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Digital photo frames - which ones should you choose?
Used for years by set designers on science fiction films as visual shorthand to indicate a 'house of the future', electronic photo frames are now cheap enough for anyone to afford and enjoy. Rob Beattie looks at what goes into a perfect 21st century portrait
The concept is simple. Take a small flat screen (typically between seven and 10 inches across the diagonal) which includes a slot for the kind of memory card used by a digital camera for storing photos.
Plug it into the mains, pop in the card and sit back as the frame cycles through the pictures in a slideshow until you switch it off again.
Most frames offer simple controls that allow you to adjust the brightness and contrast, as well as specifying how long each photo stays on the screen before bringing up to the next.
More upmarket models may add extras like a USB connection (so you can transfer photos straight from a PC), a VCR-style remote control, or the ability to play back MP3 music files to accompany the photos like a soundtrack.
Also some frames play back videos and a few are even Wi-Fi enabled, allowing them to display pictures you have stored on an online photo service, such as Flickr (www.flickr.com) through a wireless broadband connection.
Naturally, there are one or two things to watch out for. First, manufacturers routinely create frames that are larger than the actual screen, so it looks as if you are getting more picture for your money.
Although widescreen frames look more elegant, unless you are taking photos in that format, they will either put black bars down the sides of your pictures or squash them, making everything look a bit dumpy.
And if your chosen frame doesn't have built-in memory, you will need to keep the card plugged in order to display photos. If possible, you should always take a card with some photos into the shop, to check the quality of the display for yourself.
Although bulkier than some others, Kodak's Easyshare digital picture frames (www.kodak.co.uk) are good quality. They come in various sizes from seven to 10in and include speakers, plus the ability to play back MP3 music files. Also worth a look is the the Samsung SPF72H (www.samsung.co.uk), in stylish brushed steel.
Among the more gimmicky frames, we like the Mustek PF-E150 travel clock sold by Amazon, which adds a 1.5in LCD screen to the usual alarm clock features.
Always remember that many modern TVs include a slot for a memory card so you can display photos directly onto the big screen. Likewise, all laptops have a slideshow feature which you can always use as an alternative.
