One of the things that annoy me most is coming across an event I want to share and not having a way to record the moment to later exploit for Internet fame. It seems anytime I meet anyone famous like Art Alexakis, lead singer of my favorite band Everclear, I'm left with only my recollection to share. One company has obviously felt my pain and is working to prevent uncaptured moments and crappy cell phone videos from continuing to plague web surfers everywhere!

Pure Digital Technologies revolutionized amateur video with the initial release of the compact Flip Video in mid 2007. Since then, the Flip family has sold more than 1.5 million units, taking 20% of the camcorder market. A feat that is even more impressive when you realize the Flip's competition packs more advanced features.

In 2008, the Pure Digital raised the bar once again, releasing the Flip Mino for only $179. The Flip Mino, pronounced Minnow, weighing only 3 oz., is smaller than an iPhone and only slightly taller than a deck of playing cards. The Flip Mino and Mino HD come in white and black or can be customized at TheFlip.com for no extra charge. The Mino can capture an hour's worth of VGA quality video on the 2GB of internal memory.

Backing up every great gadget is a killer software package. Just as the iPod has iTunes, the Flip Mino comes with FlipShare, a comprehensive video editing suite designed just for the Flip. The FlipShare software package comes complete with a drag and drop interface for editing and sharing videos. Users can post videos directly to many popular video sites such as AOL or YouTube without leaving the program. On top of that, FlipShare provides unlimited video email sharing, making it simple to share candid moments without plastering them all over the net!

In the end, it's the pocketability and ease of use that make the Flip Mino one of the Hottest products of 2008. The Flip Mino isn't meant to shoot the next Cannes Film Festival winner, like the MinoHD, but rather to help people document and share their experiences. That's what the Mino does best -- capture and share video without hassles. It's also why this blogger is adding one to his Christmas list.