T-Mobile's connected Cameo digiframe plummets in price, gets reviewed
By Darren Murph 
posted April 30th 2009 2:12PM
posted April 30th 2009 2:12PM
posted April 30th 2009 2:12PM
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first yes!!!
Still too expensive (monthly payment model sux) 10 cents per upload makes more sense.
Sor for $40 and $1.99 a month you get a frame that has a cell number that you can send pictures too? At that price I think that is pretty fricken cool actually.
That's my thinking. I thought it was a great idea when it first came out though I could not justify picking one up at the monthly price. This is now only $24/yr not too shabby. Think I may go get a couple for mom and grandma for Mother's day.
I'd say it's pretty cool, too, especially if it turns out to be hackable to leverage that $2/mo connection for, shall we say, more interesting uses.
But even simply showing new pictures is pretty decent at that price. I think I'll slap together a few cron jobs to send my daily dose of webcomics, woot, geohash maps, and such.
Hmm... Back a few years ago, when these sorts of things first appeared on the market, there was a company selling a digital photo frame that would connect to your home wireless network and download new pictures that had been submitted to the company's website. This way, sons and daughters could give the frame as a gift and then periodically upload new pictures to the frame, sharing new experiences and events with Mom and Dad. The name of the company escapes me, but the fact that the company tried to charge for this service doesn't. The company and the service, I believe, flopped. And so will this.
Ceiva?
http://www.ceiva.com/
They were in Target stores for a while, but did not sell well at all. Their service is still $10 a month, which seems ridiculous.
I've been looking for something to send all my thai ladyboy pics to, fantastic.
Sounds like a good mother's day gift to me. And maybe eventually she'll grow tired of it and I'll adopt it.
Wonder if I could buy it, ditch the service and use it as a stand alone digiframe?
Looks like it:
"There is no contract or obligation to even pay for the monthly fees and with the Secure Digital card slot and USB port you can use it as an unconnected photo frame if you desire." - from ZDNet article.
You need to keep it for 2 months. After that you can indeed just cancel it.
This should cease to exist.
Yet another reason why T-Mobile remains last in the 4 major US carriers (They are my provider BTW).
Its def for a niche market. But its far from useless. If you dont see a need for it...dont buy it....but others do like it, especially now that its so cheap.
Also, if you purchase the Motozine 5MP camera phone they give you a $40 mail in rebate on the cameo frame so its essentially free.
www.photomessage.me
And now we try the same with 3G data access. I'm still waiting for the $3 pay-as-you-go daily flatrate that would soooo sweeten my weekends and holidays (no, I don't need a 3G subscription for everyday, just for the days when I'm off work).
And yes, we are talking about the same service that you T-Mobile offer yourself in other markets such as Germany.
I have no idea what you're talking about.
You need pictures at 3G speeds on your days off?
Are you getting this confused with service not related to picture frames?
@Sebastian
Point me in the direction of said plan, if you will.
@Johannes:
T-Mobile offers a "daily flatrate" here:
http://www.t-mobile.de/tarife/0,10821,17773-_1081,00.html - it is basically 4.95 Euros per day
There is a cheaper version of the same here:
http://www.fonic.de/html/surfen_vorteile.html
This version is only 2.50 Euro per day
Both options are rather expensive in comparison to Danish and Swedish prices. But still - at least you get them...
This service isn't for everyone, which is why it isn't being advertised -- but for others, it's perfect. My mom lives out of state and hates computers yet she is always wanting to see pictures of her new grandson. Bam, $24 a year and I can send her a new photo everyday without having to print and ship 'em. This is absolutely perfect, I am adding this to my T-Mobile plan this week -- mothers day is just around the corner! Thanks engadget.
Hey, I have a social experiment going on that involves this cameo frame.
Come check it out and participate!
www.photomessage.me
Cameo? Word Up!
do you have to be a tmobile wireless customer? Or can i just go to tmobile store and get this along with a $2 monthly bill?
You do have to be a tmob customer.
www.photomessage.me
Just called my local t-mobile store. You have to have a t-mobile account to get it. It will not work on a pre-paid account. FYI.
Seems like a nice hack candidate. Have an app that packages together messages and calendar appointments, converts it to a JPG image and then shoots it to the frame at regular intervals.
Need to see when you next meeting is? Just glance at the current picture showing on the frame.
Will be buying tomorrow. 2 other friends jumping on as well. 2 Sweet not to do it.
Is this news a little late or what? These price drops happened about 3 or 4 months ago.
OK, I have a question:
I am with T-Mob, and would love to send one of these to my Mom for Mother's Day. Problem is, she lives in a "T-Mobile Roaming Coverage" area, according to http://www.t-mobile.com/coverage/pcc.aspx. Would I get hit with roaming charges everytime I sent a pic to the frame?
She would need to be inside Tmobile owned network area.
Basically, you wouldnt get roaming charges...because it just wouldnt work.
www.photomessage.me
Do any of you know of any alternatives to this? I want something just like this but I have cell service through AT&T. I've seen the wifi ones but I'm getting this for a relative that has no internet access much less wifi.
Any ideas appreciated!
Darren, you're absolutely right - it finally makes sense to get one.
I did get one to try out, and it's good enough that practically anyone who's been holding off on getting a digital frame should try it : http://thinkmoreinc.wordpress.com/2009/05/02/78/
The local t-mo store wouldn't sell me one at $40 without a new 2 year contract... wth?
Is a clear link to the real article too much to ask for?
I was just told by a T-mobile retail location that I have to sign a 2 year contract at $1.39 a month to get the $39.99 purchase price, otherwise it's $99.99. (I'm a T-mobile subscriber)