Customer Rating: 
Summary: Great Value for Your 1st Camcorder!
Comment: My husband's wanted a camcorder for YEARS...literally. I've never been really interested in them...but when I saw this one at a special price, I started investigating it to possibly give it to him for a Christmas gift this year.
It had pretty good reviews...sounded fun to use...& easy! The software sounded VERY easy...as did the shareware.
When he rec'd it, he was pretty surprised at its small size! I saw it as a benefit, as it's very simple to tuck away in a pocket or purse. I got it set up on my computer and made sure to download the latest software update. It took a while to do, but other reviewers had insisted this was the crucial step to avoiding problems in the first place.
Christmas Day, I took a very short trial video of my son. The camcorder was VERY EASY to use and figure out, even without reading the QuickStart Guide! The video was good, and the sound was good, also, especially considering that there was Christmas music playing, kids being noisy, etc. That night, I tried emailing the video to some relatives, and I could NOT get it to work!
I finally gave up after a number of tries, and uploaded the video to PhotoBucket, and sent it out that way.
3 days later, the video was rec'd by those I'd sent it to! I finally figured out that the Flip.com server was overloaded with everyone trying to send their newly-recorded videos!
Pros: +Small, compact shape, but not small enough to get lost easily. +Black surface is not slippery at all! +Very simple to use and initially figure out. +Software is very easy to use. I especially like the attractive ecards it allows you to place your video in! +Price is very reasonable for what you get! +Video quality is very good. +USB connection is great in theory. +I like not having a view screen that flips out, as I've always thought there could be the chance it could get broken during use, especially around rowdy kids!
Cons: -Zoom could be better. Of course, a digital zoom would be ideal. -Accessories for the Flip Ultra are of poor quality (USB cords are too tight & too expensive; Flip Ultra case is extremely tight and not worth $1). -Storage pouch that comes with it is not padded. -I'd love a slightly larger view screen, but it's adequate. -Due to all the cords plugged into my computer, it was difficult to plug the flip out USB into my computer. I finally made it work, but I think I'll get a USB cable to help with this situation. -The 60 minute limit on recording is kind of a bummer, even though I knew about it before I bought it. A SD card slot would be extremely useful! We would like to record our kids' sports games...and more than 60 minutes would be awesome! -It took longer than I expected to upload this very short (20 second) video to the website.
Recommendations: *If you want an inexpensive, good-quality camcorder, this is the one for you! *Buy a non-Flip USB cable to make video sharing easier. *Buy some kind of padded electronics case (non-Flip). *Make sure you download the latest software release from Flip.com before using the camcorder.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great camcorder
Comment: My 11 year old daughter received this for Christmas. So far she loves it. She and her sister have made numerous "commercials." What is great is the ease of use and upload ability. We LOVE the USB stick. No wires, nothing to lose. No CD to install. Everything is in the camera. It takes a great video also. I love the idea of not having to have tapes or DVDs.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Must have for anyone with kids
Comment: This is what I have been waiting for. I got this for Christmas this year and it was all I ever hoped for and more. I opened the package, put the batteries in and was ready to start recording. It is so small, I can carry it in my purse or diaper bag and be ready to quickly capture my kid's antics. I love the fact that it is so accessible, it literally takes about 5 seconds to get this thing ready to use! I LOVE it. My mom saw me having so much fun with mine that she got online and ordered it for my sister too. You can't beat the price or usability. AWESOME product! The other great thing is that since it is so easy to use, my 8-year-old can take it out and snap videos of me and dad. If you want to buy a great baby gift...this is it!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Best gift ever for teenage daughter
Comment: My 14 year old daughter got this last Christmas. She is constantly making videos of herself and friends and posting them online. Definitely a must have for creative teens. The video quality is very good, and the ease of use makes it a really great gift.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Easy for anyone to operate
Comment: I bought this because 5 colleagues recommended it. There is practically nothing to do to make it work like it is supposed to. All you do is turn it on and press the red button and record, that's it. Uploading to your computer is so simple with the built-in USB connection. But now I need a tripod since I bought this for my business that would make it easier for me to use and more practical.
