The Flip UltraHD is powered by AA batteries; the entrenched FlipShare software set for the camera remains superb; the camera comes with straightforward recording controls and the camera comes with Twitter support.

Thumbs Down:

The Flip UltraHD suffers from average video quality; doesn’t have any memory expansion; doesn’t have HDMI cable included; doesn’t have macro focus; doesn’t have a mic and headphone jacks; the camera has fixed resolution of 720p at 30fps; the camera suffers from FlipPort for add-on accessories.

The Whiz Kid Speaks:

Manufacturer: Pure Digital

Part Number: U260W

Price: $145.99 – $149.99

Product Type: Camcorder – 720p

Weight: 6 oz

Dimensions (W x D x H) in inches: 2.2 x 1.2 x 4.3 inches

Optical Sensor Type: CMOS

White balance:  Automatic

Software: FlipShare and Drivers & Utilities

Connector Type: 1 x HDMI output and 1 x USB

Operating System Support: Microsoft Windows Vista, Apple Mac OS X 10.4 or later, Microsoft Windows 7 and Microsoft Windows XP

Additional Features: USB charging,   Auto power save,   Built-in speaker,   In-camera movie editing,   USB 2.0 compatibility,   YouTube capture mode and Time/Date stamp

Peripheral Devices: CD-ROM drive and USB port

Focus Adjustment: Focus free

Included Accessories: Wrist strap

Supported Battery: AA

Battery Type: 1 x AA NiMH rechargeable battery (Included)

Razzle Dazzle:

Apart from the exception of a small Cisco logo positioned at the back of the camera, the entire body of the UltraHD 1H has the same look that we’ve seen in its previous models. The camera is available in white with blue, silver or magenta trim, or at the same time the camera can be personalized according to you at the time of purchased on Flip’s Web site.

The frontage of the camera hosts a red recording indicator light and a mic. Positioned on the right side of the camera is a small power button, while positioned on the left is a small button for flipping out camera’s USB connector and also there is a Mini-HDMI port for connecting the camera directly to a monitor or HDTV. At the bottom of the camera is a lock for securing the battery section cover and threaded tripod mount. The camera doesn’t have the all new FlipPort, which gives the third party manufactures a chance to manufacture accessories especially for the Flip devices, for example a portable pico projector or add-on microphones.

Talking about accessories, all that the camera comes with includes a couple of AA-size batteries and that’s all. If you want to make use of Mini-HDMI output or want to connect to USB port (which here is really hard-to-reach), then you’ll need a lot of cables. The battery life of the camera is also short when running on alkaline batteries; it would be a lot better to invest in rechargeable AAs or can get the $24.99 rechargeable bundle from Flip.

Inside Dope:

The Flip Video UltraHD from Cisco is available in 1-hour and 2-hour editions, but there is a lot more than just the recording time, which separates the models. The 1-hour edition (that we are reviewing here) is priced at $149.99, and is basically the same UltraHD fro 2009, but with a smaller storage capacity. The UltraHD 2H (2 Hour) gets a lot of new features such as improvements in video quality and a proprietary port to support the third party accessories specially developed for Flip’s cams. On a whole you gets you gets decent bang for your buck for $50 extra for addition 2-hour.

Though, the one reason to get Flip UltraHD (1 Hour) is if you are looking for the simplest way of shooting videos and at the same time wants to share them online instantly. Apart from this the two similarly priced models from some other manufacturers’ offers superior video quality. And if you don’t have nay interest in accessories and at the same time would like things like a headphone jack, a mic expandable memory or more than one shooting resolution, or the ability to shoot still photos or play with the creative video filters, then neither this nor any of the other Flip’s lineup are for you.

As we told earlier, one of the major reasons for buying Flip camcorders is easy operation. The control panel here is similar to the one that you’ll find on any of the other Flip video cameras; the control panel comprises of buttons for Play, Record, Delete, and even for four-way directional pad, but that is all. Pressing up and down while recording controls the 2x digital zoom of the camera; while during the playback the same up  and down are used for controlling volume. The left and right buttons are used for navigating through your recordings in spite of the mode in which you are. So, on a whole it means that you can handover this camcorder to anyone and they’ll be able to shoot a video. Sharing your movie could be tedious, for sure, but still the entrenched FlipShare software still remains one of the best packages for doing the sharing straightly from the device.

