Creative has announced the third generation Vado HD pocket video camcorder, claiming to combine a "sleek design with stunning HD video quality".

The new model is said to see improved quality of video in low light or brightly lit conditions, gets external stereo microphone support, a headphone output, "motion detection mode" that means it will start recording when it senses movement, still photo capture mode and the out-of-the box Mac and PC compatibility.

With simple on-board editing and one-click uploads, the third gen Vado HD can record up to 120 minutes of HD quality video or up to 7000 still photos with its 4GB of built-in storage (half that of the previous gen) while the rechargeable battery is said to be good for more than 2 hours of recording or viewing.

The 4GB third generation Vado HD is up for pre-order in the States in black or white for $179.99, no news on a UK launch just yet.

Tags: Cameras Camcorders Creative Creative Vado HD Digital cameras

Creative unveils third gen Vado HD with new design originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:24:33 +0000

The high-tech version of the sticky yellow Post-It note, the new Digital Video Memo from Firebox offers a 21st century way to leave a note to your significant other, offspring, housemates or colleagues.

The tiny device (it measures just 5.6 x 5.5 x 1.1cm) has a magnetic back so is fridge or filing-cabinet friendly and can record a 30-second video message.

Charged up by USB and boasting a 1.5-inch OLED display, the gizmo has an LED light that flashes to alert that there's a message recorded and ready to go which will play at the press of a button.

The Digital Video Memo is on sale from Firebox now for ?29.99.

Related links:

• Shop - Firebox

Tags: Gadgets Home And Kitchen Firebox USB gadgets Cameras Camcorders Kitchen gadgets Office gadgets

Firebox launches the Digital Video Memo originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:11:13 +0000

Cisco will launch a new Wi-Fi-enabled Flip digital camcorder to go on sale in the early half of 2010, Pocket-lint has learnt.

The new model will be the first to leverage Cisco's networking technology since it bought Pure Digital in a multi-million dollar deal in early 2009.

Details are thin on the ground at the moment, but we've been informed by a Cisco spokesperson 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.

The screen itself won't be touchscreen however, presumably in an attempt to keep costs down.

Owners of the new pocket video camcorder will be able to record video footage and then upload it straight from the camcorder over Wi-Fi networks both private and public, a feature currently being offered in some DSLRs.

We will keep you posted.

Tags: Cameras Camcorders Cisco Wi-Fi Pure Digital Flip

Next-gen Flip camcorder to boast Wi-Fi originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:55:11 +0000

2009 has seen the digital camera arms race continue at an ever increasing speed. With Canon announcing that its profits were down over 80% in the fourth quarter of last year and the rise of the cameraphone, one might have thought it was going to be a tricky time for the imaging industry. Think again.

Just a glance at our cameras category on Pocket-lint will give you some idea of what a hotly contested gong the Pocket-lint Best Digital Camera Award 2009 is going to be. So long as it takes a snap, then it counts.

DSLRs

Starting with the biggest, and mercifully fewest, to contend with, it's been an important time for the top end of the camera world. One of the main focuses has been to attract the growing snap happy, photo uploading market of users to the more professional equipment. One way to do this has been in the interfaces of the devices themselves with Pentax, Olympus and Nikon offering camera usability, simplicity and even advice in their models such as the Pentax K-x, the Olympus E600 and the Nikon D3000.

The second most major way to add value to their products has been to bring in HD video as well, seen in cameras such as the Nikon D5000, the Canon 500D and the Pentax K7 all the way up into prosumer and professional products in the very desirable and very expensive shapes of the Nikon D300s, D3s, the Canon 7D and the 1D Mark IV - although it is unlikely that the last of these will make it out in time to qualify for the award. What's more these bigger boys have continued to raise the bar in speed, focus and light sensitivity with up to 9fps shooting, 51-point AF and near pitch black recording ISOs of 102,400.

A special mention should also be made to two other DSLR manufacturers for two very different reasons - Leica, for making our eyes cry tears of blood at the ?16,000 Leica S2 DSLR with a photo format of its very own, and Sony for the leaps and bounds made with the company's Alpha range of DSLRs that have finally made it a brand to take very seriously in this field.

Compacts

Never before has there been such an enormous and specialised range of snappers in the compact department. Gone are the days of the straight forward point and press. Even phones have got smile, beauty and blink modes as well as a thousand and one scene set ups too. The manufacturers have had to think more niche and by jove have they been creative this year. Among the hundreds of new models that seem to have come in two major deluges at the beginning of the year and just in time for Christmas, are those for style or affordability such as the L-series from Nikon, the CyberShots (including Party Dock) from Sony, the Z35 Finepix from FujiFilm and the all touch Canon IXUS 200 IS, there seem to so many to remember that it just makes your brain hurt.

