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Disposable Camcorder

shamowfski writes "CVS Corp on Monday began selling a disposable digital camcorder. The $29.99 pocket-sized camcorder was developed by Pure Digital Technologies Inc., a San Francisco-based start-up company. The camcorder weighs under 5 ounces and holds 20 minutes of digital video and sound. It features a 1.4 inch color playback screen and an ability to delete video, and it saves video on a memory chip instead of tapes. Can't wait till they hack this one."

9 of 225 comments (clear)

  1. Has the prior digicam hack... by robslimo · · Score: 3, Insightful

    been used much?

    I mean, how many people actually did the hack and got a cheap, reusable digital camera out of the deal?

    I'm betting it wasn't enough to have a large effect on sales.

  2. Whee!! by Grendel+Drago · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Yep, we're going to be seeing a whole lotta fresh amateur porn over at Livejournal from this. Man, I love PureDigital.

    --grendel drago

    --
    Laws do not persuade just because they threaten. --Seneca
  3. Re:Wait a second... by ReverendLoki · · Score: 4, Insightful
    I believe they mean it has a memory unit, capable of storing about 20 minutes of video, hardwired into the internal workings of the machine, not readily accessible from the exterior. This would be similar to other disposable still cameras, anyways. You can delete some video and re-shoot it, but can't hold more than 20 minutes at a time. In the lab, they have their own means of accessing the data, which they then burn to a DVD for you.

    I can't help but think that, since I imagine they will re-use everything, including the memory unit, that people will find out not only how to get the data form the chip itself, but also will be able to read what was recorded on there by previous disposable camcorder owners. No chance of that going wrong at all...

    --
    09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0
  4. Expensive by stoolpigeon · · Score: 3, Insightful

    So if you play by the rules - you spend 30 bucks to rent it, then another 13 to get the burned dvd. $43 for a 20 minute DVD. Seems a bit steep in my book.

    --
    It's hard to believe that's how Micronians are made. Why don't we see it right now by having you both kiss one another?
  5. Just buy a camcorder by DamienMcKenna · · Score: 3, Insightful

    You can get decent camcorders (Panasonic PV-53) off ebay for $100, why bother with this POS?

  6. Re:Now we will get "video" images from battlefield by JVert · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Soo... We trust them with guns but not cameras?

  7. Re:Now we will get "video" images from battlefield by StandardDeviant · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Which is more threatening to the powers that be?

    Pen vs. Sword, Act III Scene 2...

  8. Re:Not new.. by DustMagnet · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I haven't had a digital camera die a natural death yet.

    What's a natural death for a man-made artifact?

    --
    'SBEMAIL!' is better than a goat!!
  9. Re:20 Minutes? Why bother? by timeOday · · Score: 3, Insightful
    but with only 20 minutes of what is probably lo-res video, why would anyone bother?
    shoot it up in a model rocket

    keep it in your glove box in case of who-knows-what (Rodney King II?)

    take it mountain biking to get clips of your buddies

    on vacation when you forget your real camcorder

    as a kids' toy

    set them out on the tables at a wedding party for the guests to film each other and leave you advice