Wireless Photo Frames

Mixed reviews for digital picture frames with Wi-Fi

Digital photo frames with wireless features, in theory, represent the ultimate in convenience and ease of use. Once connected to a network, photos are loaded wirelessly from any networked computer, or through the Internet from a remote location. In practice, however, users report having a lot of trouble setting these frames up, and if you are buying one for a distant relative, you should ascertain whether the recipient has the technical know-how to get the frame up and running on the network. Manufacturers are trying to make this easier, but even the latest Wi-Fi frames struggle when it comes to ease of use.

While reviews for Wi-Fi frames are generally lackluster, the Kodak EasyShare EX series of Wi-Fi frames fares somewhat better than most. In spite of their relative popularity among experts, though, the EasyShare EX frames were discontinued in early 2009 and replaced by the W series. While they're currently hard to find, the older EasyShare EX811 and EX1011 are good bargains while supplies last.

Kodak's EasyShare W line offers the same 800-by-480 widescreen resolution display technology as the EX models. Upgrades include 512 MB of internal memory (4,000 photos), four times that offered on the EX frames, plus two expansion slots that support a number of memory-card formats. The 8-inch Kodak EasyShare W820 (*Est. $130) and 10-inch Kodak EasyShare W1020 (*Est. $160) can also play MPG, MOV and AVI video formats and MP3 audio files. In addition to wirelessly downloading photos from a home (or office) network, the EasyShare W frames can lift pictures from photo-sharing sites like Flickr, Facebook and Photobucket. Compatibility with the website FrameChannel offers the ability to display news, weather, sports, traffic and other updates through the frame's display. Kodak has its own web-based photo-sharing service called Picture Mail. Reviewers don't comment on this service but, it's difficult to see how the service is significantly different from sharing photos via Flickr or Photobucket.

While the EasyShare W820 and W1020 aren't breakaway favorites among experts, the frames earn their fair share of accolades. Reviewers unanimously compliment their sharp, crisp display quality, with good color rendering and shadow detail. Photos also load and transition quickly. Even though CNET's David Carnoy encounters buggy performance when he tries to alter the default slide transition, he remains upbeat and calls the W1020 "zippy" and "very responsive." Reviewers overwhelmingly find the black plastic frame cheap but attractive and build quality slightly under par but adequate. Nearly all experts choose not to use the enclosed colored stick-on mats, which are designed to personalize the appearance of the frame but leave most users scratching their heads.

When it comes to ease of use for the Kodak W series of digital picture frames, reviews are varied. Descriptions of the initial set up process, on both frames, range from "pretty easy" to "frustrating." The main usage issue, according to experts, is the touch panel. CNET's Carnoy is fond of the W1020's on-board navigation, but every other review we found complains that the touch-sensitive controls have a steep learning curve. PCMag.com's Zach Honig, in his review of the EasyShare W820, mentions the counter-intuitive placement of touch sensitivity below icons, rather than on them, and PC World's Kathleen Cullen blasts Kodak's nested menu organization, which requires navigating through multiple layers of menu screens. Matt Safford of ComputerShopper.com writes that the W820's system isn't "as user-friendly as it should be" and concludes that the frame might be okay for someone who is willing to work through a lot of "time-consuming fiddling." Beyond setup, navigation issues continue to plague the EasyShare W photo frames, as many of the novel features that distinguish them from their competition involve, according to TrustedReviews.com's Edward Chester, "a fair amount of signing up and logging in to a variety of different auxiliary services" -- services that reviewers say are often less than user-friendly themselves.

In spite of these difficulties, experts say the EasyShare W820 and W1020 offer the best balance of features, display quality and price, leading CNET and DigitalPictureFrameReview.com to grant them top ratings. Comments from users at Amazon.com and TigerDirect.com support reviewer findings, with the W820 and W1020 receiving middling overall ratings as a result of owners who love the display quality but complain about annoying difficulties setting up the wireless connection. While set up would likely be a large hurdle for those without the technical know-how to navigate around their wireless network, experts point out that once the frame is set up, the process is done and does not need to be repeated. At $130, the Kodak EasyShare W820, is our pick for budget wireless frame.

What Kodak's wireless frames lack in aesthetic appeal and intuitive navigation, Ipevo's 7-inch Kaleido R7 (*Est. $150) wireless frame offers in spades. The sleek and sophisticated black frame with ivory accents is universally lauded by reviewers, though most point out that it will best suit homes decorated in a modern style. Even more impressive is the rotating display, which can swivel a full 90 degrees to allow for landscape or portrait display (photos automatically adjust to fit the chosen orientation). PCMag's Honig is unabashedly impressed, saying the Ipevo frame is the first of its kind to pass through PCMag's offices, though he's put off by its high price.

Experts say that beyond the novel swiveling display and sharp design, the Ipevo Kaleido R7 delivers crisp, bright photos on its 800-by-480 resolution display screen. The frame offers good color reproduction and detail and offers a reasonable assortment of slideshow options. CrunchGear's Peter Ha is fond of the fact that the Kaleido R7 doesn't default to slideshow mode as so many other digital frames do.

In every review we found of the Ipevo Kaleido R7, set up and ease of use are praised as benefits of the digital photo frame. Controls are accessed via an on-board touch screen or small remote control. More than one expert refers to Ipevo's menu system as "no frills" (a compliment in this instance) and all are pleased with the simplicity of the digital photo frame's navigation menus. PCMag's Honig points out that entering lengthy key codes is tedious work, but wireless setup is otherwise a breeze. In a comparison to the set up process for Kodak's EasyShare W820, Honig praises the relative ease of the Kaleido, which never drops the wireless connection. In contrast, the EasyShare W820 photo frame habitually drops its connection, requiring frequent re-entry of encryption keys. Once connected, CrunchGear's Ha is impressed to find that firmware updates download to the Ipevo frame automatically. Its 512 MB of internal memory is enough to store thousands of photos, and integrated memory-card slots allow for further expansion.

While the Kaleido R7 digital picture frame performs ably in all tasks it is made to do, some reviewers note that competing frames offer greater functionality at a significantly lower price. Specifically, Kodak's W820 has a display screen that is one inch larger, can access lots of personalized web media, plays music and videos, and doesn't cost as much. "It's hard not to wish that this device had audio and video support, given its steep price," writes PC World's Kathleen Cullen of the Ipevo digital photo frame. Honig agrees: "I'm surprised...; that a high-end wireless digital photo frame like this one has so few Web-enabled features." Many reviewers indicate though, that you'd be hard-pressed to find any other wireless digital picture frame that can match the Ipevo's excellent image quality, style and ease of use.