Creative Labs Vado Pocket Video Camcorder (Pink)

Very easy 2 use & made a great gift 4 12 year old. Windows would have been easier, but we got it 2 work with a MAC by getting a XVID plug in.

I have used the Vado 4 several weeks now, including taking it on vacation over the holidays. It works like a charm. The resolution is NOT HD, but is quite sufficient 4 most perposes. With the ability 2 store an hour or more of video, review it on camera & try again if necessary, its just what I wanted. Only issue is the the USB connection is short, so I use a 3 inch USB extension so the camera is still lying flat what I unload the videos 2 my PC & recharge the battery.

The Vado is so handy. Small & unintrusive. Friends want 2 know what it is & where I got it. One hint..if you want 2 upload a whole little movie 2 YouTube & you aren't too techy just use your Windows Movie Maker, get a free code program 2 convert your wave file 2 mpg.

We found the "Creative Labs Vado" pocket camcorder on Amazon's Deal of the Day 4 roughly 1/2 the price of the Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, 60-Minutes (White) (which we already own & use a lot), it seemed 2 be worth the risk of buying it as a backup pocket camcorder. Here are my observations:

Pros:
* Acceptable video quality *FOR THE PRICE* - The Vado is much more grainy & washed out than the Flip Ultra.
* Has built in USB connector - Like the Flip Ultra, it is very short but the Flip includes an extension cable
* Has Video Out - can be connected 2 a TV 4 playback, but no cables included (Flip Ultra includes the cables)
* Large LCD screen - Bigger screen than the Flip Ultra
* Saves files in AVI format - No conversion needed
* Very Small - Much smaller form factor than the Flip Ultra
* Internal Rechargable Batteries - Recharges from USB, Flip Ultra takes 2 AA batteries

Cons:
* Low Video Quality - but again good 4 the price
* Awful Audio Quality - Seriously bad audio quality almost makes the Vado useless 4 fliming beyond 10' or so

So 4 a really inexpensive camcorder, with YouTube usable quality, this is a fairly good option. For use in any meaningful way, not so much. We will give the Vado 2 our son & keep the Flip Ultra 4 our use.

My 10-year-old loves this! He & his friends are making stupid movies & posting them on youtube 4 the rest of their friends 2 enjoy. I control what gets posted 2 youtube with password security. Anytime someone uses his name or some other detail that you don't want 2 share with child-predators, I just refuse 2 post it. The kids are learning a little internet safety while having fun being silly kids & creating movies & silly storylines. I highly recommend this as a toy 4 the middle-school age group.

Creative Vado is a slim, lightweight pocket video cam that makes it easy 2 capture & share everyday life as it happens. Simply connect Vado 2 your PC with the flexible USB plug & the built-in software lets you save videos 2 your computer or post them directly 2 YouTube or Photobucket. Since Vado is thinner than a deck of cards & as light as a cell phone, it fits into your pocket or purse & never weighs you down. Free yourself from the hassle of the bulky camcorder bag. You'll never miss a moment, with two hours of video capacity & one-button recording that makes capturing life on video effortless. With up 2 two hours of video capacity, you never need tapes, CDs or extra memory cards. With a 2x zoom & excellent low-light performance, you'll get great video quality every time you press record. Just connect Vado 2 your computer with the flexible USB plug & the built-in software takes over. You can transfer your videos 2 your computer or post them directly 2 YouTube or Photobucket, all at the click of a button. The rechargeable battery is removable so you can change out 4 a fresh one. Built-in microphone & speaker Built-in flexible USB connector TV-output (Vado Audio/Video cable available separately) Anti-flicker support 4 adjustment 2 50Hz or 60Hz Easy-to-use with great video quality at the touch of a button Slim, lightweight design that fits in your pocket or purse Simple built-in software makes sharing videos on YouTube or Photobucket a snap System Requirements - Intel Pentium 4 2.0 GHZ or faster, Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Mac OS X version 10.4.11 or later, QuickTime with Xvid plug-in, 512MB RAM & USB Port