Unboxing the Flip Video Ultra

The Flip Video Ultra I ordered on Monday showed up one day early and I have to admit it was difficult finishing the day's tasks while staring at the Amazon.com box sitting next to my desk containing my new toy. But somehow I managed to wait until the end of the day before unboxing it.

Without further delay, here is my unboxing of my new Flip Video Ultra:

(above) The original packaging before diving inside.

(above) Creative marketing inside the box. Thumbs up.

(above) Even more creative marketing. I'm getting excited at this point.

(above) Didn't realize it came with a soft case. Glad I didn't order one. Surprised it comes with 2 name-brand AA batteries.

(above) The front of the Flip Video with the battery cover off.

That's it! Once I had the batteries installed, it only took a few minutes to set the time and date and I was recording my first video. Recording couldn't be any easier. There's a big red button that you press to start recording. That same button stops recording. The only other controls are a play button for reviewing your videos, a trash can button for deleting your videos and a navigational set of buttons for adjusting the digital zoom, setting the audio or navigating between recorded videos.

After I recorded a few sample videos, I handed the Flip Video over to my six year old. I told him how to start and stop recording and within five minutes he had recorded 3 videos. The Flip Video definitely passes the "it's so easy a child could use it" test.

The next step was to record a "real" video (not a sample or test video). I set my Flip Video up on a mini-tripod, pointed it at me and shot the video below. Using the built-in USB connector, I then connected the Flip Video to my computer and copied the video file to my PC.

It should be noted that I did embellish the video with the picture of the Flip Video and text you see on the screen. I did this using Adobe Premiere Elements software. But this step is not required.

Lastly, I jumped over to YouTube using my Internet browser and uploaded the video file. That's all there is to it. Enjoy the video!