There is a bit of a battle between the iGeneration set at the moment. Whereas a few years ago, they were comparing digital still cameras, then iPods and finally iPhones, I am told the latest gossip of conversation is the latest mini camcorders and which one, like, would you buy?

It appears the choices are a bit limited. You have the current front runner, the Cisco Flip, the Creative Vado and now the JVC GC-FM1 - thankfully apparently known as the Picsio, not that that moniker shows anywhere on  the box or the unit itself.

All feature the same slimmer-than-a-cigarette-packet design and are light as a feather. A big advantage of the Picsio though is that as well as taking hi-def video, it also takes 8 megapixel stills and in iGeneration land, like that is seriously cool.

It also has an anti-shake feature, which considering this style of shape makes it quite hard to zoom without some visible stutter is a useful feature. The controls are very tactile and easy to use too.

The manual is a fizzer. 12 pages of fold out. Even a decent PDF would be better than, and coming from me, that it saying something.

In sunlight, as the monitor screen has a reflective coating, there is a severe problem of reflection; this is common to many cameras and camcorders these days, and while some are better than others, this problem will only ever go away when the sun goes out or better, viewfinders become in vogue again.

But out of the three brands available, I would buy the Picsio at its bargain price of $299. Not for any specific features, cool factor or even to a degree, the image quality. Simply that unlike the others, the Picsio is made by a company that has a history in camera manufacture and marketing, and that to me, is worth something. The fact you have to buy an SD card (minimum 4GB) and an HDMI cable as these are not supplied does subtract some Brownie points however.

Contact: JVC Australia 1300 728 225

Online: www.jvc.com.au

Price: $299

We liked: HDMI port, 8Mp still camera, tactile buttons

We didn't like:  LCD screen, no SD card or HDMU cable supplied

By David Hague

David Hague is the owner and publisher of AusCam Online. He has a background in media dating back to 1979 when he first got involved with photojournalism in motorsport, and went from there into technology via a 5 year stint with Tandy Computers. Following that, he ran a software distribution company on the Gold Coast and was one of the first to recognise the potential of Microsoft Windows.

Moving back to WA, David wrote scripts for Computer Television for video training for the just released Windows and Office 95 among others, and was then lured to Sydney to create web sites for the newly commercial Internet in 1995, building hundreds of sites under contract to OzEmail including Coates Hire, Hertz Queensland, John Williamson, the NSW Board of Studies and many, many more.

He went back into full time journalism as the Managing Editor for Channel 7's 'Gadget Guy', Peter Blasina's publications VideoCamera and Pixelmag, before starting Australasian Camcorder magazine when these publications were shelved. He now lives back in WA (Mandurah) on the ocean front with dog Budweiser and in his spare time is a nut for motor sport, road safety (he is on the Roadwise committee for Mandurah City Council), fishing, science fiction - especially Dr Who - and technology.

David can be contacted via david@auscamonline.com, vbthedog@gmail.com via Twitter via @vbthedog. or