Creative Labs Vado Pocket Video Camcorder Silver OLD

Left out in the rain 4 times and still works!!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I decided on this recorder as a less expensive alternative to the Flip Ultra as a gift for my irresponsible (as it turns out) 11 year old son. He absolutely loves it, and it performs every bit as well as my own Flip Ultra at a lower price point. What has impressed me the most, though, is its durability. He has left this device out, overnight and IN THE RAIN, 4 times now, and it has come back to life every time as soon as it dried out. I’d buy it again in a heartbeat!

Creative Vado is definitely one big bacg for the buck
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I was really sure how the quality of this pocket cam would be before I got it, but on my student budget I needed something cheap. I was sooo surprised though when I got it and tried it out. The video quality is excellent, and the same goes for the sound. I took some video at a really loud metal concert and the video surprising came out really good and crisp both in video and sound. I only record in HD which gives you an hour’s worth of footage. That’s all you really need though, cause all you need to do is dump the footage onto your computer through the built-in usb, and it takes like 20 seconds.

I highly recommend this product.

I haven’t found a con yet. It’s perfect for the casual college videographer.

Lots of fun!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is a great pocket video camcorder! I toss it in my purse and use it constantly. Where ever I go I find myself pulling out my little video camera. It’s amazing how much there is to record when you have your camcorder with you! It comes with a subscription to shutterfly which allows you to upload videos, make pictures, etc.. Great fun. I’ve even done a you tube on my kids! The quality of picture is very good and because it is so small, most people don’t even realize that you are recording them and the shots are great!

Pretty Handy Handy Cam
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Don’t expect to shoot 1080p HD video with this, but for the price, it is a pretty cool gadget. Simple and easy to use, it comes with a nice applet that allows you to download the video to your computer or upload it to YouTube or Photobucket, which is what this camera was designed for.

Creative Labs Vado Video Camcorder
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This is a great little device. It’s light, easy to use and the price is right.

The only problem is its lack of interface with Mac computers. I can’t seem to easily get the videos to download to iMac computer. I’m sure there is a way to do this and eventually I will figure it out but Vado should make this device seamless for Macs just as they do for PCs.

If they accomplish this in the near future, this device is a winner on all counts.

I Wanted to Like It…..
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I purchased this as a gift for a business associate and I had planned to buy a pile more to create some low budget video fun. Sadly, the Vado was better in theory than in reality. The video was super fuzzy and seemed out of focus. My associate and I played with it for a couple days trying to get the video to be in focus but we never got it to look right. I bought a Flip and it worked great. Sadly the Flip used AA batteries and was more expensive but at least the video was in focus…..

Vado Recorder is great!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This review is for the non zoom version…The Vado is an awesome product which makes recording those special moments and even the not so special moments convenient and a breeze. I also use it for working with my boys baseball swing. The Vado is awesome for that.The built in software allows me to break down the video screen by screen to really see what is going on and it is a breeze to use. Simply plug it into your computer and everything comes up automatically. This product is a 10!

Worked out perfectly
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Great piece, plus inexpensive. Took to Europe. Easy to use, easy to view and delete. Good battery power. Small and easy to store. Would recommend.

Horrible, just horrible
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
My mom said I would get this if I was good in school. When I saw it, I just wanted to puke. I hate the Vado and I would not recommend it, reasons why:

*Ugly design.

*Easy to loose because it is so small.

*When you film the video and when it appears, the movie is fuzzy.

*The mic is terrible.

*Over-priced. Who would pay 99 dollars for a lousy camcorder?

Do not buy this. It is a disappointment.

Great compact Camcorder
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is a great little camcorder. Very small

and easy to travel with. Great that it fits

in a pocket. Would like a longer taping time,

but still a good deal.

good enough for the price
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I got it for $60. I can say that you get what you paid for, quality isn’t excellent but it’s pretty decent in my opinion. If you want an ultra portable and super easy to use camera nothing can beat the vado.

I recommend you to try it after firmware update, there’s definitely some color improvements.

Creative labs vado
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
this is a great little gizzmo! Small as a cell phone and fits into your pocket. I have used it for fun and for work. the picture is good, better when you download it on the computer but the sound quality is only OK. I had some difficulty loading the software onto my laptop, when i plugged in the usb, it automatically activated the camera on my IBM laptop instead of opening the Vado software. It took a bit to sort that out. For the price and size, it can’t be beat! Great toy!

Good First Try
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
The first edition of the Creative Labs Vado Pocket Video Camcorder is a fun and handy toy, however it has a few flaws built in. When I excitedly ordered it, I did not know that the software is incompatible with my Mac. I would like to know when they will fix this obvious exclusion. Also, the Vado display shows a vivid playback but looks grainy when blown-up on the computer, even using the highest resolution.

That said, it is a great idea, very portable and handy, and easy to operate for recording and playback.

Vado pocket video camcorder
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Great bargain buy! It’s small, will take up to 2 hours video, very clear picture and sound. Very easy to use.

Nice Inexpensive Camera for Quick Videos
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I was pleasantly surprised by this camera. It has decent video quality considering its price and intended purpose. It comes with software to assist you in making Youtube or Photobucket videos. It has 2gb of storage for approximately 2 hours on standard quality. The premium quality video setting allows for one hour of recording time. Files are saved in avi format, so its more PC-centric than Mac-centric. Xvid codecs need to be installed on both Macs and PCs also.

It is about the same size as a flip-style cell phone and weights about the same as well. Overall I have found this to be a very useful camera for taking quick videos of my cats playing. I currently do not own a full size video camera, so this will also be useful and fun for filming our one year old niece.

A Good Value, But Quality Not As Good As The Flip Ultra
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
We found the “Creative Labs Vado” pocket camcorder on Amazon’s Deal of the Day for roughly 1/2 the price of the Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, 60-Minutes (White) (which we already own and use a lot), it seemed to be worth the risk of buying it as a backup pocket camcorder. Here are my observations:

Pros:

* Acceptable video quality *FOR THE PRICE* – The Vado is much more grainy and washed out than the Flip Ultra.

* Has built in USB connector – Like the Flip Ultra, it is very short but the Flip includes an extension cable

* Has Video Out – can be connected to a TV for playback, but no cables included (Flip Ultra includes the cables)

* Large LCD screen – Bigger screen than the Flip Ultra

* Saves files in AVI format – No conversion needed

* Very Small – Much smaller form factor than the Flip Ultra

* Internal Rechargable Batteries – Recharges from USB, Flip Ultra takes 2 AA batteries

Cons:

* Low Video Quality – but again good for the price

* Awful Audio Quality – Seriously bad audio quality almost makes the Vado useless for fliming beyond 10′ or so

So for a really inexpensive camcorder, with YouTube usable quality, this is a fairly good option. For use in any meaningful way, not so much. We will give the Vado to our son and keep the Flip Ultra for our use.

Best little flash based Camcorder around
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I got my husband a Flip video before we went on vacation so he could use it at his family reunion. It worked out wonderfully. I wish I would have had this. First, it doesn’t use batteries which are a pain in the butt to keep track of. The little USB connector is mounted on a rubber extender that plugs right into my laptop. Because the extender is flexible (unlike the Flip) it’s easier to snug in next to anything else I have plugged in. When I travel, I usually take a wireless mouse with me along with a portable hard drive. Being my laptop has only 4 usb ports, space is at a premium, so a flexible connector is MUCH appreciated.

Second, this is a bit smaller than the Flip. This fits easily in the zippered compartment of my purse. It also makes much better videos than my phone does, so I have taken to carrying it with me. It just ‘feels’ more solid than the Flip. Having a flash based camera is also a wonder because I am not worried about knocking it around. Hard drive based music players I have tend to react badly to stress. This little camera is rock solid. In the future I am going to stick with flash based devices because they have no moving parts, last longer and are ultimately lighter than heavy tape based camcorders or drive based mp3 players. They are also easier to recharge. The small videos these make (the Vado uses XViD to compress) are easily manipulated with basic software, and look good on even a large HD television. It’s also very easy to put together a compilation with software like Nero, then burn it to DVD. If you have ever done the family reunion thing, you know that everyone wants copies of everything. Being able to assemble and burn something on the spot saves a lot in postage :p

I detected no reasonable difference between the Vado and the Flip as far as quality goes. Both contain features on the drive that enable you to upload videos to sharing services, like YouTube. The Vado drive contains a program you can use on your computer to view or upload your videos. It also has a self installing XViD codec which was very convenient. The Zoom is easier to use on the Vado. It also does very well in low light conditions which I found surprising. I bought the Flip because of brand recognition. If I had known about the Vado I would have certainly purchased that first. As it is, this is now MY camera My husband can keep the other thing

Price is right for a small pocket video camera
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Price is right for a small pocket video camera and it has the capacity to record two hours of video on a single charge. I just placed an order and will see how it performs.

Perfect for vacations!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Perfect little video camcorder to take on vacation without the worry of losing something expensive! Easy to share video with family and friends!

Mini Camcorder
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Very compact and easy to use. The controls are simple and pretty foolproof. No fancy editing or special features that most people never uee anyway! The camera actually takes pretty good pictures and he sound isn’t bad either. A littly jerky if you move around much with it so a tripod for it works very well. Also if you stop and then start over again it creates a seperate file for that. Meanning you can’t just continue from where you left off and the whole movie will be one continuous movie like regular camcorders. You will have several different files. Still not bad foe the price.

“WARNING. Handling this product may expose you to chemicals known to cause cancer (?!!!)…
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
and birth defects or other reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling.” Creative Labs and Amazon know that many Vados are purchased for children. They also know that we do not generally examine the interior flaps of boxes for important health warnings. Shame on you! Recall this product! Thanks, T. Gleason, for seeing the SMALL (5-point font) “notice” on the interior flap of the box.