The video quality delivered by the camcorder is pretty average, and it’s not something that we’ve come to expect from Flip, it could be estimated from the fact that you won’t mistake the videos shot from the camera with a video shot from a full fledged HD camcorder. In comparison with the UltraHD 2H, well, if truth be told, there isn’t any comparison. The 2H is noticeably well, but could be oversharpened at time, while with the 1H the subjects appear soft and fuzzy.

The Flip UltraHD (1 Hour) is only worth considering if you want a complete foolproof way of recording video clips and want to share them with family and friends online. Just for $50 more, the UltraHD 2 Hour is a lot better product, with more features, storage and delivering decent video quality.

Nitty Gritty:

The Flip UltraHD (1Hour) is just a fine entry-level mini camcorder, and if what you want is something that can offer simple operation and sharing of video then it could be considered. But still there are some better options available in market.

The Flip SlideHD has pretty straightforward recording controls; has 16GB of storage space; has 3-inch LCD and finally the en suite FlipShare software of the camcorder remains superb.

Thumbs Down:

The Flip SlideHD doesn’t have the HDMI cable included, doesn’t have memory expansion option, the touchscreen controls here are too finicky and the camera on a whole is expensive.

The Whiz Kid Speaks:

Manufacturer: Pure Digital Technologies

Price range: $279.99

Part Number: S1240W

Dimensions (H x W x D): 4.1 x 2.2 x 0.9 inches

Weight: 5.9 ounces

Resolution: 1.6 megapixels

Digital Video Format: H.264

Flash Memory: 16 GB

Features: Child Safe mode,   Touch screen and Tripod mount

Software: Drivers & Utilities

Included Accessories: Wrist strap and Soft protective case

Razzle Dazzle:

The entire body of the Flip SlideHD is a two toned body with white tone for the main body and silver tone for screen. You can also get a personalized look for your camera by picking up one design from Flip’s web site and getting it imprinted on the body. But as the body entirely is made up of plastic, it feels really cheap in hand, especially when you compare it with the metal bodies of the rather less-expensive second-generation MinoHD from the same manufacturer. In addition to the cheaper feel, the SlideHD is comparatively bulky as well, despite being smaller in size than the Flip Video UltraHD. Although can excuse the camera for its bulky size, because it uses AA size batteries.

Inside Dope:

Priced at $279.99 the Flip SlideHD mini-camcorder is comparatively higher priced than the class to which the camera belongs. Though the immense 16 GB internal memory of the camera can be attributed the excess weight of the camera. The straight 3 inch wide touchscreen LCD of the camera also is responsible for the slight weight increase. The wide LCD screen of the camera not only is touchscreen, but also acts as a screen for viewing photos and videos, and “slide” opens at a comfortable angle. This Flip SlideHD also makes shooting and sharing videos an easy maneuver, so easy that almost everyone can do it.

The humongous LCD screen of SlideHD is used for controlling most of the functions of the camera, as a result of which you will see a really limited amount of physical controls on the body of the camera. As a matter of fact there only are a couple of them. The first physical control is positioned on the right spine of the camera and is a small power button; the second button is for flipping the USB connector to be connected from top. The camera lens is positioned on the fascia of the camera along with the red record lights and mic. The red record lights have been concealed in mic grilles. Positioned at the base are a Mini-HDMI port, a threaded tripod mount and a headphone jack. One thing that we didn’t liked here is the fixed memory storage of 16 GB of the camera, although we’re sure that it might be sufficient for some, but still an expansion option would be nice.

The videos stored in the camera can be watched whether the camera is open or close, but for recording the screen of SlideHD should be closed. The LCD screen slide opens on the right side, hence if you are holding the camera with your right hand, then your hand will stop it from opening, but still a lock for it would have been much better.

The touchscreen here is sufficiently responsive, but don’t expect anything like an Apple iPhone or even anything like the modern touchscreen digital cameras. Though, you will be able to accomplish the functions of the camera, but it can be painful at times.

The touch controls of the camera are pretty much the same what we have seen in the other devices from the company. The touch controls includes Play, Delete, Record and four-way navigation. The controls, features and options of this camera are pretty ordinary, and pretty much the same what we’ve seen earlier, so don’t expect anything serious here.

One thing that we particularly liked about the camera was the video quality, which here was pretty impressive. The video clips shot here were compellingly sharp, with sparkling and precise colors. Though the videos shot in dim light were clearly noisy, but that’s something people expects. So, on a whole you can say that the performance of the SlideHD was imposing, especially if you consider the size pf the camera.

