The EYE-Fi card has sold millions in the US, because it's instant, automatic and dead easy. Eye-Fi are another company who has captured a slice of market that shouldn't exist, but does because the camera companies were so bad at getting images off the devices and into places or software customers wanted their images to go.

Nokia created a market for phones as cameras/video cameras, but didn't join up the consumer-level end-to-end dots. If they do then the Flip is doomed. but for now it's flying.

/m

The EYE-Fi card has sold millions in the US, because it's instant, automatic and dead easy. Eye-Fi are another company who has captured a slice of market that shouldn't exist, but does because the camera companies were so bad at getting images off the devices and into places or software customers wanted their images to go.

Nokia created a market for phones as cameras/video cameras, but didn't join up the consumer-level end-to-end dots. If they do then the Flip is doomed. but for now it's flying.

/m

The EYE-Fi card has sold millions in the US, because it's instant, automatic and dead easy. Eye-Fi are another company who has captured a slice of market that shouldn't exist, but does because the camera companies were so bad at getting images off the devices and into places or software customers wanted their images to go.

Nokia created a market for phones as cameras/video cameras, but didn't join up the consumer-level end-to-end dots. If they do then the Flip is doomed. but for now it's flying.

/m

Ricky's mum vs your mum?

So we could get two normobs in, give them a basic overview of each device
and attach each normob to a 220v electrical source, switched off.

Whoever uploads their video fastest to their PC automatically triggers a 20
second shock to the losing party…

Maybe not …

I'm in Ewan's corner, holding the towels and spare AA batteries…

Set the scene: N95. Flip. Matching PC's. Sharing website.

First to post wins.

There's an SMSTN Blog Qik in there somewhere…..

I should have prefaced my point with a huge 'normob' sign.

Show me a normob that uses Bluetooth to their computer.

To other friends' mobiles, yes. But to their computer?

USB isn't the same thing as you describe. It needs a stupid cable. It's
great for you, or I. But my father, mother, or most normobs couldn't be
arsed. They *really* couldn't.

As for MicroSDs… dear me no. Too much hassle, again. It's all doable.
How many phones have easy to access SD cards that don't require you to take
the sodding battery off the phone first?

The great unwashed want USB.

Well, actually, they want seamless. USB via Flip is the most seamless
possible.

Nokia has gone a long way to get things compatible with their USB cable.
Why do people have to choose 'function in disk mode'? Why is my Nokia
device so stupid as to be unable to work it out itself? I don't care what
the excuse is from the developer, the answer is it's shit.

So forgetting Nokia for a moment… LG? Samsung? Moto?

Until I can talk my grandma how to take a video with a device then put it on
her computer and mail it to me — without having to spend hours on the phone
– The Flip is the way ahead. A shame, a real shame.

The mobile industry will get there. At some point in a few years time.

Bluetooth – when I walk within range of my computer, my phone and it hook up, automatically (meaning ZERO interaction from me) and automatically any new pics/vids are placed in a folder, according to the month in which they were shot/recorded. Boom, just like that.

USB – same thing. It's automatic, and setting that up consisted of a simple wizard – once – and I'm off.

Worst case scenario, I pop the MicroSD out of the phone and into an adapter.

All without a proprietary cable of any sort.

Here's the skinny on the new Flip Mino, including being smaller, lighter, better quality video and USB rechargeable internal battery with 4hrs of shooting battery life and 1hr of shooting memory (2GB).

USB vs. AA is like dancing about architecture – lots of arm-waving, but ultimately pointless. For years I swore by AA's, until really decent Li-Ion batterys came along. Now my memory cards run out before my battery does. In fact, they last so long that it's a problem remembering to charge up.

The fact that the Flip Mino charges via USB means you just leave it connected while editing. Some basic maths says that if you've shot an hour's video, you only need it plugged in for 15 minutes to be topped up again. And as it takes at least 7 mniutes to transfer an hour's video at USB2 speeds, in theory it will be darn near *impossible* to ever be caught with a flat battery. Plus you can charge in the car or taxi if you remember a wee cigarette USB plug.

Nice. Want it. Need it.

Out later this summer in the UK., or now in the US. Might get a mate to grab me one now, as the UK price will inevitably be a rip-off.

p.s. Paris uses one. It must be easy.

/m

I manage to capture some underwater footage on my N95. I'll post it later.

Looking forward to seeing your Flip footage.

Then I read the support on the website at http://www.flipvideo.co.uk/support.

And, no smart alecs, I can't RTFM – I had a loan unit sans FM.

Need to warn Whatley – he's heading to Glasto with it.