More and more camcorder models released with better and better prices and quality have driven video sharing social networks like YouTube, Metacafe or others that have video user generated content, to increase like hell. Since I’m traveling these days and already told you about the new Nikon Coolpix P6000, I decided to take the JVC GZ-MS100 for a spin.

Quite powerful, one of the best features is the direct YouTube connectivity, that will upload your files (videos, yes) straight on siteby just pushing one button or … so they say. But let’s get a bit deeper into this thing and review it. First of all, here are the specs.

• compact slim design
• Konica Minolta 35x zoom optical lens with 800x digital zoom
• 1/6-inch 680K pixel CCD
• Up to 9999 digital stills at the highest quality
• Gigabrid Engine
• a1 hour recording at the highest quality (Ultra-DVD Movie) with a 4GB SDHC memory card.

PROs

First thing I liked is that JVC’ s GZ-MS100 is only weighing 9.6 ounces and only measures measuring 2.18 x 2.68 x 4.37 inches. If you’re like me and need your gadgets to be small and lightweight, so that you can carry them all with you, MS100 does the job great.

Video quality (bright and colorful images ) is way above all entry level cameras, with great results when shooting in low light or when zooming up to 35x. Also to be mentioned is the battery life that will really keep your “toy” running for more than 2.5 hours of recording.

Last thing that I liked is the recording feature that allows to record on a SD and SDHC card from the begining.

CONs

JVC is still using the proprietary MPEG-2 format with .mod files and even though you can manually edit the file extension to .mpg and edit them, why on Earth would they do it? Not to mention that after editing, all files may need to be completely re-encoded. It happened to me, yes …

Second of all is the software that “helps” with the YouTube upload (synchronization). it’s not the best I’ve seen and to be honest I failed to upload files at least a couple of times. It could be me, but I’m pretty certain there are some glitches over there and a newby or a novice may have issues with it. Though it says one button upload, it’s not really that easy.

Overall, this camcorder tops the other similarly-priced models in the range of $279. Our friends from TestFreaks know more about it.

Users Rating:
Expert Rating:
Value for Money Rating:

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I will like to congratulate Acer for the great design of the new c500. It really appealed to me from the moment I laid my eyes on it.

Having the looks out of our way I must confess that, even if at first the look of an item may attract me, it is the specification that have the ultimate saying. So let’s see what the c500 is all about. As a portable media player the device offers music (MP3) playback and photo imaging and an SD/MMC expansion slot has been added to cope with the storage requirements of these. That storage can also be used to add more maps to the navigation software the PDA has built-in trough the GPS module.

The hardware components of this PDA are powered by Windows Mobile v5.0 operating system that offer a wide range of application trough the bundled programs. You can even browse Internet by connecting to your wireless network using the built-in WiFI 802.11 b/g adapter and there is also Bluetooth support.

[Check Acer for details]

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JVC launched a new product to join their Everio series in the form of the GZ-HD7 full HD (High Definition) compliant camcorder. JVC is presenting this device as the first camcorder for consumers that can record high resolution (HD 1920×1080i) videos.

The GZ-HD7 is a really powerful device as it has a 60 GB hard drive that can store 5 hours of video in HD mode and even more when recording at lower resolutions. To get the best videos JVC uses 3 CCD sensors to capture the images as there is one for each of the fundamental colors: Red, Green and Blue.

For interfacing with other devices there is USB, HDMI and i.Link support, but to transfer video on a disc you can also use the HD Everio SHARE STATION, available for purchase with the camera. If USB is mainly used for file transfer, the other two available ports allow direct streaming from the device so you can see the recorded videos directly on your Home Entertainment center.

Available beginning April, the two products aren’t exactly cheap with the JVC Everio GZ-HD7 Camcorder having a suggested price of $1,799.95 and the HD Everio SHARE STATION being priced at $399.95.

Additional informations are available at JVC.

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Today JVC announced three new products in their line of Mini DV camcorders: the GR-D750, GR-D770 and the GR-D796. All three of them offer 2.7″ LCD screens and 34X optical zoom. When shooting in low light conditions there is also the possibility of using JVC’s Auto Illumi light for better video performances. Flexibility was clearly a target when designing the cameras and JVC made some improvements on the battery time as well, managing to achieve a 35 percent improvement over previous models. That translates into recording times than can last more than two hours of video on a single charge thanks to a redesigned battery and lower power consumption.

As all these newly released models are available immediately you may want to take a look at some of their specs, maybe you can find something you like.
The GR-D750:

• 34x optical zoom, 800x digital zoom
• 1/6-inch 680,000 pixel CCD
• 16:9 Widescreen Clear LCD Display
• Auto Illumi Light
• Approximate Retail Price: $249.95

The GR-D770 has all the above plus

• SD/MMC Card Slot
• 640×480 DSC Capabilities
• Dual Recording Capability
• USB Compatibility
• Photo Navigation Software
• Approximate Retail Price: $279.95

And with the GR-D796 you get an upgraded 2x BN-VF808 (135-minute) Data Battery for $349.95.

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