Nitty Gritty:

The Flip SlideHD in straight words is just another camcorder with humongous sliding screen facilitating viewing and sharing videos. So if this is what you want to do with your camera then this is a worth buying small camera, or else its good for nothing.

One-touch uploading to AOL and YouTube; ultra-slim profile; easy to use; high-end quality video and audio in its class.

Thumbs Down:

The battery is not replaceable and removable. There is no MMC/SD card slot for increasing memory. The Mino is a bit more expensive than its competitors.

The Whiz Kid Speaks:

The Flip Video Mino is a 0.31-megapixel mini-camcorder that has 1/4” CMOS optical sensor and 2GB flash memory. It features automatic white balance, auto-exposure, and 2x digital zoom. The Mino supports NTSC analog video, and digital video formats of AVI and MPEG4.

The Mino camcorder has 1.5 inches LCD color display and inbuilt microphone. The microphone’s operational modes are omni-directional and mono. The lens has F/2.4 aperture with focus free adjustment and its minimum focus range is 3.3ft.

The video capture resolution is MPEG4 640×480 pixels. The additional features are In-camera movie editing, USB 2.0 compatibility, Progressive scanning, Inbuilt speaker, Date/time stamp, and Auto power save.

The connector set includes 1×composite audio/video output, and 1×USB. The supported operating systems are Microsoft Windows XP/Vista, and Apple Mac OS X.

The Flip Video Mino has standard lithium ion battery. Accessories included inside the box are one A/V cable, carrying case, drivers & utilities disc, user manual, and battery.

Razzle Dazzle:

The Flip Video Mino is 3.9 inches tall, 2 inches wide, and 0.8 inch deep and weighs 3.3 ounces. It has an ultra-slim and lightweight body.

Inside Dope:

The Flip Video Mino is a fourth generation camcorder for Pure Digital. Both the Flip Video Ultra and the Mino has similar technology and runs on lithium ion rechargeable batteries. The Mino features one-touch uploading to AOL and YouTube; and high-quality video and sound in its class. However, the batteries are not removable and there is no memory card slot for external storage. $103.45 priced the Mino is also relatively expensive than its competitors.

The Pure Digital has completely redesigned the Flip Video Mino. The USB connector flips out straightly rather than extending from the side. The Mino has 1.5 inches LCD display instead of previous 1.46 inches screen. The navigation controls on back are touch-sensitive and shinny, but flush inside the surface. The A/V output port is shifted downward and is smaller than standard 2.5mm jack. The tripod threaded mount is located in the center at the bottom.

The company has included the latest – Pure Digital Video Engine 2.5 in the Flip Video Mino as compared 2.0 Engine of the Ultra. This helps to provide the better video quality than that of Creative and RCA models. The images are sharper and colors are more vibrant. The Mino performs fine even in low-light situations. We appreciate the Pure Digital to update the microphone with revamped signal processing.

The Flip Video Mino ships with software that features one-touch upload button for uploading videos and pictures at MySpace, AOL, and YouTube. You will find similar features with similarly priced digital cameras like Casio Exilim EX-Z80. More to like – the Mino features similar direct operations on Macintosh without any software installation.

The previous Flip Video provides limited movie-making features with their software. Now, the Flip Video Mino comes with “Muvee” software that provides full clip-compiling and manual-editing abilities. You can add effects, music tracks, transitions, and mix other clips to create a movie. The Muvee also offers to buy the additional StyleLabs software. However, it is not compatible with Mac computers. The encoded AVI clips are still not directly compatible with iMovie. You can directly share and publish the videos on MySpace, AOL and YouTube by clicking on Share Video button.

As per Pure Digital, you can upload one hour video to its Web site for getting it burn on a DVD that can be distributed at $19.99 per piece. The company also saves your video on that Web site for long time.

Overall, the Flip Video Mino is a good mini-camcorder that provides better quality in reasonable rates. The RCA and the Creative model costs $30 more, but their quality is still average.

Nitty Gritty:

If you need a better quality mini-camcorder, especially for straight-to-Web support and do not mind the absence of memory increasing option, then buy – Flip Video Mino.

Thumbs Up:

The unit is powered by AA sized rechargeable batteries which can be charged through USB, you can also but standard AA sized batteries, the camcorder has a user friendly interface and bundled software can be used with both Mac and PC.

Thumbs Down:

No still capture mode, a bit heavy with the AA batteries, the unit has HDMI slot but there is no HDMI cable included, lacks memory card slot.

Inside the Trunk:

Utilities and driver, include accessories – wrist strap, carrying case.

