digitalpictureframe
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Fireside's smart picture frame melds machine learning and good looks
Digital picture frames seemed like all the rage back in 2007, but let's be real: did anyone really like them? They were small, clunky, not terribly high-res, and sort of a pain to actually get photos onto -- long story short, they had plenty of potential that was marred by lame execution. That's where a startup called Fireside comes in. The bi-coastal team didn't just spend the last two years trying to build a better picture frame -- they wanted to get people rethinking how they interact with all those encapsulated memories of the past.
Apple wants to file patent lawsuit against Kodak, fully aware that Kodak's bankrupt
Poor Kodak just can't catch a break these days. Nearly a month after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and mere days after shuttering its digital camera business, the sputtering company now finds itself the target of no less a behemoth than Apple. Yesterday, Cupertino's legal team asked a US Bankruptcy Court for permission to go after Kodak on two legal fronts: with a patent infringement lawsuit in a Manhattan district court, and a corollary complaint in the ITC. According to Bloomberg, Apple's patent suit focuses on technologies that Kodak uses in its line of digital cameras, printers and digital picture frames. Unfortunately for Kodak, printers are one of the product areas it recently decided to focus on, as confirmed in last week's restructuring announcement. Salt, meet wound.These two companies, of course, have been involved in an ongoing ITC battle over Kodak's image transfer technology, with the latest salvo coming last month, when the camera company launched a fresh batch of litigation against both Apple and HTC. If the bankruptcy court grants Apple's request, the company will head straight to court, in the hopes of obtaining a block against Kodak's allegedly infringing products. Kodak, meanwhile, could file a request to hold off the district level case until the ITC ruling comes through, though Apple said yesterday that it would press forward, regardless. The company was also quick to point out that it's not legally bound to request permission to sue a court-protected bankrupt company, but did so "out of an abundance of caution," which is really considerate, if you think about it.
Disney Mobile DM010SH Android phone hits Softbank stores in Japan, we go hands-on (video)
Disney Mobile's first Android-powered smartphone hit Softbank Mobile stores in Japan earlier this month, with 0 JPY (about $0) due up front. You won't be getting off that easy though -- expect to pay just shy of 74,000 JPY (about $965) off contract, or 24 monthly installments of 880 JPY (about $11) if you opt for the two-year agreement. The Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) DM010SH packs a 4-inch 960 x 540 qHD display with 3D support, a 1GHz processor, and the typical spattering of smartphone features, including 3G data, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth and microSDHC expandability, along with an 8 megapixel camera. Rest assured that Disney branding abounds, from the company logo just below the earpiece, to those signature mouse ears that replace a generic home button. There's also a default Snow White 3D wallpaper and a home screen link to the D-Market, where you can load up your device with Disney-branded mail, calendar, photo, calculator and pedometer apps -- so you can meet those fitness goals with hopes of getting one more Halloween out of that child-size Minnie Mouse costume. We dropped by a Softbank store in Tokyo to play around with a Classic White version of the device (Classic Pink is also an option, though sadly we had to settle for boring old vanilla). Once you get past the not-so-subtle Disney branding, it looks and functions like any other Android smartphone. It felt quite snappy as well -- launching apps and loading web pages with just as much pep as many other Android phones we've used. Make no mistake, the appeal here is definitely the Disney Mobile branding -- but you should be pleased, assuming you don't mind paying a rather lofty sum for a ho-hum device to fit within your Heigh-Ho lifestyle. Jump past the break for a video walkthrough.%Gallery-136103%
Disney launches two new Android smartphones, mouse ears not included
Mickey's ditching the steamboat and giving up Fantasia in pursuit of all things mobile as Disney launches the DM011SH and DM010SH -- joining the company's other Android offering. The 4-inch 3D capable DM010SH handset will be Walt's top-of-the-line variant with a 960 x 540 qHD touchscreen, 8MP camera and a 1GHz processor. Next in line is the DM011SH waterproof slider with a 3.4-inch touchscreen sporting 854 X 480 resolution and an identical processor and camera to its higher-end cousin. Both Android 2.3 phones come decorated with the signature insignia in tweentastic candy colors like pink and white, with a black version of the DM010SH available for more subdued Mouse House fans. Aside from the phones, Disney also outed the internet-enabled DM001Photo, a 9.4 x 5.6-inch digital picture frame for viewing pictures, videos and emails over 3G for ¥890 (or $11) a month. Although prices have yet to be finalized, the DM010SH is slated to hit the Japanese market in October, while the other two should appear on store shelves by December. Check out the full Japanese PR and product pages by hitting the source links after the break.
