The
Flip SlideHD is the newest addition in line of HD pocket camcorders by Flip
video. With its 3 inch touch screen that
is able to tilt up for better viewing, it is one of the friendliest camcorders
to share videos on. It is also the most
expensive camcorder in their line with prices starting at 279.99 on
Amazon.com.
The
Slide’s features, software, and video capabilities are very similar to its
cousin the Flip MinoHD Second Generation (see our June 11th review). Like the Mino, the Slide has a tripod mount
and an HDMI cable jack so you can connect the camcorder to your TV to watch
video or a tripod for steady recording.
Also like the Mino, you have to buy the HDMI cable separate from the
camera. They both record in 720p and
have 2x digital zoom. They both have the
same simple, easy to use control panels although the Slide’s controls are all
touch activated while the Mino has regular buttons. The only buttons on the Slide are on the side
of the unit to turn it on/off and the switch to flip out the well known feature
of all Flip camcorders, the built in USB adapter to easily connect the
camcorder to your computer. Because
they put all the buttons to use the Slide on the touch screen, when you’re
recording you have about the same viewing window as you would on the Mino
because the buttons take up a little more than half the screen. This does not happen during playback however
and you are able to utilize the entire screen to view your videos.
Some
improvements to the Slide have been increased memory and a larger screen that
is touch controlled. The Slide has 16GB
of memory which comes out to about 4 hours of recording time. The battery still only lasts for 2 hours so
the increase in memory guarantees that if you start out with empty memory then
you won’t fill up the camcorder. The screen has become larger to make watching
the videos you record easier, it slides up and tilts so that all you have to do
is place the camcorder on the table and then watch as you play your
masterpieces. The screen makes watching
your movies easier on the eyes and to navigate them you can either use the
screen or a touch sensitive strip located on the inside that is revealed when
you slide the screen up. The downside to
the touch screen is that it will sometimes require more than one tap and maybe
even a firm press before it works. Also
without buttons, just as you would have to with a touch screen phone, you need
to look where you’re going to press because there are no buttons to feel for.
The Slide’s
body has also changed from brushed metal in the MinoHD to an all plastic body that
is white with a silver border on the screen.
The plastic body has a noticeably different feel that it isn’t as sturdy. It has also gotten bulkier. In the Flip line of cameras, it is second in
size only to the Flip Ultra and UltraHD but not by much. This is something to consider when you’re
purchasing a pocket camcorder because after all, it is supposed to fit
comfortably in your pocket.
It still comes with the computer software that the
other camcorders from the Flip line come with.
With FlipShare, the Flip editing program, you can still easily upload
videos to YouTube, Facebook, Myspace and other sharing websites with only a few
clicks of your mouse. You can also put
videos that your friends have recorded and store them on your Slide to show off
when you’re not by your computer.
After
using the Slide, nothing in the design was particularly revolutionary. By adding the touch screen, Flip had to make
sacrifices in both size and price. While
the touch screen and larger viewing space were a good addition, it is not
necessarily worth the drastic jump in price or size.
Grab Your
own: Amazon.com $269.00
To
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