This year my family was in rare form with our gift-giving. The tree was practically buried in presents and then there’s always one or two “secret” presents that don’t come out until all the others are unwrapped! I watched in anticipation as my sister opened her first gift: a Flip video recorder. Eagerly, I scanned my presents looking for a similarly-shaped gift. I opened a crock pot, a necklace, and a treasure chest of scrapbooking supplies. No Flip. I’m happy with my gifts, but seriously! The Flip is one of the coolest video recorder products on the market this year.

So what is the Flip? A while back, it was known as the “Point and Shoot” camera. With the new name, it received new features and software to up its already high coolness factor. Two of these features are extra battery power and better video quality than the original. (Naturally, we all headed outside early Christmas morning see what the gadget could do with outdoor footage. The difference in quality was noticeable, but not enough to really matter.)

There are two versions of this cam: the $125 version captures 30 minutes of video, while for a mere $40 more you can get the 60-minute version. I highly recommend forking over the extra; what if a UFO hovers into view on the 31^st minute? Both versions are sleek and sexy, about the size of the classic iPod, and just as light-weight. It’s a real “bare bones” approach to buttons.

A flip-up USB connector is one of the best features, allowing instant transfer of your video to your computer without fussing with cables. By far one of sweetest additions to the “classic” model is the software installed in the Flip. A plug-and-play type interface prompts you through a dialog that allows for posting the video straight to YouTube and AOL Video. And we all know that’s the real reason you wanted the Flip in the first place, right?

In a “don’t wanna miss a thing” world, the Flip is a necessity! You don’t need to find that just-right light, take a picture with your camera phone, or fiddle with complicated buttons and endless settings. It’s sweet and simple and definitely on the list for my birthday!

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