The Creative Vado Versus the Flip Mino and Ultra – The Good and The Bad
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1RY93JL20IW5B

I wanted to find out if the new Creative Labs Vado Pocket Video Camcorder (Silver) was better than the Flip Video Mino Series Camcorder (Black) or the Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder (Black). I myself am surprised by the answer I came up with. The real answer may be, “none of the above.”

While all three are *good* devices for what they do, I am still searching for my perfect digital camcorder to come out at the right price. The short answer is the quality of video and audio on the Flip Mino is noticeably better than the Creative Vado, even when it’s at its highest setting. However, for most users, the Creative Vado will probably meet your expectations at a much better price than the Flip Mino. The Mino’s recent price drop makes the decision slightly harder, but there’s still enough of a price difference to make the Vado attractive.

Pros

+ Video quality is ok on the Vado (similar to the Ultra) and much better on the Mino – Advantage, Mino

+ While the Ultra worked with removable batteries and the Mino has a built-in rechargeable battery, the Creative Vado has a rechargeable battery that is user changeable and can be easily swapped for extended recording – BIG Advantage, Vado

+ The Vado gives you the option of recording in SP for longer record times, and the quality difference is minimal – Advantage, Vado

+ The microphone sensitivity is below average on the Vado and slightly better on the Mino – Advantage, Mino

+ The low light performance is subpar on all three units but slightly better on the Mino – Advantage, Mino

+ Both the Vado and the Mino are easily recharged by USB connection, but the Vado includes an option for quick-charging – Advantage, Vado

+ Both include ports for AV out connections to TVs, but the Mino comes with the cable and the Vado does not – Advantage, Mino

+ The included software is self-contained on both units and seems to work fine, but the Vado requires much less to be installed – Advantage, Vado

+ Ability to zoom seems weak on both, though the Mino does perform slightly better – Advantage, Mino

+ Both have a screw hole for attaching a tri-pod or similar stand, but the Mino’s is centered and the Vado’s is off-center (on the lower right) – Advantage, Mino

+ In terms of looks, the Vado’s body is thinner and wider, and the Mino is slightly thicker but not as wide; the Mino definitely looks slicker, though the black plastic will attract finger-prints; Also, the Vado comes in different colors – Advantage, Mino

+ Nice indicator shows when either unit is capturing video – Draw

+ The buttons on the Vado are real tactile buttons that have nice feedback; The Flip Mino controls are touch sensitive (except for the record button) – This is a matter of preference, and both are nice, but I prefer the real buttons on the Vado; The Mino seems to have a lag when pressing the controls – Advantage, Vado

+ The Vado’s screen is slightly larger and wider than the Mino’s – Advantage, Vado

+ The built in speaker on the Vado is not nearly as good as the dual speakers on the Mino – Advantage Mino

+ The Price on the Vado is much better (just under $90, depending on color) while the Mino sells for much more (listed for $180, sells for about $150)

Cons

- The USB dongle on the Vado is flexible but has a tab that sticks out from the body, while the Mino has a slick USB connector that tucks into the body and is released via a tab – Advantage, Mino

- Users who want to use a dedicated microphone are provided no jack on these devices for that purpose – Draw

- Neither unit has a headphone jack for checking audio playback on recorded videos – Draw, but the weaker speaker on the Vado makes this hurt the Vado more

- Still has some software issues that will hopefully be fixed with updates – Advantage, Mino

- The Vado requires you to install the XVid codec to use the built-in software – Not a huge deal, Draw

- Not as much support for Mac users in terms of software

- The Vado comes with no carrying case or dongle included, while the Mino comes with a cheap pouch and a dongle – Advantage, Mino

- Vado packaging definitely seems cheap, while the Mino is presented in a box that is reminiscent of the packaging of Zunes and iPods – Advantage, Mino

- The Vado’s on screen menus are definitely not as nice, and the Vado Central software is not nearly as good as the Flip Video Muvee software – Advantage, Mino

- Neither of these has slots for any kind of memory card – Draw

- Neither of these will compete with some of the high-definition flash memory camcorders that are on the market, such as the Sanyo Xacti – Draw

Conclusion

I will post some pictures and video samples shortly.

While both of these units are ok, I am in the higher demanding category of users who is only going to be satisfied with the features offered by HI-Def flash camcorders like the Sanyo Xacti. The high price of those units make them prohibitive for now, though the CG9 models are in the ballpark at around $250. Hopefully the price will come down, or competing units will come out to combine the best of both.

But if I have to draw a conclusion, as of now I would say that the Mino is definitely better in terms of quality. But is it better enough to warrant the much higher price than the Vado? I would personally choose the Mino, but I think most people would choose the Vado in most cases. The fact that they made it easy to buy additional or replacement batteries and swap them out yourself is a HUGE plus. And since this is still a point and click camcorder, saving a nice chunk of change doesn’t hurt either.

Enjoy!

*****

Note: The sample video was recorded in my friends living room at point blank range (less than 8 feet away from the TV). As you can see, even after turning up the volume up very high the microphone on the Vado still captures audio very faintly. In addition, the video is set to HQ yet is somewhat grainy compared to the Flip Mino.

For a video sample of the Flip Mino, please visit my review of that product. Even though I filmed that sample on the Mino under much more difficult night-time conditions, the video and audio quality is noticeably better. I will eventually update these with more pictures and improved samples.

awesome value for the price
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
this little video camera is pretty great for the price. it is of course not a very high quality video when you transfer it to your computer, but thats not what it is meant for. i love to throw this in my purse along with my little point and shoot camera. it is awesome to have so that you never miss a moment. it is extremely easy to use, great for anyone who wants something easy to use. this would be perfect for the grandparents or even teenagers if they want something small and simple. this also is actually smaller than my blackberry curve. i LOVE this little camera and i have it with me at all times, which is easy since it is so small! if you are looking for high quality video, this isnt for you. but for youtube videos and such, its just right!

Excellent for 59 dollars
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Very nice product for a low price, has some disadvantages in that it does not have all the “bells and whistles”, but what would you expect for the low price or size. Very nice for video notes, casual times, and fun with the kids. Editing can then take place later. Battery runs out quickly and the screen is small. Would not use this if I was serious about doing a video to impress anyone with my creative skills. It is a small thing, limited controls and zooming, sound is medium. But, I can carry this in my pocket and get it going in very little time and record an event with very little effort or thought. No hassle or worry. Just fun and convenient with instant gratification! The first one I received had the power button quit working after less than 15 minutes of use but Amazon quickly sent a new one that has so far worked very well each and every time I have tried to use it.

What’s the point?
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
This review is subjective. I’m on a pc. I bought the VadoHD primarily for the purpose of making and experimenting with super low budget HD films. The logic escapes me why you would create a video camera using avi format where you cannot use the video in any video applications (quicktime, Sony Vegas, After Effects, Premiere) or convert it to mpeg4. What a waste!

Creative has a winner – simple, fun and useful!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
My wife picked up the Vado last weekend and so far we are absolutely thrilled with it. The Vado has allowed us to capture video of our children that we never would have gotten with our HD camcorder. The Vado is unbelievably simple to use and it looks and feels great. The one button upload to online video sharing sites is a fantastic feature. The Vado also has a rechargeable battery (good for the environment!)

I can’t imagine anyone not being happy with the Vado. It’s not meant to be a super high quality camcorder. It’s designed for ease of use. It gives you the ability to capture all of life’s spontaneous moments and easily share them with friends and family.

Great Price
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
When compare shopping, I found Amazon had the best price by $20.00 for my item. I’m also finding that Amazon is the Walmart of cyberworld. Amazon does sell for less in every category.

my amazing pink Vado Pocket Camcorder
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
instead of bringing just our regular small canon camcorder on our cruise (to Florida and Bahamas) i bought this pink Vado when it was on sale for cheap..VERY VERY GLAD I DID!!…I used it on our airboat ride (flipping it back and forth while cruising the florida swamp); at our beach break at the Atlantis Resort in Paradise Island, Nassau Bahamas, and Gr Stirrup Cay, and close encounter with dolpins (all takes under clear skies, great sunny weather (feb 16-19, 2009)..result? amazing videos for keeps..we have not used our canon camcorder at all during our cruise..everything on my videos during our cruise, within and outside the ship, at dinner, at the spa, pool, bowling, even dancing at the forward lounge were excellent takes, even the sound of voices were very clear..i plan to buy another 1 soon…

Don’t be Hollywood, be Cannes
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I spent many hours reading every blog and user review to decide between Creative’s Vado and Flip’s Mino. As my indecision continued I realized where the reviews went wrong. People watch movies because they tell a good story, not because they have slightly better quality. I’d much rather watch interesting characters in low-def than boring ones in high-def. To put it another way, the quality of the camera comes from the person pointing it, not the lens the light passes through.

Unfortunately, reviews confuse buyers by focusing on the the camera’s technical aspects and irrelevant differences in video quality. “Technically” there is nothing wrong with this. Differences, after all, exist between different cameras. However, consider how reviewers review: shoot two identical scenes, one with the Vado and one with the Flip to compare aspects such as lighting, detail, color reproduction. Then, you compare them side by side and mark your preference. As a result, most reviews tend to favor the Mino in the side by side ranking. (On a side note, Creative released a firware update to improve Vado’s quality and almost all the user reviews never updated their post to reflect the improved quality.)

The side-by-side method is wrong.