Archos 8 Home Tablet just a 7-inch display according to FCC docs
Get a load of that bezel. With chunk like that we can only be looking at the Archos 8 Home tablet, a device that just lumbered its way through the FCC in a rather unflattering (even for the FCC) photo spread. Archos calls its Model 7800 an Android MID throughout the government docs, but given the bezel-to-display ratio we're guessing it'll pull primary duty as a $199 picture frame with the ability to track down the occasional recipe over WiFi. Other details include the same plodding Rockchip RK2808 SoC found in the Archos 7 Home Tablet and a HSD070IDW1 resistive touchscreen display from Hannstar with 800x480 pixel resolution, 25ms response, 500:1 contrast, 200/300 nits brightness, and poor 140-degree left-right and 110-degree up-down viewing angles -- easy to see where Archos cut out the cost, eh? Oh, and get this, Hannstar says that its display is 7-inches, not 8-inches as Archos claims. Either Archos made a mistake in its FCC submission or the company is hoping to mask reality with that giant plastic border.
Twelve things to do with an old Apple computer
As I type this article on my MacBook Pro, I can't help but glance over at my poor PowerBook Lombard G3 with its awesome translucent bronze keyboard, sitting in its dusty laptop bag. The battery is long toast. When I last booted it up, the clock thought that the system time was close to 1970 thanks to the internal clock battery no longer holding a charge, and thanks to the fact that it's capped at OS X 10.3.9, I can't get a new version of Firefox on it. In short, it's seen better days. However, for all its faults, it's still got a decent hard drive and nearly a gigabyte of RAM, so it can't be totally useless. This makes made wonder, what can I do with this old 'Book (or an even more ancient Mac)? Here are a few possibilities: First of all, if you have an older but still functional laptop (like me!), you could strip off the plastic, keyboard, etc. and turn it into a hanging digital picture frame on the cheap. Use it to surf the web, old skool style, with Contiki. Yes, surprisingly, even the old Apple IIe can surf the modern internet, though only in text form. Turn it into a Personal Webserver. Of course, your newer Macs can serve up web pages using Apache. Personally, I've had great success in getting my server up and running (along with MySQL and PHP to boot!) using XAMPP, but if you want to really be different, turn that old Macintosh SE/30, IIci or LC into web server.
Mojito WiFi display aggregates social media, works of Ernest Hemingway
Digital picture frames have long since moved passed being simple photo frames, and it looks like an increasing number are now pushing photos all the way to end of their list of features. One such device is this so-called Mojito WiFi display from Blue Lounge, which will handle photos and videos just fine, but is primarily designed to pull content from Facebook, Twitter and other social media (in addition to news and weather). That's then displayed in your "LifeStream," which can apparently be customized to your liking, and browsed with the included remote if you don't feel like letting everything cycle through (no touchscreen here). Still no firm word on availability, but the 7-inch display will supposedly demand $299 whenever it rolls out.
Switched On: Sony's forward Dash
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. In its introductory press release, here's what Sony has to say about the Dash, a "personal Internet viewer" that it announced at CES: "Featuring a vivid 7-inch color touch screen... Dash utilizes an existing home wireless connection to continuously deliver Internet content to its viewers." And according to its SonyStyle.com site, here's what that Dash has to say about itself: "I use over 1,500 free apps and your Wi-Fi connection to deliver the information and entertainment you crave... right to your bedroom, kitchen or office." But Dash also has something to say about Sony, and for the most part, it's an encouraging message. Dash was one of the more distinct category-blurring products to emerge from Las Vegas in January. Its hardware is a hybrid between an alarm clock and digital picture frame and its content is a content mashup between Chumby widgets and Sony's Bravia Internet Video Link offering. Dash was introduced just a few months after HP introduced its DreamScreen, another product that provides "glanceable" information from the cloud.
DIY Lady Gaga 'Pop Music' shades: so magical, you'd be so fantastical
Next time you're out at a Lady Gaga tribute concert, leave the crowd speechless with your very own "Pop Music Will Never Be Low Brow" glasses. All it takes to give off that "Creative Director of Polaroid" vibe is just the touch of your hand, two keychain digital picture frames, and some garage glamorous sunglasses you don't mind seeing destroyed. Love the shades, baby? You won't be able to see straight anymore -- the frames aren't transparent, so keep that in mind when choreographing. DIY instructions via the source link, video example after the break. Spandex one-piece recommended, but we'd advise against Heartbeats earphones.
