The original Mino HD was one of the simplest, easiest-to-use pocket cams out there. Its video quality was nothing to write home about (and paled in comparison to, say, the Kodak Zi8), but it sold boatloads based on its good looks and respectable performance. So what does the new Mino HD bring to the table?

What's New

The new Mino HD definitely feels better in the hand than its predecessor. It's only marginally smaller (about 1.5 millimeters thinner, same width and height) but the upgrade to aluminum from glossy plastic makes it feel much more solid and expensive. The other improvements are welcome as well—the new screen is both larger (2 inches compared to 1.5) and significantly sharper, and it's now packing 8GB of internal memory, twice that of the first Mino HD. That 8GB of memory allows for about two hours of 720p recording. Also new is an HDMI-out jack for sharing videos on HD screens, and it also boasts a faster processor (I didn't see a difference in performance, but Flip says battery life is improved).

What's Unchanged, but Shouldn't Be

As it's packing the same sensor as the first Mino HD, this new version shares the same strengths and suffers from the same flaws: Good in solid lighting and close-ups, but noisy in low-light and choppy while panning. It still can't take stills, there's no optical zoom, and there's no image stabilizer. Also unchanged are those damn touch-sensitive buttons. I accidentally hit the "Play" touch-button several times because you don't have to depress an actual, tactile button to make commands, which is super annoying. Tactile buttons would be a lot more accurate and result in less accidental presses.

As always, we should mention that the days of dedicated pocket cams like the Mino HD are numbered. They're surrounded on all sides, with the iPod Nano hitting them from the low-end and smartphones hitting them from the high. Since convergence is already killing PMPs, we don't see this kind of gadget lasting all that much longer. That being said...

The Flip Mino HD is a solid choice for a pocket cam, since it's sort of the distillation of what the pocket cam category aims for: It's dead simple, to a fault sometimes, takes decent but not amazing video, and is sleek and pocketable. We'd really have liked to see some improvements to the Mino HD's sensor (as well as the merciless execution of those touch-buttons), but overall it's still a pretty decent cam. This new version sells for $230, while the older 4GB model drops to $200—and we'd say the improvements are worth the extra $30 if you're torn between the two. The Flip Mino HD is available now.

Solid-feeling aluminum case

Doubled memory, bigger and better screen, and HDMI-out are welcome additions

Dead simple UI, but it lacks more advanced features

Video quality is okay, but unchanged from last-gen

Touch-sensitive buttons seem designed purely to infuriate

The Price: $230

The Verdict: Once again, Flip has done a respectable job of bringing dead simple, high quality video recording to the masses. The MinoHD is light on features—no macro shooting, still picture taking, or video quality options—but it makes up for these shortcomings by its ease of use. The memory and battery are both built-in, and are sufficiently sized to take a day's worth of video without filling up or going dead. The touch-sensitive buttons are more responsive than the original Mino, making zoom and playback a snap. Even the new editing software on the Flip, usually included on camcorders like this as an afterthought, is great, and you can make a YouTube-level video complete with background music and credits in just a few clicks.

The video quality on the MinoHD is decent. Well-lit areas look good, but places with low-light are noisy and not as clean as the Zi6. The video gets choppy while panning, a problem shared with Kodak's cam, but most things shot on the device will likely be single-angle clips of people getting punched in the nuts or popping zits, so this shouldn't be much of an issue. *Update: It may be apples-to-oranges comparing low-light video between the two cams, since the Zi6 switches to 15fps in low light, while the Mino HD stays at 30fps.

For comparison's sake, here's a clip I shot in low-light on the Zi6, the current cream of the HD crop. It's much clearer than the MinoHD, and close-up focus looks nice. Sound quality is pretty comparable between the two.

Still, the price tag is a bit steep for such a small set of features. More serious aspiring viral video stars will miss options like recording in VGA to increase space, or a macro switch for close up shots. Also, the screen is so small that its difficult to see what you're recording, which is necessary when the video is in 720p. All in all, the MinoHD is a super simple, solid quality, if a little pricey camcorder that will have you sharing videos in no time.[Flip]