One of the really big categories this year has been the super-zooms. As the technology has advanced they've managed to stuff more and more into those tiny chassis with over 20x magnification and full DSLR processors inside almost as standard, plus the inevitable HD video shooting too. See Samsung's WB5000, the Panasonic FZ35 & 38, the Powershot SX20 & S90 and the Nikon P90 for some excellent examples. Take it one stage further and you meet the compact cameras that cost more than the low end big versions. Designed as walkabout cameras for professionals, where perhaps a DSLR might get in the way, you'll find the Fujifilm FinePix S200EXR and the upgrade of the hugely successful G10, the Canon G11.

It's now even possible to mistake the level of sophistication that lies within these super gadgets with a trend towards old school looks burning a strong line this year, particularly with the rise of the micro four thirds system most famously in the Olympus EP-1 but also with great grace in the Panasonic GF1, the cooler cousin to the high spec of the Lumix GH1 with its HD video improvement on last year's model. At the same time there have been equal levels of excitement over the return of the Rangefinder in digital form although few will ever use it with it coming at Leica prices.

Finally the sub-category has produced machines that'll simply record anywhere with rugged and waterproof models from Olympus, Canon and GE and, best of all, there's been the down right bizarre with the dual screen Samsung ST550 & ST500, the dual lensed 3D-shooting FujiFilm W13D and the dual functioned retake on the insta-matic with the POGO camera from Polaroid as well as the return of the original itself.

If that lot wasn't enough, just about every device has become better connected, as is our want, as the power of the interweb grows, and it's regular business to see cameras with GPS, Wi-Fi and all sorts of native support for Flickr, Facebook and YouTube uploads. What on Earth will they think of next?

Camcorders

If you need us to point out the most obvious trend in the camcorder department, then you've been on another planet for the last 12 months. No, we're not talking about HD but pocket-sized recorders - which as it goes, are pretty much all HD now anyway with only a small clutch not quite as Full as the others. The huge success of the of the Flip Mino spawned not only the 720p Flip Mino HD but also latterly the premium Flip Ultra range with more memory and resolution than ever before.

Creative has followed suit with the Vado HD and Kodak has continued to show us there is life after film with the impressive Zi8. Naturally, Samsung has spotted the same gold rush and come up with something special all of their own with the HMX-U10, while Toshiba has decided to do it their own way, for better or for worse, with the Camileo S10 at the beginning of the year and more recently the upgraded S20 and higher spec, larger form friends at IFA 2009. Even Medion, who seems to be popping up in all sorts of unexpected award categories, has pitched in with some style and purpose, as well as the usual value, focusing on rugged utility with the Life S47000.

With high resolutions and impressive frame rates already well established in more serious camcorders, this year provided an opportunity for the industry to do something that technology does when it has nothing better to do - make everything the same but smaller. However, what was recognised was that with greater power comes a greater responsibility and both battery life and stability have been well looked after, while developing their two greatest enemies - memory space and zoom. The choice for the former seems to have been to stay away from inefficient, energy consuming HDDs and either go with SSD or memory card solutions from the Canon LEGRIA series to the superb selection of Sanyo Xacti Dual camcorders all the way back in Q1. Perhaps the most interesting technology here though has come from Sony in the CX505VE Handycam, still positioned as the only camera at this level to feature 3-dimensional stability control - pitch, roll and turn all cancelled out.

Mobile Phones

Resolution has been on the rise for quite some time now in mobile phones but when the compact business decided that HD recording was the new megapixels, someone forgot to tell the handset manufacturers. The Samsung Pixon12 was the first to catch up with the dedicated gadgets but there have been plenty of others with the same functions, features and nigh on glassware as the compact cameras - if with slightly lower megapixel counts. Take your pick from the LG Viewty Smart, the Sony Ericsson W995, the Nokias N86 and N97 and even the HD video shooting of the Samsung i8910. While no one would suggest that these phones offer as much as the dedicated cameras, it's hard to argue that the shots you can get out of them are certainly good enough. The next assault will be to get optical zoom sorted.

The Rest

Beyond the quality snappers, there's a whole world of digital imaging out there that doesn't need that same level of finesse but are excellent gadgets noe the less. Webcams managed to go HD this year with the Microsoft Lifecam and even take on a new form with IP cameras, essentially for surveillance of one kind or another that you can network and view from anywhere on line. The Y-cam and Compro IP50 are good examples as any.

Finally, there's the pseudo-novelty angle with keychain spycams, dangerously probe-like USB snakecams and even something to see a day in the life of your pet too. Oh yes, and Apple added a video camera to the nano. Enough to consider? Now, go choose.