I started thinking I should purchase a Mino because of the reviewer’s high marks. After all, the Mino got an A- while the Vado got a B. And then it hit me. All the reviewers have the wrong perspective. They are examining features because they are easy to examine rather than because it needs to be examined. Let me clarify the last sentence. Is video quality important? Of course. However, here is the problem, reviewers tend to make a big deal out of small differences in quality. The marginal difference in quality is NOT great. On a 1-10 scale (10 = $1,000 camera) the Mino and Vado rate a 5 and 4.9 respectively. In other words, there IS a difference in video quality between the Mino and the Vado. Unfortunately this difference is only apparent when the Mino is the reference point. There is NO difference in quality when a $1,000 camera is the reference point.

The lack of marginal difference in quality brings me to my second point, and the title of my review, “Don’t be Hollywood, be Cannes.” Hollywood is often criticized for putting special effects above the story. It is as if huge explosions and high-speed car chases make up for a weak story and uninteresting characters. Movies that do well at Cannes, on the other hand, are often nothing more than two people talking–no loud “booms” or flashy Austin Martins. Don’t choose these cameras because they produce suburb video. Instead, choose a camera because it will help you share the magic of your child’s birthday party to your friends. Small cameras are great because you can easily capture the every day moments that big cameras are, well, too big for. Your friends will enjoy your movie because it tells a good story–not because the Mino has a minuscule edge in quality. Trust me.

This brings me to my second point. Why did I choose the Vado? I choose the Vado for two reasons.

First, the Vado has a wider angle lens. Only one review mentioned this. (http://camdoctor.tistory.com/379). They list the Vado at 49 degrees and the Mino at 38 degrees. What does this mean? In short, the angle of the lens is a measure of how much you can fit in the frame. For example, if you stood 5 feet from your subject, the Vado captures more of the scene than the Mino. To put it another way, you can stand closer to the subject and capture the same area with the Vado as with the Mino. This is important because better films are produced when you are closer to your subject. Not only is being closer more “intimate” it also improves sound quality because better sound drastically degrades the farther you get from your subject.

The second reason I choose the Vado is the price difference. The Vado is half the Mino’s price ($80 v. $160 at the time of this post). The Mino is not TWO times better than the Vado as the price would suggest. The Mino, is at most, 5% better than the Vado and I would buy the Mino at $100, but not at $160. Don’t let other reviews and blogs trick you into thinking that the Mino is worth twice the Vado because the quality is “slightly” better.

Remember, you are buying this camera to record memories and make stories–moments that last for generations. Video quality is good, but remember, it plays second fiddle to what’s important, memories and a story.

So, what can you do with the extra $80? Since your family will appreciate better movies, not slightly better quality, I suggest leaning about camera angles and shot direction by purchasing “Shot by Shot” or “Setting Up Your Shot” (search Amazon). Another thought is purchasing the Gorillapod tripod, which will let you position your camera anywhere to record a scene. By using a tripod YOU can enter the scene. I cannot count the times I wish I was in the scene but wasn’t. Don’t erase yourself from the moment, get a tripod. Lastly, $80 worth of beer for a local film student goes a long way for private, personalized movie making lessons.

To sum up my review: there are no material differences in quality between the Vado and the Mino. Both cameras have 640 x 484 resolution, 2GB memory, 60 min high-quality recording time. Become a better film maker than relying on “better quality” to make your movies more interesting. I enjoy movies because they are “good” rather than because they have greater “quality.”

Best,

Jason

GREAT VALUE PERIOD !!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
My daughter wanted a pocket video as she was finishing school and it just so happened my brother was taping his sons (my nephews) 16th birthday party with the Vado that very night we talked about it.

So it was all set at that point and my mind was made up without looking into it myself.

The reason?

My brother researches everything electronic he buys every which way possible. So when I saw he had it, I ordered 2 the next day! I love the ease and operation and most of all the quaility of the video. My daughter who just finished her first year of collage loves it, especially for facebook. I no longer have to pull out the Sony Handycam for birthdays and so on.

This is so darn easy, fun and just does what it is suppose to!

It’s great.

Small, easy, cheap and perfect for smeary video
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This little guy has been a lot of fun. I hated using my old camcorder because it was (comparatively) big and bulky and had too many wires and attachments and was next to impossible to get video on my computer. However, it DID take beautiful pictures.

The Vado is great in almost every way. It’s brain-dead simple to use. It’s unobtrusive. It’s cute. Your fingers won’t get in the way of the lens. You can actually see what you’re shooting with the built-in screen. Unfortunately, the built-in screen may be one of the best ways to view your video because when you put it on a decent sized screen it doesn’t look so hot.

It’s the perfect tool for posting to YouTube or making a “talking head” video. You want to document your vacation? Not so hot.

Still, I’m giving it 4 stars. I recommend download Pinnacle’s VideoSpin to edit your footage. It’s free (although you’ll probably want to cough up $15 for the codec package). It’s also amazingly easy to use. They work well as a team.

Ease of use lends it’s self to constant use.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The purpose of this kind of camera is ease of use. It’s smaller than my iPhone, which means I can keep it in my pocket. I’ve had it less than a week and I’m using it constantly. I’ve gotten more video of my wife and son this week, than I have for the last two years combined. The video isn’t HD quality, but it’s not supposed to be. It’s a great blogging and vlogging camera. 4 stars from me. Charges fast and the zoom actually works.

Oh yeah, it’s super cheap. I got it with super fast shipping for just about $100. Money well spent.

Great gift
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This product has turned out to be one of the greatest gifts I gave this year. Everyone loves it.

Easy to use
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
My 10-year-old loves this! He and his friends are making stupid movies and posting them on youtube for the rest of their friends to enjoy. I control what gets posted to youtube with password security. Anytime someone uses his name or some other detail that you don’t want to share with child-predators, I just refuse to post it. The kids are learning a little internet safety while having fun being silly kids and creating movies and silly storylines. I highly recommend this as a toy for the middle-school age group.

good value
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
Pretty good, even is not as good as the flip in term of image quality. The plus is rechargeable battery, size (almost half smaller than the flip), easy to use, nice ergonomics, light. I personally keep this one in my purse for all the time film making and when I really want to film something special I use the flip. I bought this one for 69 USD comparedf to 129 USD for the flip, I recommend for the value

Vado Pocket Camera is delightful
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have used the Vado for several weeks now, including taking it on vacation over the holidays. It works like a charm. The resolution is NOT HD, but is quite sufficient for most perposes. With the ability to store an hour or more of video, review it on camera and try again if necessary, its just what I wanted. Only issue is the the USB connection is short, so I use a 3 inch USB extension so the camera is still lying flat what I unload the videos to my PC and recharge the battery.

Love the Vado!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought the Vado on a lark. I’ve never owned a video camera before and I’ve definitely never posted anything to YouTube. But I travel a lot and I thought it might be fun to have my husband post videos of our dog so I wouldn’t feel quite so home sick. This thing is perfect for that. Its small enough that my husband can put it in his pocket and carry it with him to the dog park or anywhere else. The only problem is that I havent been able to give it up and have decided to keep it in my purse. His birthday is coming up though so I’ll just get him his own.

As for features, you can read that for yourself but it seemed pretty clear that this does everything the Flip does but in a smaller package and its cheaper.

Awesome camcorder really cute
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I must of bought bout 2-3 different cameras in the course of 08 so far. In search of a good quality including the embarassing keychain cam, one by sakar which is a nice cam for still shoots. and a creative webcamw which is awesome so i know they got good quality cams and a logitech which i didn’t care for. This one is by far my favorite video capablity camera so far . The image quality is amazingly good. I been searching for something to do my expotv video opinions with as well they keep rejecting the others from the other cam due to lack of quality.I can see already by the image quality here that won’t be a problem. It is a cute little cam however the usb thing looks a bit flimsy but long as I am careful i see no problems. I recommend t his to others looking for a cool little device to take with you on family trip that you can just pop in your purse take with you rechargablility is nice . No Sd Cards needed thats also a good saver. This is a cool little gadget Giving it 5 stars for being cool alone .

Good Product and Good Price
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I bought this as a birthday present for my 11 years old son. He loves it very much and always carries it around. Under this price, of course, you can’t expect it would have a lot of functions similar as the big brand. However, there are two things I don’t really like as they don’t allow to add external memory card which won’t allow to have longer hour of recording; and also the manufacture doesn’t provide any external adaptor or allow to use other battery which the user just only can recharge it in front of the computer.

Vado Pocket Video Camcorder
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
The Creative Labs Vado Pocket Video Camcorder is a great little device for amature filming. It’s easy to carry around and fast to use. The quality is good enough to watch, but not intended for professional or semi-professional use. It’s very easy to upload and install the necessary program for watching films from it on your computer, and these can be sent by e-mail, providing they aren’t too long. I haven’t tried uploading films to the internet yet, but it seems pretty straightforward. The only gripe I have is that the on button is hard to find and tricky to push.

mini videocam
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I love this item. the video quality is superb. The unit itself is sleek and stylish. It is easy to carry and the viewing screen and controls are clear and simple to operate.

Okay, but not as good as a digital camera’s video.
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I purchased this as an easy alternative to larger video cameras. I was really looking at the Flip, but the price on this one was better, and I thought it would probably be good enough. But I was not happy with the Vado. The video quality is fair, at best. The zoom is very poor and really not even worth using. The playback on the Vado itself has very poor sound quality, but when uploaded to the computer, it is somewhat better. At my daughter’s recent concert, my sister used her regular digital camera (not a camcornder, just a point & shoot camera) to video tape it, and I used the Vado. My sister’s camera did a much better job than the Vado. Her sound quality was better, the picture crisper and clearer than the Vado. And since the room was somewhat dark, the Vado’s picture was very dark and fuzzy. My sister’s camera captured my daughter perfectly in the spotlight. I was disappointed with the Vado. It’s okay as a small, handy video cam, but I think the video feature that most digital cameras have these days is just as good or better. Not sure it’s worth the money to buy something like this. On the plus side, though, it is very easy to use and very small — easy to carry around.

