[Vincent Ferrari]

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/06/2...n-iphone-world/

"As successful as Pure Digital has been with their Flip line of video cameras - selling $150 million worth of them last year - they face a new type of threat that they can't defeat. The video capable iPhone, and video mobile phones in general, will make them irrelevant in the next couple of years."

Mike Arrington has a way of making things sensational even when they're not really that big a deal.  That's not to say the iPhone isn't a big deal, but the idea that it's going to start satisfying the market for the Flip cameras is a little silly.  They satisfy different niches, and the Flip is good for people who don't want to commit to an iPhone or a monthly plan.  At $189, you get very good video quality with no strings attached with a Flip cam.

You can logically argue that the quality is comparable between the Flip and an iPhone 3Gs, but comparable quality alone isn't going to steal market share away from a product that, at its core, is popular because it's easy.  I don't think the Flip will suddenly be rendered irrelevant, but its relevancy will probably decrease among the crowd that owns an iPhone and wants quick videos for web purposes, but that by itself in no way renders the Flip irrelevant.

[Vincent Ferrari]

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/06/2...n-iphone-world/

"As successful as Pure Digital has been with their Flip line of video cameras - selling $150 million worth of them last year - they face a new type of threat that they can't defeat. The video capable iPhone, and video mobile phones in general, will make them irrelevant in the next couple of years."

Mike Arrington has a way of making things sensational even when they're not really that big a deal.  That's not to say the iPhone isn't a big deal, but the idea that it's going to start satisfying the market for the Flip cameras is a little silly.  They satisfy different niches, and the Flip is good for people who don't want to commit to an iPhone or a monthly plan.  At $189, you get very good video quality with no strings attached with a Flip cam.

You can logically argue that the quality is comparable between the Flip and an iPhone 3Gs, but comparable quality alone isn't going to steal market share away from a product that, at its core, is popular because it's easy.  I don't think the Flip will suddenly be rendered irrelevant, but its relevancy will probably decrease among the crowd that owns an iPhone and wants quick videos for web purposes, but that by itself in no way renders the Flip irrelevant.

[doogald]

I agree. The Flip is cool in part because not only can it record video quickly and easily, it's price tag is within the range that students can afford (without the burden of a $100 monthly contract for 24 months), and it has everything that it needs in one piece to boot - no carrying an extra cable, etc. It seems to me that it's kids who make many of the goofy videos that end up on YouTube, Facebook, etc. And while I wouldn't mind too much if the battery on the Flip went low, it'd piss me off if it meant that my iPhone wasn't able to last long between charges. I'd rather my phone stay powered up rather than take goofy videos and blow the battery.

But I suppose we'll see.