To be sure, there is no shortage of selection when it comes to digital cameras and camcorders. Even cell phones are horning into the modern world of photography, which has all but left behind the traditions of prints, negatives and darkrooms. Long gone are the days of celluloid film being threaded from one projector real to the next. One of the ways in which so many competitors have been able to compete for market share is the fact that nearly all of them utilize a USB connection.

The Next Step in Home Video

One brand of video camera, however, seems to have caught the fancy of the public more so than others – the Flip Video camcorder. Introduced in May of 2006 by Pure Digital Technologies (a company that has since been bought out by Cisco Systems), the Flip Video camcorder has several features that have endeared it to an often-fickle consumer base. First and foremost is the ease of use – all you do is point and shoot, just like it says on the box.

All-Access Attachment

More than that, though, is the fact that Flip Video camcorders are designed to produce video files that can be burned straight to DVD. They also come equipped with a cable that plugs straight into the Audio-Video ports on most modern TV sets. And all Flip Video camcorders come with a USB appendage built right into the side of the camera, allowing the user to view or download files on any computer without a connecting cable.

With the Flip Video camcorder being roughly the same size as a cell phone, it has become (in barely five years) one of the most popular electronic gadgets sold in stores today. Also attractive are the various attachments which can mount the camcorder to a bicycle helmet, for instance, or in a waterproof casing for aquatic photography. With newer models capable of HD quality video, the USB plug-and-play Flip Video Camera looks to remain a favorite for the foreseeable future.