Easy to use Pocket Camera even for a Youth
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought the Creative Vado as a gift for my 10 year old grandson who is sharing it with me on occasion! He is into making movies big time right now and was using it to record within 3 minutes of opening the box and had figured out all it’s simple working capabilities within an hour.

I found the small size and easy to use functions perfect for slipping into a purse or pocket. The microphone isn’t great but for the price and size it works well.

I don’t believe in marking down a good item just because Amazon does a lousy job at delivering it but I need to at least mention that fact as it is so annoying! I recently used the “free shipping” option when buying a Creative MP3 player and it took SIXTEEN days for that player to arrive from Colorado to Idaho! I know Amazon is trying to force people into paying $79.99 a year for Amazon Prime just to get good fast shipping service but 16 days delivery time is ridiculous!

So since this Creative Vado was to be a gift and I needed it to arrive promptly I paid the basic $5.98 shipping cost for the promised 3 to 5 day shipping time AND still had to wait NINE days for this camera to arrive in Idaho from CO. On the same day I ordered this Pocket Camera I also ordered a Joby Tripod from one of Amazon’s “Partners”, that Tripod arrived in three days!!! To say I am disappointed in Amazon’s shipping practices after more than 10 years as a faithful customer is an understatement!

I will not be forced to pay extra for good service from a company!! I have since bought several more items via Amazon but I have continued to used their “Partners” each time and I can testify to the fact that the Partners appreciate your business and for the same price Amazon offers an item for or a couple of dollars more you get fast 3 to 5 day shipping because they are happy to have your business, unlike Amazon these days!

Pick of the crop
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The Creative Lab Vado was prefect. I had compared it with a name brand based on a video someone had shared. It is cheaper in price and does more (very lightweight). I suggest you buy it if you are trying to choose between it and the flip. Once the video is produced through the computer, it is very clear and has beautiful, vibrant colors. What I really like is being able to connect it to the computer or a digital frame instantly. I now need to buy a carry case!

Great little video recorder
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The Vado is so handy. Small and unintrusive. Friends want to know what it is and where I got it. One hint..if you want to upload a whole little movie to YouTube and you aren’t too techy just use your Windows Movie Maker, get a free code program to convert your wave file to mpg.

Tiny, Light, and pretty darn good!
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
For such an inexpensive device, this does very well. I was very happy with the recording time, battery life, video and sound quality, and how easy it was to use.

One thing that really stood out for me was that the device includes the necessary codecs to play your videos on any Windows computer. I also liked how the device has its own built-in USB connection, and thus I don’t have to lug around another cable.

The device is amazingly light, probably lighter than my BlueTooth headset.

There are a few shortcomings that I think people should know:

1) If you’re not using a Windows XP/Vista machine, I don’t know how well this will work for you (if at all). Its videos might have difficulty playing in photo frames, too.

2) For extended vacations, you’ll need to bring a laptop along to charge the device and offload your video. The unit does not support memory cards, and there is no AC charger included.

3) It does not come with a case of any kind, though could really use one. I’m sure the screen will be scratched soon. This too is an accessory you can buy.

For the $100 price tag (at the time of writing this) it’s a pretty good deal. My only hesitation is that there are probably digital cameras that are out there which double as a video recorder with equal quality for a little more money.

This unit’s greatest strength is how easy it is to use and it’s tiny size and weight.

A Cool Toy
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After reading reviews, I decided on this camera for my classroom. It’s cool and ever-so-easy to use. Being a Mac user, I needed to use Quicktime to view my movies. Working on several different operating systems between school and home, I initially had problems. I found an application, ViddyUp to put my video in a format that moved between computers and between my Quicktime and iMovie. I’m entirely satisfied with the portability, quality, and ease of using this movie camera…. and it’s soooo inexpensive!

Software lacking
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
The included software only downloaded the screen, could not get the codec download so downloaded it separately.. still would not work on converting video. Sent this terrible camera back.

over exposed and blurry
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I was hoping this camera would be everything the reviews claimed it to be. Perhaps the one I received had something wrong with it but all the video came out very over exposed in all lighting conditions and blurry. It was especially bad in the one to four foot range, you could not tell a butterfly was a butterfly from that entire range it was so blurry. There are no adjustments just point and press a button so it was nothing I was doing wrong. The video advertisement shows someone holding this camera very close to a monarch butterfly and the image on the camera looks perfect. This was not the case with mine. I sent it back as defective, hopefully they are not all this bad. Too bad because it was so small and light and simple to use.

Great little cam
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
My husband bought one of these a few months ago. I had to have one not only for me but my children so they can record their children. The sound on the cam itself is not very good but it transfers well to the computer. We recorded a handball tournament and the cam is fast enough that you can see where the ball is at all times…barring objects in front of it. The Vado is affordable and a very good device for recording every day events such as a baby’s first steps or your son’s wrestling match. Get you one!

Great Gift
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Very easy to use and made a great gift for 12 year old. Windows would have been easier, but we got it to work with a MAC by getting a XVID plug in.

The video equivalent of a point-and-shoot still camera
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
My kids gave me a Vado for my birthday, and I’ve had some time to play around with it a little since I got it. The first thing you need to keep in mind is that this isn’t a replacement for a high-end video camera. It’s meant to be small, inexpensive, and easy to use, and it certainly is. Just a few buttons on the unit (see the product description for info) and yes, it pretty much does look like a cell phone without the phone. I walked around New York City yesterday afternoon with it in my jeans pocket and it was certainly easier to carry than a “full-blown” dedicated video camera or even a small still camera with video mode.

There’s 2x digital zoom (I haven’t played with that much so I really can’t comment), and it’s capable of up to 2 hours of recording in standard quality, or 1 hour in “high quality”. I did a little comparison of a short scene in my backyard and the HQ version did seem to be better quality. Remember that this is shooting in 640 x 480, so if you blow this up and try to show it on your 52″ plasma HD TV you’ll probably be disappointed, but for personal use on your computer screen, it looks just fine.

Pros:

Small, lightweight = extremely portable.

Easy to use not only for recording, but also for importing videos to your computer (but easiest for PC users; built-in software launches when you plug device into your computer)

Rechargeable battery

Inexpensive!

Decent video quality

Cons:

Built-in software not (currently?) available for Mac users, but you can still use it like a USB connected disk drive

You need a computer to recharge (via the USB port) unless you buy the optional stand-alone charger.

The audio seems a bit low both when recording and when playing back on the device.

Overall, particularly when taking into consideration the price, I think this is an excellent value and would recommend it to anyone in the market for a point-and-shoot video camera.

LOVE IT! LOVE IT! LOVE IT!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
My family LOVES the Vado! We have taken so many fun videos with it, videos that we would have never captured if we had to rely on our big bulky digital recorder. The Vado truly helps you capture special moments in time instantly.

The Vado is so simple to use and easy to set up. I am “technologically challenged” and I was able to use the Vado with no problems at all.

We love it so much we are buying THREE MORE! One for each member of our familiy.

The Vado is hands down one of the BEST products we own.

small and easy to use
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This little video camera is easy to use and makes a wonderful quality video. We used it at Christmas and have great memories of our grandbabies. We also use it to send video messages to the grandkids when we are out of town

Get something better
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I had the Flip Ultra before I bought this, which costs almost twice as much, and is bulkier, and takes AA batteries. So I thought this might be a good replacement.

Unfortunately, the microphone on the Vado is worse, and the picture quality in low light situations isn’t nearly as good. It’s cheap, and fun to play with, but I’ve recorded stuff that would have turned out great on the Flip that was unusable on the Vado.

vado is a winner
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
what a great surprise to order without knowing how cool it really was. Very easy to work and was a hit all through the holidays… no instructions at all so if you are not techy… will be a “slight” problem but pictures and videos are wonderful.

a gift for my daughter
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I gave this to my 28 yr. old daughter for Christmas. She is ‘into’ photography, etc. and realized the video quality was too grainy, esp. when on the ‘big’ screen of the computer. She sent it back right away and upgraded to the HD version

great if you plan on looking at a little screen
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
i bought this product after seeing the guys side by side video thinking that if they are comparable then i will get the cheaper vado. Well that seems to have been a mistake. When i got it yesterday i was excited and ready to start shooting video

the first thing i notice that was a positive was that it was indeed quite light; i almost thought the box it came in was empty when the mail man handed it to me. then i charged it and started to use it.

The first thing that was not positive was that the zoom adds a lot of noise. Not too big a deal since this was meant more to be a camcorder alternative to bring along for small things where it would be nice to have a video recording capacity and not have to lug a camcorder around.

Next i connected it to my laptop and looked at the the files and was surprised at the amount of noise on the videos since it looked so good on the LCD.

i can see now that this is a perfect device if you want to shot internet videos where the intended audience will be looking at a small screen. but not very appropriate if like me you want a alternative to lugging around a bulky camcorder.

i really wish i hadn’t ripped the box trying to get it out so i could return this and try out the more critically acclaimed flip. and also i paid more than the price it is now and i bought it a week ago.

Don’t be fooled by the video reviews and comparisons this only looks good if looked at at a small resolution

Creative Vado
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I basically just wanted a little el cheapo video camera to upload short clips to youtube etc. to save. And for that it works just great. If people are looking for something to record long ceremonies or outings etc. in amazing quality with great camera options, this is not the right camera…sorry you’ll have a shell out more than 60 bucks for that. But even though it’s very inexpensive and does feel cheap, I have been very impressed with the quality of videos and the ease of use. I’m not tech savvy, so I was pleased to note that it really is as simple as: record, connect to computer, and open the pre-installed program that uploads directly to the site you wish. So for what it’s marketed as, ease of use, and price, it gets 5 stars. My only complaint is that even short videos take a while to upload.

