Here is another article that suggests books are going the way of the dinosaur:
Day: October 5, 2008
Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder
With dimensions of 4.17 x 2.16 x 1.25 inches, the Flip Video Ultra Series
Camcorder is perhaps the most compact video recorder ever conceived. With the
ability to record one hour of footage by simply using the on/off button, this
new gadget has become a rave among consumers.
The Flip Video features include:
* Simple to use, pocket-sized camcorder with one-touch recording and digital
zoom
* Holds 60 minutes of full VGA-quality video on 2GB of built-in memory; no
tapes or additional memory cards required
* Convenient USB arm plugs directly into your computer for easy viewing and
sharing
* Built-in software lets you easily e-mail videos, upload to YouTube and AOL,
and capture still photos from video
* Watch videos instantly on TV with included cable
* Screen size: 1.5 inches (diagonal)
* Screen resolution: 528 x 132 pixels
* Screen type: Transflective TFT (for bright daylight)
* Resolution: 640 x 480
* Low-light sensitivity: Very high sensitivity (>2.0V/lux-sec)
* Video compression: Pure Digital Video Engine 2.0
* Frame rate: 30 frames per second (constant)
* Video format: Advanced Profile MPEG4 AVI
* Auto White Balance and autoexposure: Auto-adaptive white/black balance and
exposure (Next generation–improving color fidelity, exposure control, and
dynamic range)
* Lens type: Fixed focus (0.8 meters to infinity)
* Zoom: Smooth multi-step 2x digital
* Interface: 8 buttons (Power, Play, Delete, Record, and 4-way navigation)
* Time from power-up to record: Less than 3 seconds
* Clip length: Minimum of 1 second, maximum of 60
minutes
* Power Saver (auto shut-down): Yes
* Delete All function: Yes
* Play All function: Yes
* Set date/time function: Yes
* Dimensions (H x W x D): 4.17 x 2.16 x 1.25 inches
* PC connection: Built-in flip-out USB arm (up to USB 2.0 speed)
* Speaker: Built-in speaker
* Microphone: Built-in wide range microphone (improved sensitivity and
accuracy)
* TV out: NTSC (cable included)
* DVD processing: Pure Digital DVD processing (nationwide retail service)
* Supported battery types: 2 x AA batteries (1.5-volt AA alkaline, Energizer e2
Lithium, 1.2-volt NiMH rechargeable)
* Battery life: Improved battery life: up to 2.5 hours with 2 x AA Alkaline
batteries; up to 6.5 hours with 2 x AA Energizer e2 batteries; battery life may
vary between batteries and use pattern
* Tripod mount: Yes
* Supported operating systems: Windows XP, Windows Vista, Mac OSX
* Minimum system requirements (Windows): Intel Pentium 4 2.0 GHz computer with
at least 512MB of RAM, Windows XP SP2 or Windows Vista, SVGA display monitor
(1024 x 768) and video card, Windows Media Player 9.0, Microsoft DirectX 9.0
* Minimum system requirements (Mac OSX): PowerPC G4 1.0 GHz, Intel Core with at
least 512 MB of RAM, Mac OS X 10.3.9, SVGA display (1024 x 768) monitor and
video card, QuickTime 7 or later
* Auto start: Windows: yes; Mac OSX: no
* Online sharing (may require download of latest version of Flip Video
software): Unlimited private sharing; video greeting cards; upload to YouTube
(public and private); upload to AOL Video (public and private); prepare for web
publishing (any other site)
* Video editing: Video truncation (set start/end points); compose a new Movie
Mix (including 6 movie styles)
* Snap still photo from video: Yes (VGA still photo)
* File management: Play, Copy/Move, Delete, Rename, Archive on PC
* Software update: Check for updates online (automatic and on demand)
* What’s in the box: Flip Video Ultra 30-minute camcorder, carrying pouch,
wrist strap, video out cable
Easy to use, the Flip Video Camcorder has a start/stop red button for easy
filming; let’s you know how much time you have to record; has a zoom in/zoom
out below the red button, and has a built-in microphone for commentary. The
playback feature only requires one button as well.
The best feature of the Flip Video is that you can connect the Flip to your PC
via a USB port, which is available on the camcorder, and upload videos for
future viewing. The Flip Video Software is included and is easy to install.
While you may think this camcorder is expensive due to its many features, it
currently sells at approximately $139.00. Consumers who have purchased this
video camcorder have touted the Flip as one that is easy it is to
use, offers quality video, and is so compact it can fit in one’s pocket. Available in
black and white, the Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder has become the most
popular video camera to date.