Flip Mino HD
Details
•Sleek, pocket-sized camcorder shoots breathtaking HD video
•Available in black or whatever you want
•4GB of on-board memory records up to 60 minutes of video
•Dimensions: 4” x 2” x 0.6”; weighs just 3.3 oz.
•HD 720p resolution (1280 x 720) in16:9 cinematic widescreen
•No glare display (1.5”)
•Sealed, rechargeable lithium ion battery (up to 2 hours of battery life)
•Flat back-panel with touch-sensitive buttons
•Instant playback, pause, fast forward/rewind, and delete features
•Connects to TV for instant viewing
•New built-in FlipShare™ software works on any PC or Mac:
•Save, organize, and edit videos with ease
•Email videos and video greeting cards
•Upload videos directly to AOL Video, MySpace, and YouTube
•Capture HD snapshots from your videos
•Create custom movies with your own music
•Order DVDs and have them shipped anywhere in the world
Suggested Retail Pricing: $229.99

Yes, the camera captures video in 60fps 720p HD, the highest quality of any pocket cam so far, and it looked great when I saw it projected on a 40" flat-panel TV. The Zi6 also shoots stills and lower quality VGA video for wannabe YouTubers. Its SDHC slot supports cards up to 32GB—if you can find one—and my favorite sleeper feature is its ability to shoot well in macro focus mode.

It's thicker than the Flip, more like the RCA Small Wonder EZ210, so it has a more sturdy feel. It runs on rechargeable Ni-MH AAs and will also take regular AAs, but I'm told that standard batteries won't last as long. That all makes me skeptical of the battery life altogether.

The unit is $180, the same price as the new Flip Mino, and it has much more functionality, and so far a better look and feel. Mark me down for one of these (in black, not pink, pictured below) when they arrive in September, so I can round up some lab assistants and put it through the paces.

Here's the press release:

Zi6 Pocket Video Camera Unveiled, Boasting HD Video Capture and Instant Uploading to YouTube™

ROCHESTER, NY, July 10 — Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) today announced its entry into the fast-growing pocket digital video camera market with the KODAK Zi6 Pocket Video Camera. This stylish HD video camera makes it fun and simple to shoot and share high-quality videos in moments, thanks to 720p HD video capture, a large 2.4-inch LCD screen, and easy-to-use software.

“Today’s connected consumers increasingly turn to video to express themselves and connect with others. The KODAK Zi6 Pocket Video Camera satisfies their thirst for an HD video camera that is simple to use and can go anywhere life takes them,” said John Blake, General Manager Digital Capture and Devices, Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company. “With the launch of the Zi6 Pocket Video Camera, consumers now have a high-quality solution from the trusted brand in digital imaging.”

With the exploding popularity of video sharing sites such as YouTube, the demand for easy to use video devices is also growing rapidly. At the same time, the expanding penetration of HDTVs is driving consumer demand for HD quality personal content.

The KODAK Zi6 Pocket Video Camera is designed to meet these needs at the touch of a button — no lens cap, dials to turn or settings to adjust.

A range of advanced features enables consumers to:

Capture video in HD quality on this fun and super simple pocket video camera (720p at 60 fps with 16:9 aspect ratio).
Upload your videos to YouTube quickly and easily using the built-in USB and software.
Record hours of video with the expandable SD/SDHC card slot that can hold up to 32 GB.
Experience your videos on HDTV in stunning HD quality with included cables.
Edit videos, add pictures and music, and share your creation anywhere with the included video software CD.
Go green with included pre-charged AA Ni-MH rechargeable batteries and battery charger.
Watch videos on the vibrant 2.4” LCD screen.
Catch the highlights with slow motion playback right in the palm of your hand.

Uploading to YouTube
YouTube is the world’s most popular online video community. The Kodak and YouTube relationship will enable consumers to quickly and easily upload videos to YouTube directly from the Zi6 Pocket Video Camera, or from the included simple and powerful video editing software (ARCSOFT MEDIAIMPRESSIONS for Kodak).

Accessories
A range of accessories will be available for the KODAK Zi6 Pocket Video Camera:

KODAK 2GB and 4GB High Performance memory cards
1-hour battery charger with 4 AA pre-charged Ni-MH batteries
KODAK tripods
KODAK camera bags

Pricing and Availability
The KODAK Zi6 Pocket Video Camera will be available from late September 2008, retailing for US$179.95 MSRP.

