photo frame
Latest
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]
ViewSonic goes crazy with nine new digital photo frames
Talk about covering all of your bases. ViewSonic has unloaded a netbook, a 3D LCD and a 3D projector here at CES, but it has somehow found the time to also unload not one, not eight, but nine new digital photo frames. It's adding in the 7-inch VFM735-52M, 8-inch VFM835-52M and 10-inch VFM1035W-52M to its SwifTouch lineup for $129, $159 and $189, respectively, and it's also busting out a full line of 4:3 frames for those still deathly afraid of widescreen. Finally, it's previewing a pair of all-in-one frames with inbuilt alarm clocks and AM / FM radio, both of which are on track for a Q2 release at $99.
Macworld 2009: IPEVO shows off photo frames and more
Peripheral vendor IPEVO may have just dipped a toe in the Mac market last year with compatible iChat and Skype speakerphone devices, but it looks like a full-court press coming from them in 2009. At Macworld Expo, IPEVO is showing a full suite of audio (conference phones, handsets and more for VoIP services and iChat), video (a slimline camera) and especially photos -- the upcoming Kaleida digital frames, showing here and at CES, look remarkably good. The wired and wireless frames, expected to ship in March under the $200 price point, allow for photo offloads from memory cards or from the Mac, subscription to Flickr or RSS feeds, and selected Google widgets (weather, calendar, news or financial data), all on a bright 7" screen. You can control the displayed content from your computer, or via a handy iPhone app. We took a brief photo and video tour of the new products in the Dr. Bott vendor pavilion. Enjoy! %Gallery-41185%
Sony debuts four new Bluetooth-ready digital photo frames
We know, the digiframe market is just downright saturated with ho hum offerings that offer little innovation and oodles of boring, but Sony's got four out today at CES that are just a step or two above the rest. Kicking things off is the top-end DPF-X1000 ($300; March) and second-tier DPF-V1000 ($250; March), both of which offer 10-inch panels, an alarm clock, auto dimmer, a variety of slideshow functions, an auto orientation sensor and a bit of magic that "auto corrects the white balance" in your photos. The former model arrives with 2GB of internal storage and sports a black / wood-trimmed motif, while the latter fellow gets half the storage and a less striking silver trim. Following those two are the 9-inch DPF-D92 and 8-inch DPF-D82, both of which have a VGA panel, 1GB of memory and would love be wall-mounted.%Gallery-40927%
D-Link's Xtreme N DIR-685 router is also a digiframe / NAS device
Go 'head, D-Link, get down with your bad self. Seriously, we can't remember the last time a router got us all hot and bothered, but this one's just too wild to not get stoked about. The Xtreme N DIR-685 is hailed as an "all-in-one home network router," and we'd say it puts a new meaning to "all-in-one." Aside from handling the normal duties of an 802.11n wireless access point, the device also includes a 3.2-inch LCD for displaying photos and / or widgets. As if that wasn't zany enough, it also supports both UPnP server functions and BitTorrent downloads. How so, you ask? The twin USB ports on the rear enable users to plug in vanilla external hard drives and essentially convert them into NAS drives, making the data on each accessible over the web. Sadly, no price is mentioned for this conglomerate, but we don't expect it to come cheap.
