Benjamin Pimentel, in a recent article on Investors.com, asks Will Cisco's Flip Video morph into a smartphone?

He quotes Ticonderoga analyst Brian White as saying that "Cisco plans to offer WiFi on its Flip video camcorder in early 2010 with a slide out keyboard that allows for a larger LCD screen." White also noted that Cisco "has been clear that it is not interested in competing in the smart phone business, however, this product seems to be taking on some of the form factor characteristics of a smart phone."

Well, have they been clear, or have they not been clear about getting into smart phones?

As I have noted in previous blog posts:

• Flip has announced its intention to become involved at the consumer level, with "visual networking" and even "visual telepresence."
• Flip/Cisco is about to introduce FlipShare TV, which streams your videos from FlipShare, on your computer, directly to your TV, complete with remote control.
• FlipShare TV allows you to share your Flip Channel with others, for non real-time visual networking.  Here are the most revealing documents I've seen, to date.
• Cisco is a networking company, has built strength in the video teleconferencing arena, and recently acquired Tandberg to add to that strength

I illustrated these points from unreleased FlipShare 5.0 documentation and recent FCC filings which include a .pdf "Quick Start Guide for FlipShare TV."

With FlipShare TV, a USB dongle on your computer streams video to a set-top box to your TV.  The only thing lacking for video telepresence -- i.e., real-time visual communication -- is a WiFi version of the Flip that streams its video, via Flip Channels, to whomever has FlipShare TV.

I put these things together a bit differently from Mr. Pimentel and Mr. White.  We'll see...