Will you pay S$279 for a video camera that lets you shoot in crystal clear HD quality? Cisco seemed to think that you would when it launched its line of Flip video cameras this week. And with the latest update to their accompanying FlipShare software, they’ve just made it easier to share your next blockbuster hit with new social and video sharing capabilities.
Now when Cisco began selling its range of HD video cameras, some people snickered. We’ve already got phones which can take video; even the new iPod touch can take 720p video. The popular line of thought was that people now prefer one device which can do many things instead of just one thing.
But why settle for one device which can do all those things in a mediocre manner when one pocket-sized camera shoots such high quality video? Reviews of the Flip cameras are generally positive, and the video quality is indeed excellent.
Yet, one of the criticisms was that many people found it a hassle to share their video. The new FlipShare features enhanced video editing capabilities and makes it easy to e-mail or upload your video to popular video-sharing services such as YouTube of Facebook.
The update includes FlipShare Groups, user-created groups which lets you share your videos securely with friends and family, which they can access through FlipShare.com. You can also access these videos through the FlipShare Mobile, a smartphone app available on iPhone, iPad, and Android.
FlipShare mobile also let you upload your phone’s photos and videos to Facebook, YouTube or Twitter, although most phones already do that to begin with.
If you already own a Flip video camera, the software update is a welcome improvement. But if you don’t, it’s not something that is going to make you rush out and buy a Flip immediately.
Do you own a dedicated video camera? Share your experience with us in the comments!
