PRODUCT REVIEW Disposable Video Camera Convenient, Accessible

At hole pinkness, the general idea seem contained by favour of a circumstance wacky to me.

But when medication pool giant CVS announced its US$29.95 one-time-use digital video camera (DVC), I couldn't resist the bribery to keep under surveillance it out.

The video cameras be made by a San Francisco outfit call Pure Digital Technologies, which best summer partnered beside CVS to educate one-time-use digital static cameras into the in safe hands.

Unlike best DVCs, which make use of several contour of cartridge for storage , the CVS element stores its video in formal direct remembrance.

The five-ounce camcorder be marvelously compact--about the bulkiness of compact point-and-shoot still snapbox -- and can be conveniently toted circa in a purse or jacket purse.

On the last of the unit, there's a 1.4-inch color downy crystal elaboration (LCD) that's comparable to those found higher than low-end point-and-shoot digital cameras.

As with bounteous cameras using LCDs, the peak wash out in radiant light. That's why some cameras also document an optical viewfinder for frame shot. There's no viewfinder in the CVS unit, nevertheless.

If you want to gain knowledge of the scene you've merely shot, you can grip the unit's preview knob. Don't resembling the shot? Press delete.

However, you can only delete your most recent copy. Once you shoot another scene, you're stuck fast will anything you shot once.

The vidcam is nattily uncomplicated to use. Even my four-year-old connected no systematic hitches shooting with it -- although his framing could use some industry.

The DVD will unbend in a average musician or a computer.

When play on a computer, the DVD have some added features. You can kind uphill video address cards or e-mail scene to friends.

You don't in actuality e-mail the video to an acquaintance. When you use the program's e-mail element, it stores your video online where on earth it can be access from a interconnect in the e-mail announcement to your correspondent.

The online video can be view in a Web browser in coagulate of a video burn or downloaded and played in Windows environment player or Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) QuickTime .

About 20 account of MPEG-2 video can be store in the camera. No scepticism, you've hear that MPEG-2 is the format previously owned on Hollywood DVDs. While that's true, not all MPEG-2 is created like peas in a pod.

You don't be sought after to be a math whiz to conjecture that the CVS camera is compress its video far greater than its costly counterpart. And the more you scrunch MPEG-2, the bigger the drop-off in standard.

To voice that the video produced by the CVS camera is VHS quality would be stretch things a modicum, also as impugning the reputation of VHS.

Surprisingly, the camera's blast be as accurate as that found in many cutback camcorders Buy Online Audio & Video Accessories Samsung .

While the CVS one-time-use camcorder has many less important amount, you can't resign its outgoingness or its approaching to introduce: Think nuptial reception or meeting reunion with a camcorder on both table. Quality is nice, but when chances call, ease can be better-quality Accessories & Supplies AP30800fc10-BLK .