What do you think?

But these are just some of the fantastic choices our readers have had in 2009. What would you like to see held aloft as the winner of Pocket-lint Best Camera 2009? Who have we missed out? Which are your unsung heroes and of those we've already mentioned, which would get your vote? Let us know in the comments below and you can help our panel decide which make the shortlist of nominees to be announced here on Pocket-lint on 16 November. We'll have all out coverage of the Vodafone Pocket-lint awards 2009 right here. Don't miss a minute of it.

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Related links:

• Feature - Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 - car gadgets
• Feature - Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 - music gadgets
• News - Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards date confirmed and tickets on sale

Tags: Cameras Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 Pocket-lint Awards Camcorders Webcams Mobile phones DSLR cameras Compact cameras Nikon Canon Olympus Panasonic Features

Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 - digital cameras originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:59:14 +0000

Pocket camcorder brand Flip has emulated T-Mobile's popular Liverpool Street Station dance event with a similar effort in the decidedly more sunny setting of Australia's Bondi Beach.

Performed as part of a promotion for the launch of the Flip Mino HD video camera, the corporate flash mob is kick-started by a man in Speedos dancing alone to Ben Lee's "Catch My Disease" until 200 other dancers join the routine. Hit play to see action from the impromptu sequence now.

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Read

Tags: Cameras Camcorders Flip Advertising Video Pure Digital T-Mobile

VIDEO: Flip does a T-Mo with flash mob dance on Bondi beach originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:00:41 +0000

Although we admit that Nikon was first to combine a camera and a projector, Taiwanese DigiLife appears to be the first company to add a projector to a pocket HD camcorder.

The DDV-JF1, as it's called, combines a Flip-style camcorder with a pocket projector in a package that is no bigger than most current pocket projectors on the market.

The camera part of the device shoots video at 1280x720 pixels at 30fps, although 848x480 at 60fps and 320x240 at 30fps are also available options.

The lens is fixed focus and the camcorder offers 3 x digital zoom. The video is recorded in H.264 to an SDHC card with cards up to 32GB are supported.

On the back of the camcorder is a 2.5-inch LCD display with 960x240 while below the screen are controls which seem to have at least borrowed some of its inspiration from the Kodak Z6 in terms of layout.

The projector isn't very bright at 8 lux and with a resolution of Q720p which isn't as good as it
sounds as in reality this is only 640x360 pixels.

We don't know how much the DDV-JF1 is going to cost, but we have a feeling that it won't be worth whatever the initial price will be...

Tags: Cameras Camcorders Pico projectors DigiLife

DigiLife sticks projector into pocket HD camcorder originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:44:53 +0100

Almost falling into the NSFW category, Firebox is offering the USB "Snakescope" camera, a still slash video borescope for under ?30.

With a "robust", semi-flexible insertion tube, the camera head and cable are waterproof, so ideal for checking out your, er, plumbing. There's also a clip-on magnet that will help to retrive metal objects.

Complete with software that allows you to view, edit and save down recordings, the snakescope records in VGA quality and works with Windows-based PCs.

Related links:

• Shop - Firebox

Tags: Cameras Firebox Digital cameras USB gadgets Gadgets Camcorders

Firebox offers USB Snakescope camera originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:44:37 +0100

Twenty years ago you couldn't help but marvel at the site of a stadium twinkling with thousands upon thousands of camera flashes and wonder just how much money Kodak was raking in. This year the last roll of 35mm Kodachrome colour film will leave the production line, bringing to an end a great part of history. At the dawn of the digital age, Kodak saw 35mm film sales plummet from $15 billion to $200 million in under 5 years. If you haven't heard much from the tech giant in the interim, aside the odd photoframe, it's because it went from a consumer facing family name to a 70% B2B specialist at almost the click of a shutter.

A few years on and Kodak is on the march once more with its familiar gold logo appearing on our shelves on increasingly desirable products. 97% of cinema films are still printed on Kodak - for the time being, at least - but now half of the company's 19 lines are digital, including consumer photo printers and more recently the Kodak Zi8 - arguably the top pocket camcorder on the market today. What's more, even though time may have been unkind to film, the number of photos we're taking has hit astronomical figures and, as far as Kodak is concerned, there's a huge part to play in that. It may have been a while since consumers saw the brand on a daily basis but Kodak still has one thing that you simply can't buy. Trust.

