the 06/12/2008

Pure Digital Flip Mino Camcorder comes up

 USB A Connector When it comes to size, the thin Flip Mino is the iPod Nano to the$140 Flip Ultra's iPod Classic. Clocking in at 3.9 inches long by 2inches wide by 0.6 inches deep, it's the smallest model in PureDigital's popular pocket camcorder line. It's also the mostversatile, thanks to   the company's new   videoengine that produces great-looking SVGA-resolution (640 by 480)videos. The unit's 2GB flash drive holds an hour of clips. At $180,   the Mino   also comes in at some $80more thanCreative's Vado, a pocket camcorder   with whichit   shares   some similarities, including an  onboard USB connector, direct-to-YouTube uploads,diminutive size, and comparably slick design. Is the Mino worth theextra 80 bucks? It just might be, if you value video quality andMac compatibility. If you've used the Flip Video or Flip Ultra, you'll know how tooperate the Mino--even its new features are a no-brainer for afirst-time user to operate. The Mino adds touch-sensitive controls,which replace all standard buttons (other than the record and powerbuttons) found on the other Flip models. These four capacitivetouch buttons surround the centrally positioned record button;"plus" and "minus" buttons control the zoom andthe audio playback volume, while left and right buttons allow youto select videos for playback. The Mino's full set of controls arerounded out by touch-sensitive play/pause buttons and a deletebutton. Although we liked the clean, slick look of the capacitive touchbuttons, we found it way too easy during our testing toaccidentally play back or delete clips by accidentally brushing  a finger against the buttons. You can lock the deletekey by pressing it down for a few seconds, but that doesn't go farenough; the Mino's touch sensitivity may be a bit too touchy forsome users. That said, the buttons do seem to solve the problem previous Flipmodels had, where you could accidentally start a recording whilethe device was in your pocket--and the Mino fits very comfortablyinto a shirt or jeans pocket. Also new to the Mino is the integrated lithium ion battery(previous models used AA batteries), and the location of theflip-out USB jack, the magic component that makes the Flip models(as well as the Creative Vado) so plug-and-play convenient. EarlierFlip units had a flip-out USB connector on the side; the Mino'sconnector instead flips out, switchblade-style, from the top of thedevice. It makes the Mino slightly less unwieldy to plug in to yourcomputer's USB port. When connected, the Mino can upload clipsdirectly to YouTube, AOL Video, or MySpace; you also use the USBconnector to charge the device's battery (it has   nopower cord). The Mino holds some key advantages over the significantly cheaperCreative Vado. For one, the Flip Mino's video-management software(which is embedded in the device, so you don't have to install itseparately from a disc) works with Apple Mac OS X, while the Vado's software works only on XP and Vista. Second, even though both shoot 640-by-480-pixel MPEG-4 AVI clips at30 frames per second, the Mino's video quality is flat-out betterthan that of the Vado. This is especially true   forindoor, mediocre-lighting settings: The Mino still turns out clear,sharp clips, while the Vado's clips look pixellated, murky, or justplain dark in anything other than well-lit areas. The Mino is your  obvious pick if video quality is what you seek, even atalmost twice the price. And if you're a MySpace or AOL Video user, the Mino also hasbuilt-in integration with those sites' video players; the samedoesn't hold true for the Vado, which works only with YouTube andPhotobucket. Still, the Mino has some drawbacks compared   withCreative's YouTube-friendly model. On Windows XP, the Flip softwarefailed to upload my clips to YouTube the first three times I triedit. When   uploading did work, I found the Mino was slowerthan the Vado at this task. Also, the Vado can hold more footagedespite its identical 2GB flash drive: While the Mino tops out at  1 hour of footage, the Vado can hold   2 hoursof clips (but with noticeably subpar quality, to be sure). Besides the pocket camcorder itself, you get a few other goodieswith the Mino's price of admission: a protective pouch, an RCAcable   for watching your clips on a standard TV, a wriststrap, and basic but clear documentation. Creative's Vado has a bargain-bin price, but as Pure Digital's FlipMino shows, you get what you pay for: The $180 Flip Mino is theclearly the better camcorder of two. If video quality is whatyou're after, or if you use a Mac, the Flip Mino is worth the extrascratch.