Kodak PlayFul

Kodak Playfull Video Camera

The appeal of pocket camcorders is simple: whether you want to record a newsworthy event or capture your kids' cutest moments, they put a simple, high-quality video recording experience in the palm of your hand. Camcorders like the Flip UltraHD ($149-$199, 3.5 stars) and the Sony Bloggie Touch ($179.99-$199.99, 4 stars) shoot excellent high-definition video, and fit easily into a pocket or backpack. The new Kodak Playfull Video Camera ($149.95 direct) is the tiniest of the bunch, and while we all tend to think smaller is better, the Playfull might actually be too small. It's a good camcorder, with good image quality and a simple user experience, but to make the device so small, Kodak made some significant sacrifices. What's left is a camcorder that's too tiny to use comfortably, without some of the best features you'll find in Flip's or Sony's offerings. About the size of a Snickers bar, the Kodak Playfull measures 3.9 by 1.6 by 0.6 inch (HWD), and is available in black or silver, with blue accents. (My test unit was silver.) It weighs 3.04 ounces, about what I'd guess a Snickers weighs. It's smaller in every dimension than any pocket camcorder we've tested, except for the Sony Bloggie Touch, which manages to equal its thinness (but the Bloggie is taller and wider).