Hitachi has announced a more affordable addition to its line of M2 digital recorder/cameras, called the M2L.

Targeted towards the average consumer, the M2L can capture video, audio and still photographs and save them onto a 16MB PC card. The PC card can then be popped into a computer or laptop, allowing images to be viewed and edited immediately.

The M2L weighs slightly over a pound and costs $999. Up to 1.5 minutes of VHS-quality video footage or 200 still images can be stored on a 16MB PC card. If more storage is needed, the M2L is upgradeable to a 260MB or 1GB PC card.

Details about the M2 family of products can be found at http://www.hitachi.com/m2 .