Flippin' 'eck
It looks as if Cisco has big plans for its little Flip digital camcorder, as news seeps out that upcoming versions of the device will have an enlarged screen and built-in Wi-Fi.
The new Flip, set to hit shelves in early 2010, will also apparently have controls hidden behind the slide-able screen, as opposed to the current "big red button" on the front of current models.
Unfortunately, in order to keep the new video camera cheap and cheerful, the new Flip won't boast a touchscreen, but it will have Wi-Fi, which should satisfy the YouTube generation.
Users will presumably be able to point, shoot and directly upload over either their own private networks or public Wi-Fi, making the USB plug-in redundant. That doesn't mean the new Flip won't have a USB connector, but it's nice to have an either-or option.
Cisco has been aggressively snapping up video firms for the past year, since it splashed out millions of dollars for Pure Digital in early 2009. The firm followed that acquisition up with what some deemed a rather bizarre acquisition of video camera-maker Flip back in March.
Most recently, Cisco has upped its bid for Norwegian supplier of enterprise videoconferencing equipment Tandberg, hoping to add to its "TelePresence" systems which make videoconferencing appear almost like real-life, face-to-face meetings.
Cisco has also launched new applications - like Show and Share - which allow groups of users to securely share recorded video content, even enabling them to edit and tag it for a sort of Cisco YouTube-like experience.
The new tool also allows for speech-to-text transcripts, making video searches much less tedious and time consuming.
Flip, therefore, could be just the turnkey Cisco needs to make the crossover from its enterprise video efforts to a more consumer, mass-market strategy. We'll keep watching to find out.
