Cisco Ditches Flip Camera Biz: What's the Future for Mini Moviemakers?

Does Cisco Systems' move to ditch its Flip line of mini video cameras signal that consumers are growing tired of these pocket-sized movie makers?

The networking company set plans this week to get out of the pocket video camera business as part of a companywide restructuring.

Industry watchers are blaming smartphones, most of which are now equipped to record HD video, for what they call the pocket video camera's waning appeal. (While the Flip is relatively inexpensive, about $150, smartphones offer HD video capabilities for free.)