The Whiz Kid Speaks:

Flip UltraHD is a 720p camcorder, with 2x digital zoom, videos are stored in H.264/MPEG format, optical sensor size is 1/4.5”, the unit has 8 GB flash memory but doesn’t have external card slot for more memory, camcorder sensor resolution is 0.92 megapixels, Flip UltraHD has F/2.4 lens, minimum focus range is 5 feet.

Additional features include In-camera movie editing, USB 2.0 compatibility, YouTube capture mode, Built-in speaker, Date/time stamp, Auto power save, USB charging. Connectors on the camcorder include HDMI output, USB. The unit has 2 inch TFT LCD.

For the software Apple Mac OS X 10.4 or later, MS Windows Vista, MS Windows XP are the supported operating systems. The camcorder is powered by AA NiMH rechargeable battery.

Razzle Dazzle:

Flip UltraHD looks a lot like Flip’s first generation Ultra on the outside. This device has a bigger LCD (2 inches) as compared to the previous model (1.5 inches) The buttons are larger on this unit, the exteriors have rubber body which lets you grip the device easily. The camcorder is 2.2 inch wide, 1.2 inch deep, 4.3 inch high and weighs 6 oz.

Inside Dope:

Flip have been known to make good compact camcorders, we were fans of MinoHD which was released last year because it didn’t confuse us with too many functions and was a great solution if you wanted to put the videos on sites like YouTube. This time, they are back with two new models Ultra HD which records at 720p video with resolution of 1280X720 and the Ultra which records at 640X480 VGA resolution. The latter is cheapest among the two in terms of price.

Flip UltraHD comes with AA sized rechargeable batteries which can be charged from the unit itself by connecting it to the USB. You can also put standard AA sized alkaline batteries in to the camcorder. We really liked the options and the fact that the rechargeable batteries could be charged within the camcorder. However, there is a catch; the rechargeable and alkaline batteries are heavier as compared to standard lithium ion batteries. Ultra HD weighs 6.1 ounces as compared to the MinoHD which is 3.3 ounces.

The exteriors of the camcorder has a glossy look which means you will be wiping fingerprints all the time on the unit. A brushed metal body would have been better. The unit has HDMI port but Flip doesn’t bundle in a cable.

The camcorder records at 720p resolution at 30 frames per second, the videos are encoded as MPEG-4. The camcorder has 8 GB internal memory but it cannot be expanded due to lack of external card slot. The 8 gig memory can last for two hours of shooting after which you will have to empty the video in a computer to get back space.

We really love Flip’s products because of the simplicity of usage. Even newbie will make out how to use it in no time. You press the record button to start recording and play button to play what you have recorded. Other than the 2x digital zoom, there are no advanced settings, not even a photo capture mode. However, the bundled software lets you take stills from videos. Flip’s software supports both MAC and PC. The editing features are pretty basic; Mac users can transfer the videos on Apple’s iMovie for more video editing options.

You will be satisfied with the video quality as long as you don’t expect kick ass videos from this web friendly camcorder. Outdoor shots were saturated and sharp and in low light clips didn’t have too much blurriness or noise. Audio was also recorder quite clearly. However the quality is miles behind a full-fledged HD camcorder. The video shakes a lot so you will have to it absolutely still while shooting videos. However the video quality has improved as compared to MinoHD. The camcorder has the same hardware inside like image sensor and optics but still manages to give better videos.

Nitty Gritty:

Flip UltraHD is neither the sexiest nor the cheapest when it comes to competition. But the video quality is certainly good for its class. If you intend to buy Ultra, we recommend you to put $50 extra and get the UltraHD. The most attractive feature of the unit has to be the battery set up which lets us use rechargeable or alkaline batteries however it increases the weight. If heavy camcorders turn you off, get Creative’s Vado HD or MinoHD.

Thumbs Up:

Good 720p video quality, the provided software is very user friendly for sharing your videos, battery is not user replaceable.

Thumbs Down:

A bit expensive, no memory slot provided for expansion cards, the videos look shaky and there are issues with auto focus.

Inside the Trunk:

Software disc and charger cable.

The Whiz Kid Speaks:

Flip Video MinoHD is a mini camcorder which records a 720p HD quality videos. Videos are saved in H.264 format, the built in memory is 8 GB Flash which is not expandable. Lens  is  F/2.4 and minimum focus range is 31.5 inches. TFT LCD active matrix display of the camcorder is 2 inch big

Additional features include -  Back-lit buttons, USB charging, date/time stamp, auto power save, progressive scanning, built-in speaker, YouTube capture mode, in-camera movie editing, USB 2.0 compatibility.

