I just bought a Vado, a pocket video camcorder by Creative , released May 2008. Reason for wanting a video gizmo? To be able to capture videos spontaneously. After one week of using Vado, I am really liking it. It is small, inexpensive ($99), light (less than 3 oz), and because of its very ‘plastic’ texture, I feel comfortable letting my 6 year old daughter handling it.

I did a comparison video from a Vado and Flip:

Vado vs. Flip

Shot with Vado

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTWp-aYL6Kw]

Shot with Flip

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8IR9fWjvxg]

When comparing 1:1, I can see the difference in video and sound quality. Flip has higher quality. Will I return my Vado for a Flip? No. For my intention of using a pocket camcorder, the ease of use (I like the easy upload to youtube), light weight and rechargeable bettery outweighs the slight difference in quality. One thing of note. The Flip camcorder was accidentally dropped once, and from that, the keys are more difficult to respond (to play and stop when recording). While I am not going to drop my Vado to test out the result, I seem to think Vado will have a better resistance because of it’s plastic frame as compared to the Flip which has a metal frame.

Have you seen the tan guy with long thick blond dreadlocks, red shorts walking on Connecticut Avenue?

Another reason I want a pocket camcorder is to interview the Connecticut Walker. If you live in the DC, Rockville area, there is this blond guy, tan, muscular, early 30s with thick dreadlocks down pass his shoulders, and always wearing red shorts without a shirt (in the winter, he would wear a pair of red sweat pants with a t-shirt). My description of him may make him sound hotter than he is. I would imagine he has lots of wrinkles on his face from walking in the sun day-in and day-out. I would see him walking very fast paced up and down Connecticut Avenue at different times, rain or shine. I don’t think he has a car. Sometimes I spotted him by Chevy Chase DC, and other times by Olney, Maryland, which is a good 17 miles away, a long way to walk. I have always wanted to ask him who he is and why he is always walking. So hopefully one day soon I’ll report back with a video of the Connecticut Walker.

Want more info on Vado?

Short video of exactly what to expect from Vado in the box to using Vado

Click here for comparison of the latest pocket camcorders