Drawbacks to the Flip camcorder May30 '08

Photo of the Flip camcorder

I really like the Flip camcorder. I wrote up a quick introduction to it on Pain in the Tech.

The best part about the flip is that it promotes spontaneity. Just flip it on, and hit record. No confusing menus or set up required. Recording videos has become more natural now, without requiring heavy technical knowledge.

However, there are some things about the Flip that I would like to see improved:

AA batteries only source of power
Conversion time lengthy for longer videos
USB "arm" not practical

AA batteries only source of power

The Flip does not come with any sort of A/C adapter or rechargeable battery. This means you better invest in those old, clunky AA batteries that you thought you'd never need again.

I've decided the Flip is best used for short, quick videos. If you intend to use the Flip as your primary podcast camcorder, for example... then those 30-45 minute podcast episodes will eat the batteries really quick.

The Flip is best designed to use on the road, while not near a power source. If you're near power, and you intend to record more than 30 minutes of video, you might as well use a digital camera's video recording capabilities, with the connected power source.

The Flip can hold up to 60 minutes of video, but as I mentioned above, it's best to fill that capacity with many short, quick videos, as opposed to one long 60-minute video.

A rechargeable battery, and/or A/C adapter would be nice in a future Flip release.

Conversion time lengthy for longer videos

As mentioned above, it's best to use the Flip for short, quick videos. Recording longer videos (anything longer than 20 minutes) will eat the batteries quickly, and cause an extended conversion time. (When you plug the Flip into a computer, it converts the videos for sharing on the web or elsewhere.)

I tried converting a 40 minute video for sharing on the web, and it still wasn't complete after an hour. I ended up canceling the process.

USB "arm" not practical

The Flip's USB "arm" is cute, but not practical. Try plugging it into a USB port on your laptop, and you'll quickly discover that all other connections need to be unplugged first. This is inconvenient and could be improved by including a USB extension cable.

Categories: Flip , Reviews , Video

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matthom is published and produced by Matt Thommes - an independent publishing enthusiast, mobile blogger, content creator, informative writer, web developer from a suburb of Chicago. Never one to conform, Matt intends to promote the effect the web has on our lives, in an effort to intensify, instruct, and clarify all that is happening around us.