Simple and Cost Effective .. Tough and Interesting Hardware
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I purchased the Vado normal resolution to use for making video under circumstances that I would not want to put my expensive video camera through. The Vado is tough and does a great job for a little money. Like all cameras it needs light to make good images and it does well indoors under daylight (6500K) fluorescent lights. Nice wide angle lens for close up shooting. I put my Vados in harms way and they keep on ticking. Great for children I suspect but no experience there. The Vado is the point and shoot of video cameras but sometimes that is all you need.

Great Camcorder for Kids!
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I like this little gadget. It’s small, durable, and does the job it’s supposed to. I ordered this to be sent to my brother’s house and found my nephew using it way more than me!

The video was about on par with my CanonSD500 digital camera. Also, I use iSquint to change the format from avi to mpg. To me, perhaps the advertised price could be a little cheaper, but for the job it’s a great addition.

2gb memory – Pretty cool over all, but couple things are lacking
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I really like this little video camera, it’s pretty cool and takes some rather good quality video. 200 megs of video equals about 00:07:30 or video (7.5 minutes). The device is a 2Gig unit that always you about 1.8 gigs for video as some of the storage space is sucked up with programs and of course 2 gigs is actually 1.91 gigs of usable space.

Pros:

*Compact: I like how it’s so small but does a rather good job.

*Simple: It’s so simple to use it’s ridiculous, just hit the big button and record (would be better if the button was Red instead of white it would be more easily recognized as a record button).

*Video quality: for as small as this item is it’s rather good at taking video, clean for the most part (I’ve noticed that it tends to have a decent amount of grain though is average lighting), smooth when you are moving the camera, no jumping of frames, at least not very noticeable.

*Flip out USB connector: I like this but I think it’s poorly placed IMO.

*Fast charging: I really liked how it only take a max of like just over 2 hours to charge and there is a fast charging option that is easily activated, just push the play button until the battery with the lightning bolt shows on the screen and it’s now going to charge really fast. During this mode you can’t access any info on the cam, it will only charge it, but this is a great feature as then you don’t have to wait as long if you are going to be leaving in a little while for some occasion.

Cons:

*USB connector placement: it’s right next to the tripod connector. So if you have it on a minipod you have to take it off in order to hook it to the computer. I think making it so it flips off from the side would be much better so that it can be easier to get to the plug if you just want to leave a minipod hooked to it.

*The lens cover is easily scratched, I have a couple small scratches on mine already just from going in my pocket that had nothing else but this in it.

*Power button: while I do like it’s placement on the side and how it’s integrated into the devices style it’s a little hard to push with big fingers like mine. Maybe the line that it blends with could be a little wider to accommodate people with bigger hands.

*Record button: a record symbol or it being red would be a good idea. friends that tried to use it had a hard time figuring it out.

*Screen: while I do like the size of the screen I do not like how you can’t view it from the sides at all, a wider viewing angle would be great as you can’t have your eyes directly in line with the LCD to be able to view it at all times.

*VOLUME*: all around poor, I noticed that it doesn’t really pick sound up all that well. You have to talk directly to toward it and in a little bit of a loud voice in order for it to come across clearly. Also, the on board speaker doesn’t play back well at all IMO, you couldn’t hear anything from it if you tried. In loud volume situations though the mic is overloaded and just can’t handle the audio so it reproduces an annoying noise on the video. Whispers are pretty much not heard unless you turn the volume on your PC up as loud as possible.

I think for this to be a rather successful product the last 2 issues really need to be addressed more.

One thing that I would think would make this worth a lot more is if it had the ability to be hooked into the computer and used the computer to record and change setting on the camera through the software that comes installed on it, basically a full frame rate webcam that wont have the jagged/jumpy side effects that even high quality webcams have.

On the first couple of videos there was a DIVX logo brand but now there isn’t IDK what the deal is now, but I like it a lot more without the branding on my video. IDK if this is just something that it does on the first couple or what, but I’m much happier it’s gone now.

Edited: 08/01/08

EDITED: 11/30/08

There is an update out for the Vado’s firmware as well as the software that it uses on your PC, it helps a crap load!!! Although the focusing is bit of an issue close up still it does fine farther away from the subject.

main things in the update are better quality video, less fuzz, better sound quality, and much faster start up time.

to access the update plug your vado into your computer then when the program launches select the little button in the top left corner, you’ll see an option for updating. Do that and select both the software and firmware updates. It makes a huge difference in the performance of this device. Also make sure that you follow the instructions throughout the process so you can be sure you don’t run into any issues.

Just what I was looking for
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This little camera is just what I wanted. The picture quality is good. And it’s smaller than my cell phone. It’s Great!

Vado is pretty good
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
The Vado movie camera produces very good quality films with surprisingly good depth of field at the high quality setting; we haven’t tried standard play yet. Because of the all pink color the control markings aren’t the easiest to see and could be better. Overall we’d likely buy it again. It would be even more useful if you could insert another memory card with more capacity.

Creative Vado Camcorder
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Great fun product, Friends are amazed at the small size, sharp clear color videos with clear crisp sound.

A good overall buy
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I recently purchased a Creative Vado video camera, and I found it to be the best value for its price. It is reliable, easy to use, and might I add stealthy. I use it for recording speeches I have to make for my college classes. I do have a few minor gripes, but I will tell you right now that this is probably the best camera in the under $100.00 class. My main gripes have to do with recording volume and a slight amount of graininess evident in the videos. It records at lower volume than my brother’s Kodak digital camera in video mode, but the footage is comparable in quality. Can’t gripe too hard, though. I got a good deal for what I paid for it.

Great buy – Value
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
An amazing value for under $100.

Anyone who crtiques the operation or controls has lost sight of the under $ 100 price tag.

I travel 100,000 miles a year and it is the only device in my briefcase to capture the moment.

Light, good quality video, easy to use, etc

I have one to my daughter in college

KP

Niche product – does its job.
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Its specs have been exhaustively reviewed here already, so I won’t go into all of that. You take it out of the box, turn it on, press the record button. To upload, you connect the onbooard usb to your computer, the onboard sw starts up and then you click on whatever video you want to upload to YouTube, PhotoBucket, or Box.net without fuss and not much thinking. This device sits between a bonafide camcorder/camera and phone camera/camcorder. It’s small and light like a phone cam but delivers much better video then any phone cam I own.

Little things that stick out to me are the rubberized coating on the case which gives a decent grip. The short usb cable was clearly designed to connect to a laptop or a usb port on a keyboard. It’s somewhat disconcerting to see the camera dangling from the usb port on my desktop pc. The uploading sw is on the device itself which is handy – no need to download client software to different pc’s – just connect and upload. Of course, in true Creative fashion, you can also navigate to the device in My Computer and open the video folder and drag the contents out to wherever. The on/off switch is thin and requires a push, but then again that keeps it from getting turned on accidentally.

All in all a device that does what it is suppose to do well and at a very competitive price.

Keep the light on
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
Very convenient video camera. Picture quality is OK with good light. Product will not work in dark conditions.

Just the Ticket
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I figure I don’t need to write a longwinded review of the pros and cons of this camera given what it is. A cheap easy to use video camera that is smaller than a cell phone. It takes a very good You Tube quality video with simple, easy to use controls. Don’t expect high definition high audio quality results, because it’s best quality is its size, so it will be there to capture the moment when you’ve left even your “pocket” sized camera at home.

It won’t take away from your enjoying your day futzing with controls. Just point and press the button. When you get to your PC (the software doesn’t work on a Mac), just plug it into a USB port and with a click download to You Tube or Photobucket.

I have several cameras, and this, despite its limitations is one of my favorites.

Great for my kids
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Bought two as a ‘deal of the day’ purchase for stocking stuffers for my teenagers. One had a dead battery out of the box – tried to work through Creative Labs but it was too much of a hassle and just bought a new battery for $15. Once the cameras were both working, they are handy and offer decent video quality for Youtube and Facebook type short videos. Nice thing about them is you are more apt to capture video of an event because these things are so small you can always have them at hand

Pink Vado
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Works perfectly with Vista, which is the reason for my purchase…Had so much trouble getting my RCA EZ201 to work on Vista…I would recommend this product!!!

Awkward and difficult!
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Awkward to charge and I am still trying to figure out how to use it!

The instructions are not clear and the cord that hooks up to the computer is very short.

UPDATED REVIEW
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I bought this as a gold box deal, and was very excited to get such a great price for such a neat little gadget. I bought it as a starter video camera for my son, but was very disappointed to open the box and read the lead warning on the side, asking users to wash hands thoroughly after each use.

Update since original post:

I have since contacted the company, and wanted to post their reply:

“I assure that there’s nothing to worry about Creative products. This warning has been included to comply with Californian legislation (Proposition 65) as the cable bundled with your device contains a very small amount of lead to keep the copper wire and plastic cable more malleable. This cable design is very common and used in practically all household appliances. In our testing the average lead content of our cables is between 100 and 300 parts per million (ppm), significantly lower than inmany household appliances at 1000 ppm.”

Buy THIS IEM!
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I love it! We have 2 of them! My friends purchased 2!

You can’t go wrong @ this price!

A decent item
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
This is a relatively simple to use camcorder. The problems that I have with it are mainly about the operating system.

1) There is no menu to allow you to scan through the videos stored in memory. Instead, you have to press play, and then skip through to the video you want to watch.

