Creative Flips Out Vado Compact Camcorder

With a larger screen, internal rechargeable battery, and lower price, the Creative Vado may just outflip the Flip.

When news outlet widely reported over a month ago that the Flip compact video camera had captured a whopping 13 percent of the camcorder market on its own, executives at Creative must have been listening – or at least rubbing their hands and waiting to show off their own version. The company’s latest release, the Vado, bears an uncanny resemblance to the Flip in both form and function.

The Vado takes on the same deck-of-cards-sized form factor that made its predecessor a success, and weighs just 84 grams, about equivalent to a cell phone. It also shoots the same 640 x 480 VGA-quality video, and uses a stubby, built-in USB connector to easily transfer video to a computer.

However, Creative has managed to add its own refinements as well. The Vado’s rear screen spans two inches, an improvement over the Flip’s 1.5 incher, and it uses an included rechargeable battery, rather than disposable AAs. It also includes 2GB of onboard storage, the same amount in the top-tier Flip Ultra, which should be good for two solid hours of recording time.

Creative has the Vado priced at $99.99, which makes it a full $50 cheaper than a similar-spec Flip Ultra. It’s available online immediately, and comes in both pink and silver.