A few months ago, I read about the Flip: the number one selling video camera on Amazon.com. I was skeptical, but in a month’s time, Oprah had the creator on her show; Mac compatibility was announced; and the one millionth Flip was sold. So I figured I needed one. I got the Flip Mino expecting it to be another tech toy for the office, but I quickly found uses for it beyond the expected.

My beagle, Clarence, is notorious for escaping the fenced yard.

The Flip is a very basic, pocket-sized video camera designed to be “everywhereable,” according to the company’s marketing campaign. I keep it in a pocket in my bag for easy access and pull it out for all the expected video camera reasons: when I see something funny, good times with friends, etc. During my brief time with the Flip, I have already created and posted more personal video to the Web than I ever thought I would.

Smaller than an iPod, the Flip is remarkably easy to use. It has a lens on one side and a 1.5-inch LCD screen on the other, where the recording and zoom buttons are located just underneath. Once you have your recording, you can browse and play clips on the Flip or a TV with the composite-stereo cable included with the camera.

The Flip is not a high-end video camera, costing only $149. The resolution is 640×480 pixels, which is comparable to a standard 4:3 television. It won’t look great on a high definition TV, but is fine if you’re uploading video to the Web. I have posted some sample clips online.

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Via Columbia Business Times