Rating: 
Summary: Poor Quality Pictures, Blurry Video, Short battery Life
Review: If your only other option is to flush your money down a toilet, then maybe buy this, otherwise, don't even bother. It is a terrible camera and a worse camcorder.Here is a list of my complaints:
1) Unacceptable exposure AND color control. The exposure is close to correct only on a small percentage of pictures. If I were to carry this camera around, I would also have to Cary another camera, because it takes poor pictures.
2) Battery life is unacceptably short. 26 minutes for fresh alkaline batteries, not the 45 they advertise.
3) I do not believe the door over the battery/card slot would last over a month. It is very flimsy, and 'pops' into the wrong place from spring-load from the battery. Extreme care has to be used to close the thing. I would open the thing constantly, because I prefer transferring via the memory card, and I'm sure that door will not last.
4) Too much pressure is required for the video record button. This would not be an issue on a three-pound video camera, but this camera is so little, one cannot press the button without jerking the camera, and that messes up the video.
5) Everybody turns yellow when you use the flash.
6) The screw inset for tripod is too shallow. I cannot tighten the camera onto a standard tripod and make it tight because the screw cannot be turned into the camera far enough.
7) The only thing I do like about the camera is the Pinicle Video software, but I can't make it even see the camera, and downloaded video clips have to be changed to another format, and that's just too many steps for anything useful.
8) The low light warning is always on except in bright sunlight.
9) Costomer service is ridiculous. Here's an unedited clip written from GATEWAY Customer Service Department: "I am sorry that you had to go through all of this just to receive a product that you could not use. Therefore, there is nothing further that my supervisor can assist you further in this regard." --In other words, they don't even try to defend their product or to deny that it's a piece of crap, they are just sorry for me because I was unfortunate enough to be stuck with it!
Rating: 
Summary: Pocket Cam is cool
Review: It's useful on trips the movies it makes are cool and if it were cheaper I would buy a million of them
Rating:
Summary: Lousy
Review: My digital still camera (a Toshiba MD700) takes better video. My daughter's toy video camera (the digital blue) takes better video. The quality on this is just utterly unacceptable. I don't know how much of that is the MPEG4, but I think part of it is the lens -- there's very noticeable distortion and light falloff around the edges. It's bad. I think Gateway tried too hard to pursue the pricepoint. I'd love to have a product like this one, if it produced decent video.
Rating:
Summary: Lousy
Review: My digital still camera (a Toshiba MD700) takes better video. My daughter's toy video camera (the digital blue) takes better video. The quality on this is just utterly unacceptable. I don't know how much of that is the MPEG4, but I think part of it is the lens -- there's very noticeable distortion and light falloff around the edges. It's bad. I think Gateway tried too hard to pursue the pricepoint. I'd love to have a product like this one, if it produced decent video.
Rating:
Summary: Handy digital camera
Review: OK, first off, I read the reviews here, and it seems people were mislead by Gateway calling this a 'camcorder' and are upset when it doesn't do as well as a real camcorder costing a lot more, all this is is a 2 MP digital camera (lower end at that) with video and audio.. I sell cameras as part of my job (I work for Staples) and am my store Digital Camera person, I see all of the ones we get in and test all of them, yes 'some' cameras that do video will do better job, but they also cost more, and yes they have optical zoom, but it either doesn't work in video, or can only be zoomed *before* the video is started, anyway, the Gateway DV-S20 isn't a camcorder replacement, what it is is a very handy, easy to carry, camera with an adjustable viewscreen, flash, and a much smoother vdeo mode than most of the other cameras on the market (most only do 15 fps, this does 22-25)with audio (most others have audio, but not all), I bought mine for use when I dont wanna carry my regular digital 8 camcorder, or places where a camcorder isn't allowed, since this is a digital camera it is usually allowed in, and then I get to have videos of the things I am watching, not perfect, but still, I have something *smiles*
there are some things I wish this had, a focusable lens for one, so it could get closer than the 1.2 meters it is rated for (there is a way around this, if you have close up lenses from another camera, you can hold them in front of the lens, and then you get closer focus). People complaining about Battery life, what brand batteries are you using? I have used Rechargeable NiMH, Duracell Ultra AA, and CRV3 batteries, and Everready Titainium, and Photo Lithium AA batteries, I have yet to get less than the rated ammount of time on any of them, you can't use cheaper batteries in this camera or it won't last the rated time. (Kodak CX and DX line of cameras have this problem also, which is why Kodak tells you NOT to use Alkaline AA batteries, only AA Lithium, NiMH, or CRV3 batteries).
anyway, as for the DV-S20, I am VERy happy with it overall, once you learn the limits of what it can do, it will do well, just don't expect miracles lol
Rating: 
Summary: The DV-S20
Review: The Gateway Mini-DV series camcorder has been a great medium for taking quick photos. I have absolutely loved it for taking photos at parties or events where the lighting is decent, but otherwise... IT SUCKS (lol). I cannot take any type of videos at night or photos that do not have very bad blemishes alll over. The photo software that comes with it is probably the best thing about this Cam.... SORRY!.
Rating:
Summary: The DV-S20
Review: The Gateway Mini-DV series camcorder has been a great medium for taking quick photos. I have absolutely loved it for taking photos at parties or events where the lighting is decent, but otherwise... IT SUCKS (lol). I cannot take any type of videos at night or photos that do not have very bad blemishes alll over. The photo software that comes with it is probably the best thing about this Cam.... SORRY!.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Product Overall
Review: The small camcorder is great. You can take it anywhere. I recommend getting the accessories--to have 90min of [rechargable] battery power. You should also get the 512mb sd--2 hours of recording time with it. If not the five twelve, get 256, but nothing less, for you won't have enough recording time. The zoom is not powerful, but it gets the job done just fine. The size, 2 megapixels, and extremely low price are the best reasons to purchase this product. The camcorder is a fine product and is great for anyone who wants small size, good clarity, and low price. ..........
Rating:
Summary: Great Product Overall
Review: The small camcorder is great. You can take it anywhere. [I recommend getting the accessories--to have 90min of [rechargable] battery power. You should also get the 512mb sd--2 hours of recording time with it. If not the five twelve, get 256, but nothing less, for you won't have enough recording time.] The zoom is not powerful, but it gets the job done just fine. The size, 2 megapixels, and extremely low price are the best reasons to purchase this product. The camcorder is a fine product and is great for anyone who wants small size, good clarity, and low price. [ You should check the Gateway website from time to time, if you are thinking about buying this. They have recently released a free shipping coupon and $100 rebate (12/12/03)--just $99 after the purchase. Gateway has made a great offer.]
Rating:
Summary: Great Mini Video Camera
Review: This camera is just great. The quality of the videos and pics aren't perfect like you would see from an 1000 dollar camera but I love them because I just want a camera that I can have fun with and not get real serious about it. First of all it's inexpensive so if it breaks, it isn't the end of the world and since it's so small you can take it anywhere. It includes software that you can use to edit and create your own movie masterpiece. It's zoom is a little weak but having a great zoom is too high above the price range of this product. Its battery life is about one hour but if you get the accessory pack it will turn into 90 minutes if you use the batterys included in it. The vidoes do include sound since the camera has a microphone. Another great quality it has is the fact that it can record up to 18 minutes and 700 pictures with its 64 MB internal memory. I would recommend this to someone who doesnt want the top of the line camera (if you do than spend more money) but wnats something that will be easy and fun to use. Really, anyone who wants to make movies should buy this. That's what my intention was and I love it.
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