Another pair of infected digiframes promise to ruin the rest of your holiday break
Oh, geez. Not this again. Just months after everyone involved with that virus-ridden Insignia frame finally cleaned things up, here comes two new reports that select frames could indeed be shipping from the factory with malware pre-installed. For starters, the 1.5-inch Mercury Digital Photo Keychain -- which is sold at Walmart and other fine retailers -- seems to have some pretty nasty software loaded on, and Amazon has went so far as to issue an alert that some Samsung SPF-85H frames are leaving the dock with the 32.Sality.AE worm on the installation disc. Something tells us someone in quality control couldn't quite get in the holiday spirit.[Via Slashdot]
iriver's Framee-M digiframe: only tolerable for Mickey enthusiasts
Man, it's amazing the difference a single letter makes. Take the Framee-L, for example -- a stately, classically styled digital photo frame that would do practically any coffee table proud. Now have a gander at the almost frightening Framee-M (above). iriver has evidently coerced Disney to afford it the luxury of producing this here digiframe, which -- sad to say -- looks downright shoddy from here. The unit will be made available in both Mickey and Minnie flavors, with each housing 1GB of internal storage space, a 3.5-inch 320 x 240 resolution display, SDHC expansion slot, a built-in clock and a multimedia player for good measure. It's taking Japan by storm as we speak for ¥9,999 ($111).[Via DAPReview, thanks Michael]
TRENDnet rolls out 7-inch digital photo frame / camera monitor
Well, it looks like the ol' softies and TRENDnet have finally found a way to liven up the family photo slideshow a bit: 'round the clock security camera footage! To make that possible, the company's new 7-inch TV-M7 photo frame connects to your home network and is able to detect any wireless TRENDnet security cameras also connected to the network, which can be displayed on their own or four at a time on the screen. Otherwise, the device looks to be a fairly standard photo frame, with it packing 512MB of built-in storage and a memory card slot for further expansion, along with a remote control, a built-in speaker, and all the usual media playback functionality. As you might expect, however, you won't get this one for the price of your usual 7-inch photo frame, with it running a somewhat hefty $262.99.[Via Chip Chick]
Kairen's DF24B: the tiny digital frame for your tiny digital photos
If you're the sort who laughs at those DSLR-lugging amateurs, deriding their attempts to stay current as the megapixel wars rage on, this may be the digital photo frame for you. It's called the DF24B from Kairen, and is the perfect way to show off those crummy, pixelated shots accumulating on your flip-phone with its vertically-oriented (like most mobile pics) 2.4-inch, 320 x 240 LCD and 2MB of internal storage. Yes, that's megabytes, enough to store 27 thoroughly compressed images according to the manufacturer. Why it has any storage at all is a bit of a mystery, though, since the thing requires a USB connection for power, meaning it might as well just suck those photos straight from your hard drive (unless you're rocking a dedicated USB charger). No formal price has been set, but it's expected to release this month for around ¥6,800, or about $75. That puts it about $5 shy of MIMO's 7-inch mini-display, which is a much smarter buy -- unless you're afraid to blow those pics up any larger. [Via Impress]
iriver's 7-inch Framee-L digiframe handles multimedia just fine
It's darn tough to pump out a digiframe that's not immediately forgettable these days, but if anybody can do it, iriver can. The subtly beautiful 7-inch Framee-L features a 720 x 480 resolution display, 1GB of inbuilt memory, an SD / MMC card slot, USB port and an alarm feature for waking you in the mornings (or nights, if you roll like that). Furthermore, you'll find a capable multimedia player that can handle photo slideshows, all sorts of audio files and even MPEG-4 AVC / H.264, AVI and Motion JPEG video formats. It'll hit Japan just before Santa takes flight for ¥17,800 ($196).[Via SlashGear]
T-Mobile Cameo digiframe gets unboxed, toyed with
The unique, cell-connected T-Mobile Cameo has been on sale just under a month now, and our brethren over at Engadget Spanish were able to acquire one for testing. As always, they unboxed things first to satisfy your never-ending desire for undressed gadgets, and even threw in a few impressions to boot. Essentially, setup was a snap, and operation couldn't have been simpler. Now, if only there were a way to make that monthly charge for staying connected simpler to digest; hit the read link for lots more shots.