This year has seen Kodak reach out even further to the public with a series of blogs, a Facebook app and an iPhone app that connects consumers directly to the Kodak Gallery, a user site for uploading images where they're safer and higher in resolution than any other such service on the net. The latest step from the company in its embrace of the digital age has been to conduct a survey of the birth of the digital family called The Future of Reconnectivity. Entitled both with the public's concern over our increasingly virtual lifestyles and as part of Kodak's fact finding for future product strategy, the report sampled 2,500 consumers from France, UK, Germany, Italy and the US and asked them just how they use photos in social networking and what they hold dear in their digital lives.

By far the most telling stats were those associated with Facebook. It turns out that people with more Facebook photos have more friends. Now, that could be that they have more photos because they have more friends who take more pictures of them in the first place. They also discovered that people who smiled more in photos had more friends too. Perhaps we all like to know happier people? But probably the one that's harder to explain is that those who post more videos have more people in their networks. The report describes these users as part of a growing "digital aristocracy" and, for those who simply must be a part of it, you can help yourself out with photo editing software that will automatically remove frowns from pictures and turn them into smiles. In reaction, you'll also find groups on Facebook for people who like images of sad and angry faces. Good for an amusing browse.
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In general, there were also patterns that emerged in what kinds of pictures were taken by different age groups. Those in their 20s predominantly took what the study referred to as "vertical photographs" - those in which the subjects were mainly on their feet. Probably something to do with youth and all that energy they have. By the 30s it was more what was described as "10 o'clock photos" where subjects were mostly sat down and largely more sedate. By our 40s, it's all about photos more for business and by 50s and 60s, it's all about family shots which seems to make sense.

The concern for Kodak more specifically is how to get the most out of our digital photo stock or how to bring out the "digital shoebox" as Kodak chief marketing officer Jeff Hayzlett puts it. On the virtual side of things, Kodak is looking at easier methods of sharing digital photos both across networks and anywhere in the home between photoframes that are yours and those perhaps at another family member's house hundreds of miles away. A large focus of the company's business now is, of course, home printing of shots but for those that wish to send their stills in the other direction, it's actually possible for to get metadata from scanned hard copy photographs. The paper on which Kodak prints were made contains all sorts of detail including when and where the printing was done. Very useful for mass digitisation and sorting.

There's clearly plenty of inroads for Kodak and enough faith from the general public in the name of the brand the world knows so well. The big question is whether or not the products and services can deliver as well as the competition. This time there's no relying on George Eastmen to invent the revolution. The technology is already there and Kodak has been behind the digital pack so far but with a combination of legacy and innovation anything is possible. What we can say for sure is that we'll be seeing more from the New York company in the consumer space to come but it's another thing altogether of how the B2B side of the business will cope as more and more cinemas go digital too.

Related links:

• News - WEBSITE OF THE DAY - Kodak Gallery
• Features - Five great rangefinder cameras

Tags: Cameras Camcorders Kodak Kodak Zi8 Printers Features Facebook Surveys

Is Kodak coming back? originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:48:20 +0100

In the States, Pure Digital has launched a new "premium" version of its Flip MinoHD pocket camcorder that sees a few feature additions for an extra $30.

Priced at $229 and boasting 8GB of storage for 2 hours of 720p video, a larger 2-inch screen and an HDMI port, the premium model gets either an aluminium shell or a personalised design from Flip's website. ?

There's also a new version of the FlipShare software with an "automatic Magic Movie mode" that auto-trims and edits clips before uploads.

There's no news on a UK launch for the new higher-end model just yet, but the second generation of Pure Digital's Flip Ultra line only went on sale here in June.

Read

Tags: Cameras Flip Camcorders Pure Digital

"Premium" version of Flip MinoHD announced originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:36:29 +0100

Panasonic has dropped us word of a camcorder that it'll soon be launching - the HDC-TM350. It's strictly limited edition - only 200 will be available - and it's a sister model to the HDC-TM300, which has won multiple awards.

It's rather on the advanced side - with three seperate colour sensors to process red, green and blue, and 1.6 lux low light recording. It does full HD, and can record still images at 10.6 megapixels, and can do both video recording and still image recording at the same time too - though those are limited to 8.3 megapixels.

There's an intelligent auto optical image stabiliser, and AF/AE tracking which will keep focus and exposure locked onto a subject even if they stray to the edges of the picture. It comes with 64GB of built-in flash memory, along with an SD card slot for pumping that up further.

The HDC-TM300 will be available from mid-October, and will cost approximately ?1200. But don't delay - there's only 200 available.

Related links:

• News - Panasonic launches Lumix FP8

Tags: Cameras Panasonic Digital cameras Compact cameras Camcorders 10 megapixels Panasonic HDC-TM350 Camcorder

Panasonic reveals HDC-TM350 camcorder originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:33:24 +0100