Summary: Great Value for Your 1st Camcorder!
Comment: My husband's wanted a camcorder for YEARS...literally. I've never been really interested in them...but when I saw this one at a special price, I started investigating it to possibly give it to him for a Christmas gift this year.
It had pretty good reviews...sounded fun to use...& easy! The software sounded VERY easy...as did the shareware.
When he rec'd it, he was pretty surprised at its small size! I saw it as a benefit, as it's very simple to tuck away in a pocket or purse. I got it set up on my computer and made sure to download the latest software update. It took a while to do, but other reviewers had insisted this was the crucial step to avoiding problems in the first place.
Christmas Day, I took a very short trial video of my son. The camcorder was VERY EASY to use and figure out, even without reading the QuickStart Guide! The video was good, and the sound was good, also, especially considering that there was Christmas music playing, kids being noisy, etc. That night, I tried emailing the video to some relatives, and I could NOT get it to work!
I finally gave up after a number of tries, and uploaded the video to PhotoBucket, and sent it out that way.
3 days later, the video was rec'd by those I'd sent it to! I finally figured out that the Flip.com server was overloaded with everyone trying to send their newly-recorded videos!
Pros: +Small, compact shape, but not small enough to get lost easily. +Black surface is not slippery at all! +Very simple to use and initially figure out. +Software is very easy to use. I especially like the attractive ecards it allows you to place your video in! +Price is very reasonable for what you get! +Video quality is very good. +USB connection is great in theory. +I like not having a view screen that flips out, as I've always thought there could be the chance it could get broken during use, especially around rowdy kids!
Cons: -Zoom could be better. Of course, a digital zoom would be ideal. -Accessories for the Flip Ultra are of poor quality (USB cords are too tight & too expensive; Flip Ultra case is extremely tight and not worth $1). -Storage pouch that comes with it is not padded. -I'd love a slightly larger view screen, but it's adequate. -Due to all the cords plugged into my computer, it was difficult to plug the flip out USB into my computer. I finally made it work, but I think I'll get a USB cable to help with this situation. -The 60 minute limit on recording is kind of a bummer, even though I knew about it before I bought it. A SD card slot would be extremely useful! We would like to record our kids' sports games...and more than 60 minutes would be awesome! -It took longer than I expected to upload this very short (20 second) video to the website.
Recommendations: *If you want an inexpensive, good-quality camcorder, this is the one for you! *Buy a non-Flip USB cable to make video sharing easier. *Buy some kind of padded electronics case (non-Flip). *Make sure you download the latest software release from Flip.com before using the camcorder.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great camcorder
Comment: My 11 year old daughter received this for Christmas. So far she loves it. She and her sister have made numerous "commercials." What is great is the ease of use and upload ability. We LOVE the USB stick. No wires, nothing to lose. No CD to install. Everything is in the camera. It takes a great video also. I love the idea of not having to have tapes or DVDs.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Must have for anyone with kids
Comment: This is what I have been waiting for. I got this for Christmas this year and it was all I ever hoped for and more. I opened the package, put the batteries in and was ready to start recording. It is so small, I can carry it in my purse or diaper bag and be ready to quickly capture my kid's antics. I love the fact that it is so accessible, it literally takes about 5 seconds to get this thing ready to use! I LOVE it. My mom saw me having so much fun with mine that she got online and ordered it for my sister too. You can't beat the price or usability. AWESOME product! The other great thing is that since it is so easy to use, my 8-year-old can take it out and snap videos of me and dad. If you want to buy a great baby gift...this is it!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Best gift ever for teenage daughter
Comment: My 14 year old daughter got this last Christmas. She is constantly making videos of herself and friends and posting them online. Definitely a must have for creative teens. The video quality is very good, and the ease of use makes it a really great gift.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Easy for anyone to operate
Comment: I bought this because 5 colleagues recommended it. There is practically nothing to do to make it work like it is supposed to. All you do is turn it on and press the red button and record, that's it. Uploading to your computer is so simple with the built-in USB connection. But now I need a tripod since I bought this for my business that would make it easier for me to use and more practical.