If this post isn’t too covered in drool, I’m not accurately conveying how badly I want a Flip MinoHD, especially after reading (and watching) David Chartier’s terrific, in-depth review of it over at Ars Technica. I really wish I could review this sweet, sweet looking toy… It’s $230, available on Amazon, charges via USB and the reviewer had no battery life complaints at all, it comes in a sexy glossy black finish (though is customizable), and looks like the ultimate holiday gift. Snip:
If you’ve used a point-and-shoot camera, the Flip MinoHD should seem at least familiar, though the MinoHD is held in a vertical, portrait format versus most cameras’ landscape. With the same 3.94″ x 1.97″ x 0.63″ dimensions and 3.3 ounce weight as its older Flip Mino (SD) brother, the Flip MinoHD is noticeably smaller and lighter than previous non-Mino generations. It is also roughly the same size and shape as many point-and-shoot digicams, though a bit thicker by today’s standards.
Sporting an integrated lithium-ion rechargeable battery, a 1.5 inch display, and 4GB of internal, non-expandable memory (providing 60 minutes of 720p HD footage at 30 fps), the Flip MinoHD is significantly smaller than competing pocket camcorders. Kodak’s Zi6, by contrast, runs on AA batteries, has an expandable SD slot that supports up to 32GB, can shoot 640 x 480 stills, and features a larger 2.4 inch display, but weights in at 3.8 ounces and is a bit larger at 4.5″ x 2.5″ x 0.9″.
It should also be noted that, like the original Mino, the Flip MinoHD can be customized with a number of styles available at Pure Digital Technologies’ website, or you can upload your own image if you’re really gunning to destroy your resell value. My test model was the base gadget black design with silver trim, however, cuz that’s how we roll.
The most noticeable thing about the Flip MinoHD right out of the box is that it is light. Extremely light. I admittedly haven’t used other pocket camcorders, but after touting around Canon Elph point-and-shoot cameras with metal enclosures for the last few years, the MinoHD’s closed, plastic design and rounded edges feel comfortably light in my hand. (…read more, arstechnica.com)