'Tis the season to record a lot of video. And take it from me: you want a camcorder you can slip into a pocket between memorable moments, not some big, bulky thing that requires a neck strap.
Flip Video's popular pocket cams start at around $200, but right now you can grab the Creative Vado HD (with accessories) for $99.99 shipped.
I'll be the first to admit this isn't the best deal I've ever posted on an HD camcorder, but it's one of the best I've seen lately. Plus, the bundled accessories--a mesh case and a USB power adapter--would cost you an extra $45 if purchased separately.
The Vado itself can record up to two hours of 720p-quality video--twice as much as the Flip MinoHD. That's because it sports 8GB of onboard storage compared with the Mino's 4GB. Alas, there's no media slot for adding memory cards.
CNET gave the Vado HD mostly high marks, citing its strengths as solid video quality, removable battery, easy operation, and bundled HDMI cable for watching videos on an HDTV. Of course, as with most pocket camcorders, this one offers fast and easy USB-powered uploading to YouTube.
Also, the Vado features a relatively spacious 2-inch LCD. The MinoHD's 1.5-inch screen seems painfully tiny by comparison (trust me--I've got one).
I have no idea how long Creative's stock will last. But I do know the Vado bundle is also available in red--much purtier, IMHO.
Backup deal: You know what would go great with that $78 Blu-ray player I mentioned the other day? The Optoma HD20 1080p projector for $999.99 shipped. (Add it to your cart to get that price, and use Google Checkout to knock another $5 off.) It has dual HDMI inputs, so you can plug in your Blu-ray player and your game console! Drooooool.
On Sale Now: $99.95 - $199.99
View the latest prices for Creative Vado HD
On Sale Now: $976.79 - $1,199.00
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Ah, long live the year-end listicle. What did we ever read (or write) in December before the media came up with the idea of compiling and disseminating lists of the best, most popular, strangest and stupidest?
Here's my contribution to the tradition for 2009--oh wait, there's also my Holiday Gift Guide offering--a potpourri of camcorder popularity as based on how many people read reviews of a product since last New Year's. As you might guess, the results are rather heavily skewed toward older products, products on our top lists, and products that we've reviewed, but I've tried to provide some context and combine new and old versions of products to try to minimize redundancy.
A pre-holiday quickie 'cast on time-lapsing judgment, no news is no news, and a cacophony of contest cuteness.
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EPISODE 69
... Read more
The Motorsports HD Hero comes packaged with a bunch of bits for flexible placement.
(Credit: GoPro cameras)On paper, the GoPro HD Hero is hitting on all cylinders. It's rugged, it's compact, and--to top it all off--it shoots in five modes of video (four of which are HD) and high-resolution still photography. But then you go to use it and things start to run a little less smoothly.
The HD Hero's weakest point lies with its thumbnail-size LCD screen and pinhead-size icons. With only two buttons and a cryptic menu system, the Hero's options screen probably shouldn't be tackled without an instruction manual close at hand. How else are you supposed to know what odd abbreviations such as "ALL" or "DAT" are supposed to mean? (Here's a hint: one of them formats your media, the other is a more benign function.)
Fortunately, the GoPro HD Hero fixes a number of issues that we had with the previous Hero camera system (such as the finicky AAA battery pack), but does the good outweigh the bad? Check out our full review to find out.
The third-generation Vado HD comes in black or white.
(Credit: Creative)With Kodak and Flip Video releasing new pocket camcorders this fall, Creative will launch the next version of its Vado HD in December. Simply dubbed "third-generation" Vado HD, the new model comes in black or white and will retail for $179.99. It has 4GB of built-in memory, captures 720p HD video, and offers several improvements over previous versions.
They include:
- Improved quality of video in low light or brightly lit conditions with manual exposure adjustments
- External stereo microphone support for better audio recording
- Headphone output for private listening
- Motion Detection mode will enable users to program the camera to begin recording as soon as motion is detected
- Out-of-the box Mac and PC compatibility
- Still Photo Capture Mode
- New Vado Central 3.0 software with more instant Web-uploading capabilities (Facebook, YouTube, Kinkast) and integrated editing options
Comments?
The 720p-shooting Kodak Zi6 is on sale for just $99.
(Credit: CNET)The deals are coming fast and furious this week, to the point where I couldn't pick just one for today. Instead I've rounded up a little cheapskate trifecta. (Note: All have a high sellout risk!) Take a look:
1) CompUSA has a 24-inch Synaps LCD monitor for $159.99 shipped. It's a 1080p display with VGA and DVI inputs (no HDMI, alas), built-in speakers, and a 5ms response time. User reviews are overwhelmingly positive. And this is almost an all-time low for a 24-inch monitor.
2) Amazon is offering the Kodak Zi6 HD pocket camcorder for $99 shipped. It can record 720p video on inexpensive SD/SDHC cards (here's an 8GB card for just $15.45). CNET liked its "solid video quality" (read the full review here), and Amazon customers collectively rated it 4 stars out of 5.
3) At US Appliance you can score a new LG BD270 Blu-ray player for $94, plus $5.99 for shipping. (Use coupon code welcome10 to get that price.) That's not the best Blu-ray deal I've seen, as this model doesn't do BD-Live or Netflix, but it's definitely rare to see an LG for under $100. CNET hasn't reviewed it, but user reviews on Amazon are very high.
Anything strike your fancy? If not, be sure to check out Five Black Friday deals you shouldn't miss (if you haven't already). And if you spot anything awesome that I've missed, by all means post it in the comments or shoot me an e-mail. Happy shopping!
On Sale Now: $129.97 - $199.95
View the latest prices for LG BD270
On Sale Now: $109.95 - $169.99
View the latest prices for Kodak Zi6 (black)
On Sale Now: $89.11 - $164.99
View the latest prices for Kodak Zi6 (pink)
On Sale Now: $139.95 - $159.95
View the latest prices for Kodak Zi6 (red)
Flip MinoHD
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)According to Pocket-Lint, an unspecified Flip camcorder slated to ship in the first half of 2010 will incorporate Wi-Fi connectivity. That's unsurprising, given the recent acquisition of Flip's parent, Pure Digital, by networking giant Cisco. The site also says a Cisco spokesperson confirmed that "the new model will feature 'a large screen that slides to reveal the record and menu buttons underneath' allowing users to see what is going on when they are recording video."
How much you wanna bet this will be announced at CES (or just before) in January? I'm also curious how much Wi-Fi will add to the price; one of the main attractions of these models is their cheapness relative to more full-featured products. Plus, adding Wi-Fi generally means a partnership with a hot-spot provider for free uploads. Just wondering...
Calibration on the cheap, fun with focal length and back-to-back black contest photos.
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EPISODE 68
... Read moreHoning your sharpening skills, how you left your ruts in the mud, and your fall foliage photos for all.
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EPISODE 67
... Read moreFlummoxed by film scanning, finding white balance where there is none, and they only come out at night (to shoot).
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