Buh-bye, camcorder issues

Technology has made video sharing easier than ever.

Who hasn't dealt with camcorder headaches over the years? First, there were software issues, then storage problems (tapes and disks), and -- my least favorite -- incompatible cables.

One holiday season years ago, I tried to exchange an incompatible cable that was given to me as a Christmas present. The big box retailer refused, citing a standard policy based on quick-changing technology. I was so angry I didn't shop at the store for years afterward.

Well, the prescription for some of those digital headaches is Flip Video.

After recording, you simply flip up the USB attachment on the camcorder, plug it into an available USB port on your computer and then the built-in software package uploads the video files to YouTube or Grouper. Or, you can simply copy the files from the camcorder flash drive to your hard drive for editing.

No more struggling with data tapes or disks (I've got boxes of them). No more software issues. And no more cables!

The flash drive on the Flip models is large enough for 30-60 minutes worth of video.

The camcorders are a product of Pure Digital Technologies.