Flip camcorder gets bigger and better

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The dinky little Flip MinoHD now has a slightly bigger cousin.

The new Flip UltraHD camcorder is slightly chunkier than its predecessor, and features two hours of recording time and a two-inch, high-resolution screen. It also comes with an AA battery pack that can be recharged through the camera’s built-in USB arm.

“Our new Flip UltraHD [makes] it incredibly simple and affordable for anyone to capture and share hours of video in stunning HD,” said Jonathan Kaplan, chairperson and CEO of Pure Digital.

Like its predecessors, the new Ultra line is pre-loaded with FlipShare, for organizing, editing and sharing clips. Plugging the built-in USB arm directly into any Mac or PC starts FlipShare up immediately. It records its 720p video to MP4 format with the H.264 codec.

The Flip Ultra is the number-one selling camcorder in the US, while the Flip MinoHD, launched last November, is the top-selling HD camcorder in the country, according to market research firm The NPD Group. 

The new model costs $199.99, and comes in black or white with chrome trim. Video resolution is 1280 x 720, and it can record two hours of video on its 8GB of built-in memory – twice the memory of its predecessor. There is a 2x digital zoom; TV output is widescreen with HDMI output.

What it lacks is a memory card slot, and you’ll need to buy your own cable for HD output to HDTVs.