Kodak tweaks and upgrades their pocket HD camcorder

Back in September, Gadling had one of the first real reviews of the (then) new Kodak Zi6 pocket HD Camcorder. Of course, as we entered a new year, new technology suddenly becomes old technology, and companies work as hard as they can to introduce upgrades to otherwise perfectly usable tech.

The new Kodak Zx1 has the same basic specifications of the Zi6, but adds some features that make it worth taking a second look at. For starters, the camera will include an HDMI cable, as well as a set of pre-charged batteries.

The most important upgrade though, is in the enclosure, and allows you to take the camera on your next adventure. The Zx1 is weather resistant, and should be able to cope with a bit of dirt, dust and water without turning into an expensive but cute paper weight.

The Zx1 will be available in April for $149.95 and comes in black, red, blue, pink and yellow. Optional accessories include a remote control (cool!), memory cards, a handlebar/helmet mount, and of course a lineup of batteries and memory cards.

(Via: Engadget)

Daily deal – Sanyo VPC-E2 waterproof digital camcorder for $199

My daily deal for today is for the Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 digital camcorder. This 8 megapixel camera has all the features you’d expect from a digital video camera, including a swiveling screen, a 2.5″ LCD screen, up to 8 hours of video (on an 8GB card) and the ability to capture video in 60 frames per second in VGA resolution.

What makes this camera different, is the ability to work underwater – and not just “splashes of water”. The VPC-E2 is waterproof enough to work in up to 5 feet of water for 30 minutes. Of course, this does not make it your next best diving buddy, but you should be able to film some nice clips of your kids diving, or of the underwater environment on your next vacation.

The VPC-E2 comes complete with a rechargable battery pack, charger, Adobe Premiere Elements 4.0 (for video editing), a soft case and a hand strap.

The camera is on sale at Amazon.com for just $199, making it one of the cheapest true underwater video cameras on the market.