New Gizmo

I just ordered this digital camcorder (DV5300) from Aiptek for $79! It records in MPEG-4 (over an hour of footage on a 512MB SD flash card) and takes 3 megapixel stills. Only 4" by 2" by 2", it fits in the palm of your hand. Perhaps it is just a toy - I will report on how well it works. The competing product from Panasonic is about 3 times as expensive. Aiptek is a Taiwanese company based in Hsinchu, the silicon valley of Taiwan.

Last night I watched a movie "Last Life in the Universe" shot in Thailand with a Japanese/Thai cast, Thai director and Australian cinematographer Christopher Doyle (In the Mood for Love, and seven others in collaboration with Wong Kar-wai). I'm a huge fan of Doyle's, and Last Life is excellent (I had already seen it at the Pacific film festival in LA last year). Among the extra content on the DVD was a nice interview with the Thai director. It got me thinking about the possibilities of a small DV camcorder...