Added the beloved day of December 18, 2008

My, oh my, how far things have come... Remember when camcorders weighed like 10 pounds and captured nothing but squiggly VH-Mess? Good riddance! We're are so delighted to be living in the iPod age with tech-pretty oodles of modern gadgetopia at our gloriously manicured fingertips.

For yearning YouTubers and familial photoholics, fabulous Flip video camcorders are sleek, chic, tiny and unbelievably affordable means to release your inner documentarian. They're like the iPods of camcorders, fashionable and so easy to use -- just a flip of the USB plug on the side and a quick dock with your computer is all it takes to download your video footage and tube it off to the masses. Opt for the Ultra series or go for the newer Flip Mino, which shoots in high-definition. Either way, they'll change the way you record your life's spectacular regalia of moments.

On the official Flip Video site, you also can customize your Flip's look in a design gallery, choosing from posh prefab wallpapers, designs swirled out of a pattern generator or even images you upload yourself -- but then you have to buy your Flip then and there. Unfortunately, the designs are not pop-on skins you can buy later. So if you're looking for pretty personalization, you'll pay slightly more for your designer Flip than you would for a solid-color Flip available on Amazon or other e-tailers. But let pretty be! Go for it!

- Buy Flip Video Ultras and Flip Mino HD Camcorders