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. A big issue with wireless frames has been difficult setup requirements, but manufacturers seem to be listening to user complaints.

Kodak has a new series of wireless frames, the Kodak Pulse, which replaces their older EX and W lines. The Kodak Pulse line includes a 7-inch model (*Est. $130) and a 10-inch model (*Est. $200). Kodak addressed the issue of complicated setup by providing a dedicated email address for each Pulse frame so that photos can be sent directly to the frame from any email-enabled device (once the frame is set up on your home wireless network). PCMag.com names the Kodak Pulse 2010 an Editors' Choice, and reviewer PJ Jacobowitz says the frame provides a "painless, automatic photo loading experience." Another feature that Jacobowitz likes is that photos on the Kodak Pulse frame can be managed from the KodakPulse.com website. There you can change slideshow settings and set up the Pulse frame to grab images automatically from either Facebook or Kodak Gallery.

Pandigital offers a similar concept with its 8-inch Pandigital Photo Mail Digital Frame (*Est. $150). The Pandigital doesn't use a Wi-Fi connection, but instead connects to the AT&T cellular network to access emailed photos. This is a good solution for users who do not have Internet service (or don't have a home wireless network), but it is not without drawbacks. The first is cost. While there is no monthly charge for the AT&T service, the base price of the Pandigital frame only allows for 100 photo uploads over the AT&T 3G network. After that, additional upload credits must be purchased from Pandigital. The only professional review for this digital photo frame we found is on USAToday.com. Reviewer Jefferson Graham says the Pandigital setup is cumbersome, especially compared to the one-step setup for the Kodak Pulse.

As for image quality, both the Kodak Pulse and Pandigital Photo Mail frames have 800 pixel by 600 pixel resolution, but USAToday.com's Graham says images on the Pandigital model "don't display with the vitality of the Kodak frame." Graham also prefers the touch-screen functionality on the Pulse as opposed to the physical controls on the Pandigital photo frame. The Kodak Pulse has 512 MB of built-in memory which is on the low side compared to many frames that have 1 GB (like the Pandigital Photo Mail frame) or even 2 GB capacities. Both digital frames support most common memory-card formats. Additionally, both the Kodak and Pandigital digital photo frames compress photo files to take up less space. The Pandigital frame can accommodate AVI video and MP3 music files; the Kodak Pulse digital photo frame does not have audio or video capability.

One wireless digital picture frame that has been on the market for a while but continues to get strong reviews is the 7-inch Ipevo Kaleido R7 (*Est. $150). This frame offers a sleek and sophisticated black frame with ivory accents and 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.com's Zach Honig is unabashedly impressed, saying the rotating display on the Ipevo digital picture 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 digital frame offers good color reproduction and detail, and it 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 many other digital frames do.

In every review we found of the Ipevo Kaleido R7, setup 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. CrunchGear's Ha is impressed to find that firmware updates download to the Ipevo frame automatically once it's connected. Its 512 MB of internal memory is enough to store thousands of photos, and integrated memory-card slots allow for further expansion.

Earlier this year, Fujifilm rolled out a 3D digital frame, the FinePixReal 3D V.1 (*Est. $500). In a posting on the ConsumerReports.org Electronics Blog, editor Terry Sullivan says that in tests several viewers noted ghosting on photos and video. He also reports problems with eyestrain, which he thinks is due to the lack of 3D glasses. Testers compared the viewing experience with that of a Panasonic 3D HDTV (using glasses). Sullivan says images on the Panasonic HDTV "displayed very clear 3D effect with almost no ghosting at all." To view 3D photos with the FinePix picture viewer, you'll need to take photos with the corresponding 3D still camera. The picture view does also play regular photo files, though not in 3D. Another catch: availability is extremely limited.