Some of you know how much of a fan I am of my Flip Mino. I purchased my first Flip Mino video camera back in July. Check out my unboxing and review post of the original Flip Mino. Unfortunately I have not gotten a chance to explore the new Flip Mino HD in person, but I have been reading many rave reviews.

The new Flip Mino HD has a couple of new feature but overall is not that different from the original Flip Mino. It is the same size as the Flip Mino, the same design, the same size LCD display and button layout. All of the new features in the camera are directly related to the addition of HD capabilities. The sounds quality on the HD is pretty much the same as the original Mino, which is great. That is one of the things I really like about the Mino series, is the wonderful audio quality.

The Video

A new resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels which is 720 pixel HD quality. Now, keep in mind that HD from this little camera is not going to be like watching a Blu Ray. Yes, it is HD but it is very highly compressed to allow for maximum recording length on the built in 4GB of memory. It is compressed with H.264 video compression and AAC audio compression which results in a MP4 file format.

I want to make sure it is clear, that this video is HD, but not high quality HD. Yes, I am sure it looks good, but many people don’t understand the concept of being true uncompressed HD and highly compressed HD.

I have watched multiple videos shot on the HD Mino, and it is very good quality for the size of the camera. If I was not so strapped for cash (See Why Here) I would defiantly be purchasing one.

Amazon is known for offering great deals on the Flip cameras, so make sure you keep and eye on the Amazon page for this product. I bought my original Mino on Amazon for $50 less then anywhere else. Here is the product page: Flip Video MinoHD Camcorder, 60 Minutes (Black)

A couple of days ago, I got my hands on a Flip Mino video recorder. The Flip is by a company called Pure Digital. This model, the Mino, is the 3rd generation of the Flip camera family. I did an unboxing, put up some sample videos to show the quality, as well as a text review. I am having some issues getting my videos posted in 100% original quality, so these might not show the true quality.

UnBoxing:

Pure Digital has defiantly taken notes from Apple on packaging. Below are some photos from the unboxing of the Flip Mino:

OK, so lots to update you on. First off, let me start by saying that my trip plans changed a bit. My grandmother passed away the weekend before I was suppose to leave, so I had to take an emergency trip to Gettysburg, PA for my grandmothers funeral on Monday 14th of July 2008.

As a result, I had to cancel the San Francisco portion on my trip. I was suppose to fly to San Francisco on Monday but I was in Gettysburg for the funeral. I did still take the second portion of my trip which was a trip to Las Vegas for a 3 bachelor party.

Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas

I arrived in Las Vegas on Thursday, July 20th, 2008. I was the first of the group to arrive so I had some time to myself. I took a cab to the MGM Grand which was where I was staying. From there I dropped my bags and headed downstairs to the casino to drop $1 in a slot machine. I won $5 so I knew it was going to be a good trip. After my one play, I headed outside to do some exploring. It was about 105 degree’s outside, but it was equal to about a 95 degree day in ATL with 100% humidity! I started walking down the strip past New York New York, Planet Hollywood, Bellagio, and Caesars Palace. This was about as far as I could go because the heat and the fact that I had walked about 10 miles when you factor in exploring the inside of each of the hotels.

Each of these hotels was pretty unique and amazing in its own. New York, New York was visually stunning from the outside. Planet Hollywood was very trendy on the inside with lots of shops and restaurants. The Bellagio was amazing with the pools and the fountains out front. Caesars was pretty awesome in and out, it was very visual with a lot of stunning replica style architecture from the Roman days.