Flip Video

Camcorders

In the space of a few short years, the American upstart company Pure Digital consumed a large portion of the entry-level camcorder market with its Flip series of camcorders. The core concept and key to its success is in making the camcorder experience as simple as possible. The Flip camcorders, now in their fourth generation, offer virtually no manual controls or options. They record video and play it back on the small LCD screen. Equally important is the file-management system. The clips are stored internally. When plugged into a computer with the flip-out USB arm, the Flip camcorders offer easy upload to YouTube. The software is built into the camcorder, and does not require additional CDs to install it. While some complain about the lack of options and poor video quality, the Flip’s impact on the camcorder market should not be underestimated.