Video: First look at Kodak's 7.6-inch OLED photo frame
Having developed the first diode device back in the 80s, Kodak knows a thing or two about OLEDs. So it's no surprise (ok, maybe a little) to see them rolling out the world's first 7.6-inch OLED photo frame. CNET got its hands on the $1,000 device considered a "vanity piece" at that price. It offers "brilliant color" as you'd expect and "sharp" 800 x 480 pixel images on the thin OLED panel pushing a 30,000:1 contrast ratio. The WiFi panel connects to Flickr and Kodak's own photo sharing service (if you must) but will not transfer images from Macs direct to the frame -- PCs are apparently fine. Mac users will have to resort to USB drives, SD cards, or Kodak's on-line gallery for image transfers. The frame itself, is touch-sensitive (not the display) and features audio-in and audio-out jacks for musical slideshows. Check out CNET's first look in the video after the break. [Via OLED-Info]
T-Mobile Cameo frame now available for $99.99
We already knew how much the world's first digital picture frame tied to a wireless carrier network would cost, but no one bothered to mention a specific release date. Regardless, the T-Mobile Cameo is finally available in T-Mob retail stores, and it'll cost you $99.99 up front plus $9.99 per month for the connected services. It's the gift that keeps on giving taking.
Giant International's touchscreen Intouch IT7150 photo frame: disembodied hand not included
Not that we'd expect any reputable digital picture frame manufacturer to consort with a real, live hand model, but we've gotta hand it to Giant International for discovering this particularly unnatural, eerily glowing appendage to point vaguely at its new Intouch IT7150. Lucky for us, the device in question is not at all cheap and uninviting, featuring a 7-inch 800 x 480 LCD touchscreen, 802.11b/g WiFi, USB to PC connection cable and the standard complement of memory card slots. What makes this particularly fun is vTuner support, which allows for play back of 11,000 radio and TV stations (primarily public access and other undesirables on the TV side), in addition to the increasingly standard FrameChannel service for photo sharing and RSS subscriptions. There's also a built-in rechargeable battery for about 1.5 hours of portable use. At $349, you're certainly paying a pretty penny for all these good times, but if vTuner isn't your bag, you can drop that support and pick up the frame for $299.[Via Digital Picture Frame Review]
HP rumored to be concocting digiframe / slate PC hybrid device
We've heard some rumors that were pretty far out in left field, but this one is far out. In fact, the only reason we're giving it even an ounce of credence is that it's a perfect market opportunity -- we mean, who isn't dreadfully sick of the plain jane digital photo frames that are impossible to distinguish from one another? At any rate, whispers have it that HP is working up a frame that will double as a slate PC of sorts, giving users a full blown web browser, e-mail client, RSS reader and access to other "widgets and lightweight applications." Predictably, the mythical unit will be marketed as a companion internet device, and we're told that it may even boast an Intel Atom CPU alongside a 10-inch panel and a WiFi radio. We'll find out if you'll really be burning $400 on this so-called conglomerate before the year's end.
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]
Keian Japan P71-A2-JP: part photo printer, part photo frame, all modern marvel
Just when you thought you'd seen it all, along comes a photo printer that is also a photo frame (or vice versa) to completely rearrange your concept of reality. The P71-A2-JP from Keian Japan houses a 7-inch, 480 x 234 LCD for doing the photo frame thing, complete with SD card and Memory Stick support, a USB host plug and even a little bit of MP3 playback. What's surprising is that there's a full-on photo printer in back to print out those shots worth cherishing a bit longer than ten seconds on a repetitive cycle. The 300 dpi prints probably won't blow minds, and that screen is depressingly low-res, but all-in-all this is a pretty neat little solution to a problem you didn't have.
T-Mobile Cameo photo frame launches this month for $99.99
We never thought we'd live to see the day that digital photo frames had cooler phones than our parents. Actually, okay, that doesn't surprise us at all -- and T-Mobile's helping us live out that reality with the Cameo, its Parrot-sourced frame that features integrated GSM hardware and a dedicated phone number that lets loved ones shoot pictures to it from afar via MMS or email. The rumored details have turned out to be spot-on, meaning that you'll be paying $99.99 for the frame plus another $9.99 monthly to keep the line active. An exact launch date has yet to be revealed, it'll be available at some point in mid-November.
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!