[Kodak]

Ever since the world caught wind of the Pure Digital Flip cam's success, super-cheap digital pocket camcorders have sprouted up everywhere. With everyone and their mother trying to become the next Lil Show Stoppa or Soulja Girl, people need a cheap and easy way to capture those magic moments. I tested six of these cams—from Creative, RCA/Audiovox, DXG and Pure Digital—all $180 or less. Here are samples of all of their videos in various conditions, and an overall look at how they stack up:

Video samples: I tested the camcorders in the three most common situations you'll use them for: indoors with full light, indoors with low light, and outdoors. In the videos, I stood in the same place with each camera. As you can see, different cameras capture different areas. Watch as these two goofballs get their line dance on and destroy the Great American Songbook, and you will easily spot the difference in quality between the recordings.

Indoor, full light:

Indoor, low light:

Outdoors:

The Runners-Up (in no particular order):

DXG 569-V HD: The best thing about this cam is that it looks very fancy. The worst thing is that it isn't. The DXG took the worst overall video of the bunch even though it claims to record in HD. Also, the 3 AAAs ran out after about 25 minutes of recording—I should've realized this would be a problem when I saw the unit came bundled with rechargeable batteries and a charger. Still, it's nice that it has a still camera option, and you could probably trick your friends into thinking you have a pricier Xacti for a minute.

Creative Vado: The Vado is the most non-descript camera of the bunch. Boring UI, crappy video quality and a plain outer shell make it a snoozer. However, it's about as thin as the Mino, very cheap and has no frills at all, making it a decent option for total luddites or technophobes.

RCA Small Wonder EZ210: I naturally gravitated to the EZ210 because of it's giant screen, big buttons, and retro look. Seriously, for all the tech inside, the camcorder looks like it was made in 1982. Even though the EZ210 is the most welcoming cam of the bunch, in the end it's about video quality and this one wasn't cutting it. It's a fair price, and I love the expandable memory, so it's a close 2nd place option.

RCA Small Wonder EZ200: The EZ200 is all over the map. After seeing the nice quality of the EZ210's daylight video, I was shocked to see how grainy and slow the EZ200's daylight footage was—it looked like an old-fashioned home film camera. Also, the flip out screen is hokey to me, but it's great for people who like to look at themselves while lipsynching to Mr. Roboto. Complaints aside, I was pleasantly surprised that the EZ200 took halfway decent low-light video. That plus the cheap price and expandable memory make this one a reasonable bet for a starter cam.

Flip Mino: The Mino is thin, has a great look and feel, and captures excellent video, but it's not the winner for a few reasons. Most importantly, it has a narrower-angled lens than just about every other camera in the test—I couldn't get my whole couch into the shot no matter how I tried. Also, the sound wasn't very good. Finally, this week I'm on the other side of the neverending rechargeable vs. AA debate, and between the Li-ion battery and non-upgradeable memory, the Mino is a little too closed for my tastes. However, if you're looking purely for video quality, Mino is a no brainer.

And the winner is...

Flip Ultra: Yes, the first is still the best, and there are good reasons why so many companies want to capture its success: The Ultra works, and it works well. Low light video is great, the camera feels good in your hand, and it's so simple that you could probably train your cat to record their own cute videos with it. The small screen is a drawback, but it captures a good chunk of space. The Ultra is the best value of the bunch when you consider the criteria, remaining the Cadillac of cheap pocket camcorders.

[Special thanks to the singers and dancers, who asked to be known as Rocko Money and Inter Minetti!!]

Flip Video Mino Camcorder Details:

* Amazingly thin, pocket-sized camcorder
* 40% smaller than Ultra Series. Dimensions : 4” x 2” x 0.6”. Weight: 3.3 oz.
* 2GB of on-board flash memory records up to 60 minutes of video
* Sealed, internal rechargeable lithium ion battery that recharges through built-in USB arm
* Flat back-panel with touch-sensitive buttons
* No Glare display screen (1.5”)
* TV quality video
* Instant playback, pause, fast forward/rewind, and delete features
* Available in black and white models
* Connects to TV for instant viewing
* Built-in high-speed software enables instant video sharing from any PC or Mac:
o Save and organize videos on computer
o Email videos and video greeting cards
o Publish videos instantly on video sharing sites like YouTube, MySpace, and AOL
o Capture still photos from video clips
o Create custom movies with your own music
o Make your own DVDs and have them shipped anywhere in the world

Camcorder Available June 5, 2008

Nationwide at Amazon.com, BestBuy.com, Circuit City, Costco.com, Sears, Target.com, TheFlip.com, Walmart.com, and other national retailers. Available at additional retailers Fall 2008.

Camcorder Suggested Retail Pricing:

60 minute model: $179.99

[Flip Video]