ultra-compact camcorder touts "on-board software to enable editing, organizing, and seamless video uploading to AOL, YouTube and other video sharing sites," and even includes a video output for watching captures on TV. The device includes a flip-out USB port for connecting to your PC, is already available in white, pink, black and orange motifs for $149.99 (1GB) or $179.99 (2GB), and reportedly holds "60 minutes of full VGA-quality video" on the latter.
Pure intros environmentally-friendly EVOKE-1S DAB radio
Looking to one-up the well received EVOKE-1XT is the EVOKE-1S, the latest DAB radio to fly out of Pure Digital's doors. This device supports the optional ChargePAK, features an OLED display, and is compatible with textSCAN and Intellitext as well. Furthermore, the 3.5-millimeter auxiliary jack enables your favorite DAP to get some play time through this too, and the built-in FM tuner is always around for backup. Most notable, however, is the uber-green approach Pure took when designing this unit, as it arrives in packaging made from a minimum of 70-percent recycled material, consumes just one-watt of power in standby, is finished with water-based varnish, and includes documentation printed on 100-percent recycled paper. The EVOKE-1S will be available in real maple or cherry veneer, and will only run you £99.99 ($202) this September.[Via T3]
Digital download service coming to Pure's DAB radios
If you're feeling a little constricted by the relatively limited amount of digital download venues out there (especially across the pond), Imagination Technologies and UBC Media Group are on the rescue wagon. Recently, the duo has announced plans to create a service which will "allow listeners to purchase music directly from DAB digital radios." The system will reportedly combine Imagination's new DAB and internet digital radio platform with UBC's Cliq instant music purchase technology, which will satisfy the desire for instant gratification by providing a "buy now" option on select DAB radio stations. Exact terms remain undisclosed at the moment, but we do know that those oh-so-attractive Pure Digital systems will be among the first to sport said purchasing technology whenever it goes mainstream.[Via RegHardware]
Pure Digital revisits Point & Shoot cam, unveils Flip Video
When all else fails, repackage your device with some gimmicky new software and a new brand, then send it back into the field with a hyperbole-filled press release and see what sticks. That seems to be Pure Digital's plan here with the Flip Video, an exact replica of the drug store-friendly Point & Shoot cam, with a 30 minute version going for $120, and a 60 minute edition priced at $150. The main difference, other than that new Flip Video moniker, is some YouTube-friendly software that lets you edit and upload your videos to video sharing sites relatively pain-free. Of course, you can still do the photo lab thing and get your videos turned into a DVD, but Flip Video's video sharing thrust does seem to have a good eye for the current market, even if the actual tech is getting a little dated by now. The device should be available today.
Pure Digital's DMX-25 DAB mini system handles MP3 / WMA
While it had been a few ticks since Pure Digital gave you DAB listeners out there anything new to chew on, the Euro-based radio maker is back with yet another mini system designed to blast out tunes from the comfort of your living room. Encased in the firm's traditionally simple, classy design, the DMX-25 handles both DAB and FM signals and boasts dual 10-watt amplifiers, 4-inch mid-range drivers, 1.5-inch tweeters, scrollable text, RDS support, an LCD display, CD / MP3 / WMA compatibility, and two 3.5-millimeter line-in jacks for your DAP of choice. Furthermore, users will find the SD card slot and USB port handy for loading up flash-based media, and the wireless remote should keep you planted while scrolling through the stations. Still, all this functionality in such a decorative package won't exactly run you cheap, as you'll be ponying up £129.99 ($254) for this setup when it lands in April. [Via Digital-Lifestyles]
Pure Digital's ??lan RV40 time-shifting DAB radio
For you folks who can take advantage of the DAB niceties, Pure Digital has released a household radio that rocks time-shifting capabilities more commonly associated with your Sky+ box. The Élan RV40 sports a svelte silver finish with a hint of retro in the grille, mixed with the curves of a more modern device, and is fairly stacked with thoughtful extras. The standout feature here is the ability to pause and rewind live radio for up to 30 minutes without any external memory cards, so you can conveniently listen to your own repeats instead of getting flustered with the lack of new content coming across the air. Although a bit more subtle, another snazzy inclusion is the "textSCAN" technology that allows you to time-shift DAB messages, while also storing "special Intellitext message" that shows users late-breaking information coming across the newswire -- of course, the standard preset storing, alarm clock / timers, and RDS support is included, and Pure reportedly threw in "USB upgradeability" to add "new features" when available, whatever that means. While the unit is apparently made to double as a household decoration (or an awkward sidekick to your new Mac Pro), Pure kept the mobile crowd in mind by offering an optional "ChargePAK" to give you 15 hours of untethered musical nirvana. If you're lucky enough to be on the right side of the pond, and in the market for a radio that literally does a dab of everything, you can snap up the Élan RV40 in September for £89.99 (about $172).
Pure Digital's new disposable digicams unlocked
Thanks to an active hacker community and a fortuitously wide open FTP server, Pure Digital's "one time use" digital cameras aren't so "one time use" anymore. The FTP server contained an app designed to configure security keys, and after a bit of hacking around the team has the 40-bit key finder up and running for those wishing to unlock the pics and video on their new Pure Digital cams -- no soldering required. We have to hand it to Pure Digital, it took the hackers a bit longer than we expected to pull this off, but in the end we suppose it was inevitable that these disposables would eventually end up open to the whims of the consumer, however illegitimately. So if you're feeling a bit like sticking it to the man this fine Monday morning, head on over to you local CVS and get one of these new found multi-use cams on the cheap.
