Creative Labs Vado Pocket Video Cam makes uploads to YouTube a cinch. I regularly contribute Xtreme amateur sports video to YouTube. In the past I used a nothing to brag about point and shoot with video. I checked out various pocket video cameras and decided on the Vado.

The main selling point is the ease in operation. Nothing could be simpler than hitting the front button to start recording video and sound. The other bigly is the built-in Vado Central software. No need to download, load up a CD or do anything--Vado does it all. All the user has to do is plug in the Vado attached USB connector to a Windows OS PC and start uploading. The cost averages about $85.

Vado Strong Points:

The Vado has a 2 GB flash memory that will handle about 60-minutes video recording at HQ (best setting) and 2-hours at the less optimal SP setting. The rechargeable battery will deliver roughly 2-hours shooting time.

Vado is a for real pocket-size camcorder measuring 3.2-inches x 2.2-inches with a depth of 0.6-inches. Put your Vado in a shirt pocket, inside pocket of your purse or jacket. As pictured it is about the size of a deck of cards, but slimmer and weighs only 84g. At the base of the Vado is a threaded tripod mount for shooting a stream of video without the worry of a wrist twitch. Another cool feature is the TV output for showing video directly to a TV set.

Shooting outdoor video can be a hassle using a LCD view finder, but Vado introduces a 2-inch anti-glare LCD screen. You can't shoot into the sun, but it is definitely an improvement over other display viewfinders. The 2-inch display plays back video shoots for immediate feedback on the quality of the shot or angle. This feature is another factor in my decision to go with the Vado. The 2x zoom allows me to get up close and personal with people, places and things.

Technically speaking, the Vado has 3.8V/lux-sec for low-light environments and used MPEG-4 AVI format at 30 fsp. It has a set frequency of 50 or 60 MHz. Vado has a power saver, date and time and speaker and microphone built in. Vado does not have an SD slot. This would have been a totally cool addition which I am sure Creative Labs is considering for future models.

I can't emphasize enough how totally simple the Vado operates. Push a button to start recording, stop, playback and delete could not be any easier. Plug the USB plug into a PC USB port equipped with Intel Pentium 4 w/ 2GHz or faster, 512MB RAM with Windows Vista or XP operating systems. The Vado built in software and the Windows File Explorer users can use a drag and drop feature. Otherwise, a tap of the screen allows user to located and upload video directly to YouTube. It's so simple even a caveman's pet cockroach can do it.

Creative Vado comes with a rechargeable battery and that is about it. Some retailers may include an A/V cable. Accessory cables. protective cases and the like are available and can be purchased directly from Creative Labs or through on-line retailers. The smudge-prone soft shell Vado needs a protective cover that should have been included in the purchase price. Still, the Vado is a great value for the money.