Connection ports include 1 USB and 1 HDMI output. It has operating system support for MS Windows XP, MS Windows Vista, Apple Mac OS X.

It has rechargeable lithium ion battery which lasts for about 2 hours on a single charge.
The camcorder comes with 90 days warranty.

Razzle Dazzle:

MinoHD second generation looks just like the first generation device but the feel of the product is different. The body of this one is made of brushed metal as compared to the plastic body of the previous generation device. The unit weighs 5.8 ounces which is not that heavy. But the exterior of the camcorder is sleeker and more luxurious. If you buy this product directly from the Flip’s website then you get options for colors but otherwise there is only option of silver and black.

Inside Dope:

With the holiday season coming around manufacturers are churning new products to induce people to buy. Some of them are really worth paying for, while some are just making new products to cash in on the holiday period. We felt the latter when it comes to the Flip Video MinoHD, second generation. We don’t mean disrespect but first generation was pretty much good with the latest technology.

Now Flip takes a leaf out of the book of Apple while naming the devices, this camcorder is named second generation which is meant to be an improved version of the previous product. The main changes are the bigger memory, the LCD has got bigger and it is transreflective (antiglare) and has a 960×240 resolution and the exteriors have changed to give the unit a sleeker look.

The camcorder has touch sensitive buttons just like the previous devices but they are put in such a place that you might click on them accidentally. Also the body attracts a lot of fingerprints which ruins its beautiful look.

Though the external looks has changed the core features inside are the same which reiterates our idea that this product was made just to cash in on the holiday season. The camcorder doesn’t offer 1080p resolution of video capture like the Kodak Zi8 instead it is still at 30fps or 720p video. There is 2x digital zoom but there is no image stabilization so you will have to keep your hand really still while capturing or get a tripod. There is no macro mode for shooting close-ups. But it is very simple to use just like the first generation camcorder because it doesn’t confuse you with much settings like most camcorders. All you have to do is to hit the record button and then hit it again when you are done. But we would have liked option of dropping to lower video resolution in order to save on memory.

The battery is still not user replace able and it still provides the same two hours of life for recording your videos. Files are stored in MP4 formats at the rate of nine megabytes per second.

The manufacturers have improved video quality in the second generation of the device. The indoor shot white balance has improved and it really shows in the output of the videos which are very sharp and have vibrant colors. The camera doesn’t shoot in full HD resolution of 1080p but video quality is excellent.

The camcorder performs well both in low light and bright conditions. The quality in bright conditions is a bit higher and it drops a bit in low light conditions. You get stereo sound for recording of audio but you will have to stay a bit close to the camcorder so that the microphone can record voice easily.

You will have to hold the camera steady while taking photos because the videos seemed shaky even when held with a steady hand. For best results use a tripod because there are some issues with auto focus. The videos are recorded in 720p and video quality is not as good as full HD, we noticed a bit of jitter when we played the videos on computer. When we contacted Flip for this, they said that videos are best played on a power full computer with all the applications closed.

It is very easy to get the videos on the computer, you just press the button and the USB connector pops out. Flip recognizes OS x (10.4 or later) or Windows (2000 or later). Flip bundles in a new software with which you can stitch two clips together, get a still photo out of a video or share the clips through e-mail.

The share interface is really user friendly, you just click on the “Share Video” button on the software and you get a screen wherein you have to select a video clip and share a greeting (video card), share online or share it through e-mail. A clip of around 15-20 seconds takes about 25-30 MB of size which can be a bummer if you have a slow connection; we found that the recipients get a link to the compressed video when you send it.

You can publish you video directly on MySpace, AOL or YouTube provided you have an account there. Once again the software is very much user friendly and does all these chores for you by uploading the video for public or private viewing. You can also upload you videos on FaceBook with the application provided and there is a new feature called Movie Magic which makes a movie from your clips.

Through Flip Channel you can upload your videos and it automatically notifies the people that you have on the list, about the video that you have uploaded. The notification is done through e-mail and there is iPhone application that lets people who have iPod Touch or iPhone to remotely access these clips.

Nitty Gritty:

Flip Video MinoHD is just like the first generation along with some additional features. If you don’t have the first generation device and if you are thinking of buying this, we would advice you to go for it. However if you already own the first generation unit we would advice you not to go for an upgrade.