2) Accessing the preferences to change the recording quality or to set the date/time is a bit of a pain. It requires simultaneously pressing the play and delete buttons, but only when you are standing by to record rather than watching videos.

3) Transferring files to my computer is quite easy, just like retrieving files from a flash drive, but Quicktime couldn’t play the files properly without downloading an additional component. That is a minor issue, and it was handled in a few minutes, but it was a mild nuisance.

4) The microphone is not very good. It doesn’t pick up sounds unless they are relatively loud, and the sound quality is relatively poor.

Over-all, though, it is a decent little player that you can learn to use fairly quickly, and the price makes it a good deal, but don’t expect anything astounding.

works about as good as a camera phone with video
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
The good: cheap, easy to use, good low light video quality, did I say cheap

The bad: poor color reproduction, useless zoom, very poor audio quality.

This is a nice toy for a kid (bought it for my 12 yr. old son)or anyone who likes to post videos on youtube. The sound and video is not as good as the flip but it cost less than half of what the flip did. The software is very basic, but it’s easy for any computerphobe to use. It’s pretty useless for anything that’s more than 10 or 12 feet away.

Runs laps around the Flip Ultra
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RM6ZFID4IPMOR Creative Labs Vado Pocket Video Camcorder (Silver)

I did a comparison of the Vado vs. the Flip Ultra, and I’d say the Vado beats the Flip in every way, except the mic. The mic recorded lower for me on the Vado than the Flip when I tested the two of them at the same distance.

MAC USERS BEWARE – Don’t Buy This Product
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I am a Mac user, and I did my research. I always do. But nowhere, on Creative’s site or on Amazon, did it say that all of the files are saved as .AVI.

Yes, you can play the videos in QuickTime, once you have downloaded XivD, but you cannot edit in iMovie. So what you see is what you get…no editing allowed.

I did some reasearch on the web about converting .AVI to iMovie format, but everyone complained that you lost quality, and on this little recorder, you cannot afford to lose any more quality. I got this thinking we can record little snippets, do some very light editing, to trim off the fat in iMovie, and that we could do it easily. No way…not with an .AVI format.

And I got this for my husband for Father’s Day too…darn it.

Vado Pocket Camcorder
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
The color reproduction is a little blue of the true colors, but for price and portability, it can’t be beat.

THe Vado is an awesome tool!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I use my Vado all the time. It fits nicely into my jacket pocket. The quality of of the video is not that good in low light so I make sure I am prepared.

Uploading your videos are easy as pie with the built in usb.

MrSelfImprovement

Vic Maranto

http://www.thepersonaldevelopmentnetwork.com

Good little camera
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
It’s a great little video camera, it would be a great little camera if it was also had Mac based soft wear.

Convenient, easy to use and downloadable on a Mac with MPEG Streamclip
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This is the sort of product that will eventually change how we shoot video forever, though other items like iPhones and such might eventually do it too. I don’t know enough about such things to speculate with any authority, however, all I can say is this is sooooo easy to use it makes any kind of tape-based, clunky camcorder virtually obsolete, at least as far as taking the video itself.

If you want high quality, though, it only holds a limited amount of recording time, then you have to download it. If you’re on a trip, that means having a laptop handy. Still, you can carry this around to have in a pinch, which you just cannot with a camera.

The only trouble I had initially was how to fully download this on my mac. Fortunately, I paid for a one-on-one Apple service so I can make appointments at an Apple store and be trained — the best money I ever spent. They recommended something called MPEG Streamclip and I was able to download the video and edit it on iMovie. Well, live and learn.

love it!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
this camera has been great! i love the size and ease of use. the small size seems less of a distraction to my granddaughter so that she doesn’t focus on it. gets a little grainy when you zoom in but overall it suits my needs just fine!

pre teen gift
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
It is very user friendly. It was a gift for my 10 year old. He is having fun creating his own videos. However, the quality – esp. the sound is not very good, it is not very clear. But – despite that, I am sure he is enjoying creating them and will download his favorite videos to save and watch again.

Compact and easy-to-use
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Firstly, I’m not at all technical, so my review is purely from a layman’s perspective.

I bought this video camera as a gift for my husband primarily because we were going to be travelling and didn’t want to take our larger videocam.

The major positive things I can say is that this camera is extremely compact, very easy to use and easy to charge. I had also purchased the charging unit but we took a laptop computer with us, so ended up just charging the camera while using the computer.

My husband was able to carry the camera in his shirt pocket, making it easily available for those moments that we wanted to capture. The picture quality isn’t as good as our larger camera and the functions are limited, however it was perfect for our purposes.

I recommend this camera for anyone who wants a simple to use, lightweight camera for a reasonable price. We’re very happy with it.

Where’s the color?
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
We are disappointed with the recording quality of this item. We do not want the recorded memories of our child growing up to be recorded with this camcorder. Specifically, the colors are bland and lifeless. One of us referred to it as almost black-and-white. And as others have stated, the audio is poor as well. We like Creative and were disappointed.

Vado pocket camcorder
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Along with my wallet and keys my Vado pocket camcorder is in my pocket every time I leave the house. This small, lightweight video camera is very handy. It is easy to use, mostly because it has very few controls, and can be mastered in minutes. The batteries charge fast and hold their charge. The USB plug that is stored in the cotton corner of the camera housing looks flimsy but has given me no problems so far. I think a plug with a longer cord would be more trouble prone.

Although the camera stores an hour of video I am disappointed with the video quality. It is no better than cell phone video. Most youtube videos are of higher quality than this camera produces. Because it is a camera only, I was expecting more. The zoom function is jerky. The sound is better than I expected. The software which is supposed to allow automatic login to youtube did not work for me, but my computer is locked down pretty tight so maybe it is due to a permission problem resulting from my computer’s configuration.

Vado
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is such a fun and easy to use product. I like how it is small and so easy to use.

Cool Compact Camera
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
OK, I’ll admit it. I was a skeptic. There was no way that this small, inexpensive video recorder could produce a decent video. I was wrong.

Of course, you won’t get movie theater quality, but you will get adequate video to put on You Tube or a website, video that is good enough to viewed on a large computer screen. I tried shooting in a variety of conditions, from daylight, to overcast and indoors with backlighting and in each case the camera produced clear video with accurate color and decent audio.

The camera is simple to use and stows easily in a shirt pocket. The 2x zoom is a bit limited but it helps to get closer to the subject. The USB connection makes charging the battery and transferring videos simple.

There are a couple of things that could make this a better product. First, the USB connection, it is a standard sized plug on a short cord. This would work fine on a laptop, but reaching to the back of a computer to plug it in is inconvenient. A better solution would be a mini-USB port. Second, there is software included that runs on Windows, but, there is no Mac software included. This is not a problem for viewing, as Quicktime will play the AVI movies, but editing requires additional software. iMovie did not recognize files.

To summarize, this is a great little product for those who like to share short videos on You Tube or on a website, but it is not the ticket for creating a video masterpiece. It has a home in my camera bag.

Dave Lochner

NauticalReads

i didn’t even know this product existed
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
i’m glad i was introduced to this product. it is extremely easy to use right out of the box. i like the big screen and also the big area that it has for my hand to hold it ….so it won’t get in the way of the screen. once i connected via usb to my computer,i was able to upload to youtube with no problems. the quality of the video was also good, not great. kind of grainy but then again i was using SP mode so i could have 2 hours recording time. it’s very slim and lightweight and the kids have had NO problems using it either. i actually have picked it up and used it MORE then the flip mino and the rca small wonder. i loved it!

Nice unit
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I like this. Two hours of record time, seems to have very good anti-jitter.

I like that the battery charges from my computer. Of course that’s a problem if you are out away from a computer and need more juice, but I think that would be rare.

A little hard to turn on, but of course that keeps you from turning it off accidentally too, so probably that’s good.

I am a little worried about the USB connection. FlipVideo is a solid unit, this is on a flexible wire. I’m afraid it’s going to break internally over time.

Price is definitely good too.. so is the slim style, very easy to carry in shirt pocket.

I do notice that it’s hard to pick up voices unless they are speaking very loud.. but the video is great.

My first time!
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I have never used one of these products before so I was very interested in learning about my new ‘toy.’ The Creative Labs Vado Pocket Video Camcorder is very lightweight and fun to use. It fit very conveniently in my pocket or just carrying it around posed no problems. I do feel, however, that this will eventually be updated to improve high def. picture quality. That being said, if you’re just looking for something to play around with and view some homemade videos on your computer, this is a fabulous product. Easy, convenient and fun.

Awesome Little Video Camera
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R181LYYLJHJ8FB I wanted to provide a sample of the video quality. This is really a written review with a sample of video with little commentary.

Pros:

Small – Its the size of an iPod but slightly thicker

Light – The case is made of rubber and plastic making it superlightweight.

Sturdy – Although made of plastic the feel of the unit is quite sturdy.

Screen size – THe screen size is about .5 inches large than the flip, which is a huge difference when you consider ths small the screens are

(2″ vs. 1.5″ on the flip).

Playback – The playback was more than adequate when watching on the screen.

Price – Its $30 less than the Flip.

Rechargeable batteries – Plug into a USB and charge, Voila! (The flip requires 2 batteries).

Capacity – at low video quality you can get 2 hours. Highly recommend the high quality.

Cons:

Ultra sensitive mic – WHen I click on the rear buttons to zoom, you can hear it on the playback.

Location of the USB plug – With a fold out USB cable on the bottom it leaves for some akward positions for your camera while charging in a non-computer (iPod brick).

No steady cam – If you have jittery hands (thanks Starbucks!), the video can be shaky making playback outright vomit inducing (Blair Witch Project ring a bell?).

