Upfront
What’s Hot In 2008?
If you thought that high-definition recording for the masses was not at all doable, well, at least you’re not alone. Many in this industry thought that high-def camcorders were never going to have the reach that previous video formats – like Mini DV and DVD – have enjoyed, mostly due to their affordability. But, things quickly changed for the better when the first camcorder under $1,000 emerged last year, with the Xacti HD from Sanyo. Sold for $800, this memory card-based camcorder set the trend for true high-def recording even for the most skeptical users.
So it came as a little bit of a surprise when we heard of a new camcorder that’s only $250, yup, you read that correctly. From Aiptek, it’s called the GO-HD; it’s one of two high-def models that this fairly new company has introduced. The GO-HD records in 720x480 30 fps quality video and you can shoot up to two hours worth of video on a 4GB SD/SDHC memory card. We put this little wonder to the test in this issue to find out how it stacks up against its more expensive rivals. .
And if you’re wondering what’s going to be hot (and what’s so last 2005) in video, then check out our resident NewTech guru’s column for a full, up-to-the-minute report on all the latest media players and gadgets that all you technophiles can’t live without. The coolest iPods – from the basic shuffle to the 3rd-generation nano, which now has video playback, and of course, the classic that can now fit some 200 hours of video. And for those of you who want to (sort of) stand out from the rest of the iPod-toting crowd, you’d love the many styles and colors offered by Creative Zen, Sansa and Samsung. Of course, our NewTech also tested the Apple iPhone (you might have heard about it) for its video and wireless networking capabilities. So dig in and get your hands on all of the hottest gadgets that we’re sure you’re going to be in lust with for the year 2008.