Samsung 800P digital photo frame: because quality matters
You're smart right? Then you probably know that all those low-priced, off-brand digital photo frames with laughably poor instruction manuals and confusing user interfaces so aggressively hocked during the holidays share one common trait: poor displays. Unfortunately, most shoppers won't figure this out until they've brought the unit home. Fact is, you have to pay a little extra to get a decent 8- to 10-inch panel. And really, what's more important than the display on a digital picture frame? So check Samsung's new 800P 8-inch frame. It features an LED-backlit 800x480 pixel panel, 2GB of internal storage (plus microSD expansion), Bluetooth 2.0, support for video and music playback, and Samsung's second generation UI and panel-making expertise. On sale now in Korea for 199,000 of the local stuff or about $159 of the almighty dollar whenever it heads west.
Mimo's iMo Foto Frame Printer does precisely what you'd expect
Mimo's made quite the name for itself with its delightful array of USB-powered secondary monitors, but now it seems the company is spreading its proverbial wings and introducing something strikingly out of character. The iMo Foto Frame Printer most certainly isn't the first (or second) of its kind, but it just might be the cutest. The digiframe / printer hybrid boasts an 8-inch panel, a memory card slot, bundled remote and an inbuilt photo printer that shoots out 4- x 6-inch images with a 300 x 300dpi print resolution. $229.99 gets you the unit itself, a few cables and a paper cartridge for 36 prints -- after that, you're on your own. Godspeed, young one.[Via Red Ferret]
Sony ICF-CL75iP alarm clock / digital frame / iPod dock a surprisingly attractive assimilation
We'll be honest, it takes a whole lot to get us excited about iPhone / iPod docks or digital picture frames these days, but congratulations Sony, you've managed to pierce through our hardened hearts with the ICF-CL75iP Dream Machine. Sony Insider brings word of the actually quite handsome bedside attraction, an assimilation of those aforementioned products with an alarm clock to boot. We're looking at a 7-inch WVGA LCD screen, 1GB built-in memory, FM / AM radio, and a retractable dock -- in case you don't feel like capitalizing on the total synergistic package. Photos can be pulled directly from the Apple handheld or loaded via USB, and your wake-up options include built-in presets, a customizable 10-second voice recording, or the iPod / iPhone itself. Our only knock at this point is the minimal codec support -- MP3 and WMA for audio, and MP4, M-JPEG, and AVI for video -- but if the $149.95 price on a cached SonyStyle listing stays accurate, we can be a little forgiving. In fact, throw in Chumby widget support and we'll be downright smitten -- make it happen, Sony. Update: Turns out it's actually up for pre-order right now through Sony Style Canada, CAN $199.99 (that's US $180) and shipping out October 1st. [Thanks, Neil!] Read - Sony Insider Read - Sony Style cached listing
Sony's newest digiframe sports Swarovski crystals, little else
We're not sure if Sony is looking to combine the timeless elegance of precision-cut lead crystal glass with the utility of a digiframe, or if some Swarovski elements just fell off the back of a truck or something, but if you're looking for a way to display your precious moments to the world we got just the thing for you here. The newest in the S-Frame line, the DPF-D72N/BQ features a 7-inch 16:10 LCD display with WVGA (800 x 480) resolution, one gigabyte storage capacity, auto-resizing for images, USB connectivity, support for memory cards (including Memory Stick PRO, Memory Stick PRO Duo, SD, MMC, Compact Flash, xD-Picture Cards, and SDHC), an accelerometer, a wall mount, and support for JPEG and RAW (SRF, SR2, ARW) files. Sure, we think that any alleged "class" imbued by Mr. Swarovski's crystals is more than offset by that large Sony logo plastered on the front of the thing, but perhaps you feel differently. If so, look for this guy in October for $150.
Kodak tries to make digiframes fun again with EasyShare S730
We can't fault 'em for trying, but at the end of the day Kodak's EasyShare S730 is just another vanilla digital photo frame. Oh sure, it sports an updated Quick Touch border, a collage mode for displaying several shots at once, video and music support, a rechargeable battery for cord-free operation and 1GB of memory, but there's no WiFi, OLED or pixie dust to speak of. We will say, however, that the included Picture Finder feature -- which enables users to select a photo that pops up in order to find more from the same era -- is fairly nifty, but it's not spectacular enough in and of itself to justify the $139 price tag. If you disagree, you can pick one up in the US and Canada this September, while Europeans can snag one this month for €149.