Video Quality Disclaimer

Video – This is more of a disclaimer than a con! Some people may want one of these to replace an older video camera (DVC, 9MM, etc.) don’t. If you truly want a replacement for an older video camera I would strongly suggest the HD version of the Vado or the Mino HD.

This should be looked at as a handy video camera to have for random moments. Its perfect for Youtube-ing!

Bottome line – nifty gadget, great price, good value!

4 out of 5 stars!

A decent camera for Youtube
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I didn’t think that I needed this camera when I got it, as my cellphone & my regular digital camera both take decent video, and I also have a MiniDV camera when I really want to make something nice. But it sounded convenient and easy to use.

For the most part, that is true. Taking a video is easy, with only buttons that you can operate with one hand if necessary. The camera also has a built in USB connector, so you can plug it straight into your computer. The 2GB of included memory is more than enough at the resolution the camera uses.

The form factor is the nicest part, as it easily slips into your pocket. It is very lightweight, and I even put it in my back pocket and sat on it by accident, without any apparent damage.

The biggest problem is the video quality. It is good in a well lit situation, but anything beyond a very bright room or daylight will start to be a problem. Also, the resolution is low enough that it will not look very good when played on a TV, or full screen on a computer. But, for Youtube, it is enough. My only real problem with the video is that it automatically splits everything into individual clips. I would have liked an option to add onto the previous clip, so that it would be possible to do in-camera editing.

All in all, if you want a easy to cary and easy to use camera for making videos that will look good on Youtube, this is a great buy. If you want home movies that will persevere for generations, look elsewhere.

Not as Good
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
Not as good as some users here are making it out to be. I got it for $59.99 and I still found myself getting ripped off. The video quality did not meet my expectations even so in HQ, the colors for one are very pale, and there is really no way to play with the contrast or brightness (which is sad), as well as when the camera gets moved, a lot of pixels keep appearing which completely ruins the viewing experience when video is watched.

Disappointed. I should consider paying more for the HD Vado.

Great bang for you buck!!!!!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R10HSEW6E1YG39 This just gives you a small idea of what this product can do.

Great product, great price….
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
For this price, you cannot go wrong! Uploading the videos is super easy. Even the most computer challenged can’t mess this up! It is nice, and sleek. You won’t regret this purchase…

Really incredible little unit!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The Creative Labs Vado video camcorder is an absolute gem. Clear, sharp picture, (640×480!!!) easy controls that even my youngest kids took right to, but rugged enough that I carry it around in my pants pocket on the beach and don’t worry about it – and I am hard on my gear but the Vado is holding up beautifully. As with all these point-n-shoot pocket recorders it does NOT have great sound, but the picture quality and total ease of use more than compensates. Well worth the price, in fact my wife made the comment during our last outing “that’s so cool, we should all have one!” so I bought her one. In Pink!

As essential as a cell phone
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have a pair of electronic necessities now, one for organizational and communication optimization (cell phone) and the Vado for “receipt taking”. Yeah, imagine that, having a receipt of all your most treasured interactions, but not simply capturing one instant, but those situations that demand 30 frames/sec for many seconds, minutes, or hours!

Sad story though — I am a student making $12k a year in a Biotech lab, so the $50 for the camcorder was cha-ching for me. On an AA flight, I left my beloved Vado in the backseat slot! Oh man, what a bummer. It’s gone until I save another $50, and worse, the videos of myself and bestest conference buddies are missing too

I plan to buy another…maybe in March 2010.

Pretty handy and good for the price
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
The Vado is a pocketable digital camcorder that’s about the same size as a compact digital camera. It’s a bit longer than my Canon Digital Elph (SD1100 IS), but thinner. The construction is mostly plastic, but that makes it really light and easy to carry around.

The image quality is surprisingly good considering that it records at 640×480 resolution. It’s definitely good enough for web usage like uploading to Youtube. The quality is better than the recordings on my Canon. It had no trouble recording in really bright daylight or even in a dimly lit living room.

The camera is super easy to use since there aren’t really any settings to manage. You can choose between HQ or SP recording modes which give you 1 hour or 2 hours of recording time, respectively. Beyond that, you just press a button to record and press the same button to stop.

Pros:

+ Small and light. About the size of a compact digital camera.

+ Super simple interface. Press the big button to record. Press the big button again to stop.

+ Built in USB connector for transferring files AND charging.

+ It acts like a 2GB flash drive, but you don’t really need to worry about that. 1 hour of video in HQ mode and 2 hours in SP mode.

+ Light yet solid build.

+ Records in xvid format.

+ For those with digital SLRs, this is actually a great companion device for quick video.

+ Metal tripod mount. Not really needed for something like this, but nice anyways.

Cons:

- Digital zoom sucks, but works in a pinch.

- The built in USB connector is really, really short. It flips out, but doesn’t extend at all. It will have to dangle off most USB ports when you plug it in.

Overall, it’s a pretty good buy for the price, but if you already have a digital camera with video capabilities, you don’t really need this.

Great product considering the price and market.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I purchased this for my 11-year old who has shown an interest in creating videos. This product is simple to use, well-made, and inexpensive. The software is on the camera, so you have no disks to loose, and can install it on the fly. Although it might not work for Spielberg, it is a wonderful creative tool for children. I am quite impressed with the video quality.

For the price, and the intended market – I have done a lot of research – this is the winner!

Good For Price
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Quality is not the best, but it worked great for what I needed it for (a video presentation of a collage of interviews for a class). Simple to use. Everyone on campus was amazed at how small it was.

Microphone is on the side where the playback screen, so the sound of the person holding the camera is picked up better than the sound of whatever is being filmed.

Creative Vado Pocket Camcorder
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Right out of the box I was delighted with this little beauty. Easy to use and recharge, no batteries to keep changing. or those put off by the fact that the device has to be plugged in to a usb port…don’t be…it holds a charge for many days and lots of recording. If you do need to be mobile without a computer simply buy an adapter that plugs in to the car cigar lighter with a usb port connection for less than 10 bucks.

I also got the mesh carry case whcih clips to my belt it can then be slipped in to my jeans pocket being secure and out of sight. Only slight disadvantage I can say is that there is no pause facility when recording. It’s a one shot system, the next recording is on a new file. I don’t go anywhere without mine now it is so unobtrusive, ready for action in seconds and produces excellent video for it’s size and price.

Vado Video Don’t Bother
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I picked up the Vado Video camera this past week thinking I could use it to film my golf swing. And it sort of worked for that. Not so easy since I own a Mac and there was no support for mac within the software. I was able to shoot video with the camera, but noticed when viewing using quicktime that there seemed to be no sound and that the resolution when viewed on full screen was really poor. So I went and shot some more video just to do some more testing. The color reproduction outdoors was horrible, lots of yellow and pink tinge and again very little sound. I guess the microphone needs some real tweaking or the placement is bad. One other thing I noted was that the usb connector seemed pretty flimsy and I was afraid I would break it when opening it up. The last thing I did was to shoot some video in low light. To my surprise I was able to see on the camera screen what I was trying to shoot but unfortunately when viewing in quicktime on my computer all I got was a black video. I guess that the viewing screen on the camera is extremely bright and actually gives a false preview of what the actual video will be. This camera might be good as a toy for children but I would not recommend to anyone to buy it for anything else.

video camcorder
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Bought this for a christmas gift and he loved and uses all the time. A great buy.

The right choice
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This mini video camcorder is slick, easy to use and captures great video. Downloading the necessary software in order to view the videos on your computer or laptop is quick and painless. A snug little carrying case and more sensitive low light capability would make this video camera unmatched at this price point. I recommend this product to those who appreciate uncomplicated technology that get’s the job done.

Can’t Record Very Long
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
It won’t record the 35 minutes it takes to document for myself a daily bike ride. It shuts off sometime and saves no file, during that interval.

If I stop and restart the recording every 8 minutes, it works okay, but that isn’t much use if it’s clipped outside the vehicle, for instance.

It must be some battery-saving feature or other that enables itself even when recording. Anyway it won’t work for you if you’re thinking of long recordings. I don’t find any documentation at all anywhere.

I don’t like to be ungrateful – the size and price and what it does is amazing, just not what it seemed to claim, exactly.

ADDED: It seems to record 35 minutes okay on the desk. Just not on a bicycle (I tried it three times), unless it’s in short segments.

I wonder if the battery shakes and loses contact. Something’s killing the recording. But that doesn’t explain why it would work in short segments.

ADDED ADDED: I have a successful 35 minute bicycle recording by being very careful to limit handlebar jarring as much as possible, picking smooth pavement, holding on tightly, and going slower. Apparently the battery contact guess is correct.

E J
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I do not use a video recorder often but this one seems to be very capable of shooting and playback that is more than acceptable.

Easy and simple
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Got it as a Gold Box deal and it’s great for quick YouTube clips. Love the rechargable battery, and the camera plays with my Mac perfectly. Carry it with me all the time now and have used it more than I expected for little blog posts.

On-board Software? Not.
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Purchased four of these for my school. The “on-board software, nothing to install” was important as we cannot download software to school computers. Recived the product, made a test video with one, and plugged it into the computer. A message popped up stating that in order to view the video XviD codec must be installed.

Say WHAT? The front of the box actually states, “Built-in software, nothing to install.” IT IS ON THE BOX. But inside? A bright yellow note that warns “To view recorded videos on your computer, install XviD codec from [...].

These will be returned and my school district, which is suffering a budget crisis, will have to foot the bill for return postage on a product which was not described with accuracy and truthfulness.

Vado Pocket Video Camcorder
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
the small video camcorder is handy, fast and easy to carry. I’m really enjoying using it.

