New comapact video cam: Kodak’s Zi8

A few weeks ago I wrote an article for Gizmag about Kodak’s new ultra-compact HD camcorder called the Zi8. It’s a neat little shooter for sure, but I was also struck by how crowded the market for these pocket-size video recorders is getting. Besides Kodak there’s Pure Digital (who pretty much started the genre with its Flip), Samsung, DigiLife, and Creative Labs among others. Not to mention the increasing quality of the video capabilities of cell phones and iPods.

Casual videos are everywhere, and their use in technical communications is exploding. You don’t have to look far (YouTube) to find examples of unboxing and how-to videos for nearly any time of product. Some of these videos are professionally produced by a product’s manufacturer. Others are created by fans or other third parties.

As video production continues to get cheaper, and as the quality of cheap video continues to get better, look for more technical communication to be delivered this way.