Kodak's 7.6-inch OLED WiFi digiframe now $200 cheaper
Kodak's 7.6-inch OLED WiFi digiframe, which we just saw in the flesh yesterday, has already been listed for a full $150 cheaper than expected. Of course, an immediate price drop was definitely in order given the $1,000 starting tag, but we can't even say we're tempted at a few bucks under $800. Ah well, at least we're headed in the right direction.[Thanks, Ron]
eStarling's ImpactV digiframe does video, WiFi, handstands
It usually takes a lot to get us stoked on a digiframe -- after all, there are so many, and they all pretty much do the exact same thing. That said, the new ImpactV from eStarling doesn't seem so shabby. Of course, we've seen some of these features on prior models (such as an 8-inch display, WiFi, the ability to email pictures to the frame, photo scheduling, and RSS feeds), but DVD quality video playback (up to 4 minutes), a custom iPhone app, Photobucket and YouTube search, and Facebook support are all very interesting. Retailing for $199, the PR we received may be stretching things a bit when they call it "an exciting evolution in furniture," but that's OK. They've probably never seen the RoboStool.
Aequitas iGala Wireless Digital Picture Frame is touchscreen photo-browsing perfection
We know, you started yawning at the sight of the headline, your ears will pop with relief by the middle of this paragraph, and you'll finish up somewhere around the Read link. We get it. But there's something kinda special about the brand new iGala Wireless Digital Picture Frame from Aequitas, we'll call it "common sense." The photo frame sports an 8-inch, 800 x 600 touchscreen, 1GB of internal storage, WiFi and the traditional complement of card readers. What's new here is that iGala really puts that WiFi connection to use, featuring Gmail integration (for sending photos), an alarm clock and integration with Microsoft's FrameIt service for news, traffic and weather info. The frame also hooks up to Flickr directly, which is such a no-brainer these days that we're surprised we see still so many "connected" frames lacking the feature. A full touchscreen makes all of this stuff actually possible to use, and the $239 pricetag doesn't mean you have to get soaked for the convenience. iGala is available now from Aequitas' entirely sketchy online store -- we guess you can't win 'em all. [Via Digital Picture Frame Review]
T-Mobile's Cameo reviewed: works pretty much as advertised
Don't deny it -- you're inexplicably drawn to a digital photo frame that has its own phone number. Rather than just buying blind to see if you really dig the Cameo, however, why not pore over this here review? In testing, the device (manufactured by Parrot) was said to work practically as advertised, with just a few small quirks preventing it from receiving the highest marks. Critics were able to MMS over images from a variety of rival networks, though they did have issues making the frame accept a photo message from Sweden. Overall, however, it was noted that usability was remarkably high and that the process was easy enough for most anyone to grasp. 'Course, you should probably convince yourself you're going to use the thing quite a bit before committing to a $10 per month fee to keep the $100 frame connected, but outside of that, you ought not be too disappointed.
Ask Engadget: What's the best digital photo frame out there?
Oh sure, the unremitting release cycle of new digital photo frames is growing a bit tired, but that's not to say these things don't make for the perfect holiday gift. Oh, and after you've contributed to the cause here, drop your own question in at ask at engadget dawt com. "I'm looking for the best digital photo frame out there to snag for the holidays. My requirements are pretty simple: good picture quality, WiFi, RSS / Flickr support without any fees. Any help?"Short and sweet there, eh Adam? At any rate, we'll toss in some general screen size requirements (let's say 5-inches and up), and now, we'll let you to it. Light up the comments below!
T-Mobile's CAMEO frame shows holiday snaps while you're still taking them
It's been nearly a year since Parrot announced its DF7700 GPRS-endowed picture frame, said to possess the mystical ability to pull photographs straight out of the ether. Now T-Mobile has pledged to bring Parrot's magic frame to the US as the CAMEO, a $100 device that, when coupled with a $10/month service fee, can be the recipient of picture-bearing messages. When you get bored with that feature (or that fee), there's a mini-USB port plus slots for SD/MMC cards that will enable it to accept pics in a more traditional manner. Its 7-inch screen has a 720 x 480 resolution and is surrounded by an interchangeable leather border guaranteed to look cheap in any decor -- not just those with golden mirrors astride marble mantelpieces.[Thanks, Mark]