Fun & functional as a toy, emergency backup or when discretion is required
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
For this price range (under $100) this tiny video camera is a really fun toy that you might give to a teenager, use as an emergency backup, or use when you’re just too afraid you might break or lose your better equipment (on a roller coaster, in a kayak on a river, etc.).

Pros:

Very lightweight, portable and compact.

Easy to use.

Files easy to download. I have an Intel Mac and I just plugged it in the USB port and dragged and dropped. No software is required to do this.

Inexpensive.

Neutral

VHS quality at best. Not much more can be expected at this price point.

Cons

Zoom function is very choppy. It’s not smooth as you go back and forth and it looks like it’s stopping at various increments.

Audio is acceptable at best. It’s a very general mic that seems to pick up a lot of ambient noise.

The size and weight of the device can actually make it harder to have a steady picture.

One of the things I try to do with reviews is compare the item to your other options. I own a 6MP Canon S3 point and shoot camera that also shoots VHS quality video. You can currently (2008) get a quality used S3 for about $250 or a Canon S2 with 4MP (which has almost just as good video) for as low as $125. The Canon’s video is far superior in all ways. The audio is focused, clear and adequately loud. The zoom is smooth. And you’re only limited in length by the size of your SD memory card. If it were me making this purchase, I’d probably go the route of having both a digital camera and a video recording device all in one. It’s not that much more expensive and the quality is simply better.

Still, the Vado has its major advantages. It’s smaller, more compact and more easily carried around in your pocket. As a result it’s a video camera you’ll be able to use when discretion is paramount. It’s less expensive and thus more expendable – better if you’re giving it to a teen. It’s far easier to use so it would be great for someone who needs things as simple as possible.

So I recommend the Vado with reservations. Know your needs and what you’d like to get out of your equipment. For some this will be a great item, for others who could use better video and more versatility it will be worth it for them to spend a little more for something like a Canon S2.

Vado by Creative Labs
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is a great product for the price. Of course it won’t do what more expensive camcorders do but it is not intended too. It is intended for ease of carrying. You don’t even know it is in your pocket. Ease of operation. All done with one thumb, and the buttons are conveniently placed. Use it a half dozen times and you don’t even have to look at the button disignation. You already have their function memorized. Ease of playback on the screen, on PC, or TV. The video, although not great, it is acceptable. I have been taking some fall colors from scenic overlooks and the pictures are great for a $47.00 price tag.

Great for Kids!
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
My wife bought two digital cameras for my 6 & 8 yr old kids prior to our family trip to Disney World. The reviews weren’t so good and they were both pretty expensive, so I did some reviews of other cheap recording devices and found the Vado was simple to use, carry, and wouldn’t cause any heartache if dropped or lost like a high end camera would. They kids liked taking this camera onto rides, in lines, and walking about. They considered themselves little ‘directors’ and it was neat to see things from their perspecive (bugs, characters, each other). The built-in software allowed us to instantly download to a laptop and send videos out to relatives. It also gave us a laugh each night reviewing their filming of the day’s adventures. The camera had good movie quality, sound was acceptible and it was easy to carry in a pocket. I’d recommend it. I am only giving it 4 stars because it is what it is: an inexpensive camera meant for casual filming.

Good portable video camera with some problems.
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I got the Vado a week ago so I could record as much video as posible for a trip I took to L.A.

After looking at all the different options I decided to buy the Vado wich was 82.99 at the moment. I got it quickly so like a kid with a new toy I started filming everywhere I could the check out the quality in diferent situations. this is somewhat my experience.

In outdoors the Vado is absolutely great, unless its night time. the quality looks awesome and you can even record while in you are in motion or objects in motion and will appear fine in the video.

In indoors is where I found to have problems with the Vado (maybe just my unit but here goes) it seems that in bright light rooms all white objects like (shirts, even skin) seem too bright and appear like if they were wet, other than that mostly everything else looks great. if low light conditions the video looks somewhat grainy usual problem when handling black colors, also video will look darker than how the room actually was.

Ease of use, well the manual really doesnt explain very well how to use it but it is so simple that its not much of a problem, if you have a windows based PC then downloading your videos to the PC will be a breeze, since the Vado has the software already installed, this software will left you see the videos, delete them or upload to youtube or photobucket.

the camera does not capture Still pictures

The sound well, the speaker on the unit does sound very low so you probably wont be able to hear yourself on the videos if watching them on the Vado, on the PC or TV though you will be able to hear them alot better just a little lower than how loud it was when you recorded it on the vado.

A good point though is that in places where the sound is VERY HIGH, I entered a concert with the Vado and a Creative Zen, I put the Creative Zen to record (with its built in MIC) and also the vado, the ambient sound was so high that the Creative Zen could not record it properly and all I got was .. trash, while on the Vado you could clearly hear everything.

I’m happy with my Vado since I was able to record almost 3 hours of video without having to buy many tapes or dvds (like you do with normal video camera) and I only had to recharge the battery once. but like other people have said this camera is not supposed to replace the other more costly cameras. but it is still a good, light, cheap camera.

Not for iMovie
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I ordered a set of these cameras to use in a lab setting at school. I researched the camera and felt that it was a great deal for our purposes. It is specified as “mac compatible”, which it is. However, if you want to use this with iMovie, DO NOT BOTHER! Yes, there are converters available, but it degrades the video quality and there were too many extra steps involved to try to use with my students. I’d like to have a similar camera for personal use on a pc, but I do not recommend it for iMovie users. I returned my cameras today.

Creative Labs Vado Pocket Video Camcorder
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
Although the equipment is user friendly, the quality of the video it produces when downloaded to YouTube or Myspace is of poor quality as well as the sound.

great grooms men gift
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought them as grooms mens gifts for my wedding. Everybody really liked them and the video quality is much better than I expected. I was trying to figure out if I wanted these or the FLiP and am very happy I chose these.

Good Teenager Video Camera
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Got this for a gift for our teen, they loved it! Small enough to take along every where and simple enough to upload to computer and share videos. Only thing found fault with is there is no light, so hard to film in low light/dark areas….but the kids at school love it, especially the drama kids making their own videos and to practice and see themselves in what they are doing for their part….

Excellent Pocket Cam!
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This is an excellent pocket camcorder and it does what it was meant to do very well. While I would not play the video’s on my television, it is excellent for making small snippets of movies that can be combined and put on the web for relatives to watch. I have but two complaints that kept me from giving it a 5 stars.

1 – When you zoom, it does not focus very well and seems to have a hard time re-focusing when you pull back.

2 – It records audio a little weak and you have to make up for it by using a program that allows you to increase the level.

I use MS Movie Maker that comes free with the XP operating system and allows you to combine clips, make transitions and add other effects very easily. Plus, it allows you to increase the volume of the audio to make up for the shortcoming I spoke about in number 2 above.

Make sure after you buy this that you upgrade the firmware (if it is not upgraded already) to the latest version from Creative’s website.

Tony

Cheap, but cheap
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I initially liked the fact that the Vado had a 2″ screen and that it was small and light. After using the Vado for a little while though, I realized that the color on the screen wasn’t good. It’s got a blue tint, and it’s kinda hard to see outside. The flip out USB connector is a pain. I wish there were a USB cable included. It’s awkward to have the camera hanging off the side of my computer. The kicker though, is that it was a pain to load the videos onto my Mac and play them there.

The camera works pretty well, and it doesn’t cost much, but … with no optical zoom and the problems above, it’s not great.

Pam
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought 2 of these, one for my college son and the other for my high school aged niece. They both love them. Great bang for the buck!

flip ultra ripoff.
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I say its stupid because you cant hear what your saying in the video

Because the mic is crap.If i were you i would buy a flip ultra or save

your money for a digital camera.

Outstanding product, great as a “go-to” camera,and Amazon’s new price is LOWER than Creatives web site!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
If you are looking for a fun camcorder to use for video email or You Tube , you should be pleased with Creatives VADO.

I own the Flip Ultra, the Flip Mino HD, as well as a VADO.

VADO is similar to the Flip Ultra, with a larger screen, and rechargeable battery. Picture quality is about on par with the Flip Ultra, but not as crisp as the much more expensive Flip Mino HD, or probably the VADO HD version.

The regular VADO is a breeze to use – just charge it and you are ready to shoot. Great for on-the-spot moment,and even better if you pre-plan and frame a scene.

If you have been wondering about video email — try this! Friends and family far away or overseas enjoy short video clips. And why not use this for business too? I can easily imagine a video clip being of use for a job interview or resume.

Might even be the unique boost you need, to put you at the top of the list. This is high-tech the way it should be – Jetson’s style EASY!

As I write this, Amazon has a sensational price- around 1/2 the suggested retail price! This may ( or may not ) indicate a new version is on the way. For the price of two ‘single’ use drugstore cameras, you can have a sensational device that you can use over and over.

This is a great deal!

(And yes, VADO’s and Flip’s are now used on Television and motion picture sets, to document wardrobe and continuity. And they are fun too!)

I just got another silver version today, as a gift for my ‘rents who love easy to use tech!

Can’t go wrong at this price!

excellent pproduct
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I was very surprised on all the things the product will do. It was advertised very well. The price was good too. I would recomment this to my friends; Ron S chmitt

Gift
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This was a birthday gift for my grand daughter, she is a senior in high school. So far she is enjoying the motion camera and has used it in a science experiment. Technically, at this time I can’t add any useful information.

AMAZING
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE DEVICE..VERY CHEAP AND WITH EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE.

THE QUALITY OF THE VIDEOS WHEN YOU WATCH THEM IN YOUR COMPUTER, IS QUITE GOOD!!!