Most digital video cameras, with their dizzying array of buttons and settings (not to mention $200+ price tags), are great if you’re a budding Scorsese, but a bit unwieldy if you’re just a regular guy who wants to shoot some footage of happy memories… or of the nudist lesbians in the apartment across the air shaft (same thing).

But a feisty little newcomer to the world of digital video offers an easy and cheap way for non-techies to shoot video and share it online.

The Flip is a whole lot of camera crammed into something only slightly larger than a pack of playing cards. And with only four buttons (On/Off, Play, Record, and Delete) you’d need to have massive head trauma to get confused by it. Just turn it on, point it in the right direction, and hit record. The Flip produces surprisingly decent quality video, which can be watched during or after shooting on the screen on the back.

Once you’ve got that perfect shot, just flip the USB plug out the side of the camera and stick it in your computer. The video managing software stored on the camera launches automatically with no installation necessary. From there, just a few simple clicks will let you edit, organize, email to a friend, or post it on YouTube or Grouper.

Bottom line: this isn’t a top-of-the-line video camera. But it’s got enough quality, portability, capacity and simplicity for virtually anything short of a shooting a feature film.

Sometimes less is more.

link: Buy a Flip