Global demand for digital photo frames still growing, says AUO vice president

Susie Pan, Taipei, and Yvonne Yu, DIGITIMES had this to say about the immediate future of digital picture frame sales:

Although the outlook for digital photo frames has been conservative in 2009, global demand is steadily growing by an estimated annual rate of 20-30%, according to Chun-ting Liu, senior vice president of AU Optronics (AUO).

Due to the global economic downturn, small- to medium-size panel makers trimmed digital photo frame panel shipments for 2008 and turned conservative for 2009, market sources noted, while adding that panel makers were really optimistic about the digital photo frame panel market in 2008 and expected the market to reach 20-25 million units as digital photo frame shipments in 2007 increased to over 10 million units from 2-3 million units in 2006.

With digital photo frame being a popular choice for gift, small- to medium-size panel makers believe that demand for digital photo frames will remain stable during the year-end holidays despite the uncertainty of the market in 2009, the sources said.

Digital photo frame panel shipments are estimated to reach 17.41 million units in 2009, according to Digitimes Research.

Hands On with HP’s DreamScreen

Tom Spring, at PCWorld.com, has posted an article about HP’s new limited-wireless DreamScreen digital picture frames; he’s not entirely convinced, but we’ll let YOU be your own judge of it:

HP is taking the digital photo frame to new heights with its HP DreamScreen line of smart displays that do way more than just let you browse pretty pictures. The DreamScreen, announced Wednesday, is a beautiful smart display that comes in two sizes (10- and 13-inches diagonally). They link wirelessly to the Internet and can display pictures, five-day weather forecasts, Facebook friend updates, and the Pandora music service. The displays also can be linked to your desktop so you can easily put multimedia content directly on them.

Available today online, the HP DreamScreen will run you $250 for the 100 model and $300 for the 130 model. HP says DreamScreens will be in brick-and-mortar retail stores on October 11.

I checked out the HP DreamScreens last night at an industry event in New York and wouldn’t exactly call them a “dream.” The DreamScreen may look like slick tablet computers that people have been salivating for, but these are just very expensive and very smart displays that lack the key features — such as a touch screen interface and true portability — that could make them breakthrough products.

I’ll get into my beefs with DreamScreen after I break down the specs.

A Digital Photo Frame to Die For

The 130 DreamScreen model has a 13.3-inch display that offers a 16:9 ratio and a resolution of 800 by 480. The 100 unit has a 10.2-inch diagonal display. Both units sport 2GB (1.5GB usable space) of memory, have two USB ports, headphone output for external speakers, built-in stereo speakers, ethernet jack, and a 802.11 b/g wireless antenna. Both units have built-in 6-in-2 card readers that can accept CF and SD cards.

The USB port allows you to connect a thumb drive or external hard drive. The DreamScreen can also play videos (MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4, H.264) and music (MP3, WMA, AAC, WAV). Software for a PC allows you to add content to the frame.

You navigate the device using a tiny remote control or via controls built into the hardware. Applications include access to HP’s SnapFish online photo service; a custom version of Facebook for viewing friends, status updates, and photos; access to Pandora music streaming service; HP’s own HP SmartRadio service; and a clock.

The DreamScreen some with wall mounts on the back or can be set on a table. It lacks a battery, so it must stay plugged in at all times.

What’s Not to Like?

My biggest beef with the DreamScreen is that you want it to be a touchscreen device — and it’s not. Last night, nearly everyone who looked at the DreamScreen tried to touch the screen to navigate it. The DreamScreens run an embedded version of Linux that lacks the ability to do much more than run pre-canned HP applications specially designed for the devices. Right now, there are only eight applications, though HP representatives say that number could be expanded soon.

I like the idea of having a limited functioning device, but some basic functions are missing. You can’t check e-mail or browse news headlines, for example. I get that HP is not just creating a touchscreen computer with this device; if I wanted one of those, I could plop down $1400 for HP’s TouchSmart IQ800t. However, I still craved an RSS display and simple messaging notification (be it e-mail, SMS text, or IM). Okay, so responding to messages would be an issue on the DreamScreen, but at least you’d know new messages were there.

Also lacking from the DreamScreen is the capability to view Web-based video content from services such as YouTube and Hulu. E-mail, video, and RSS feeds would all be possible without having to embed a full-fledge OS into the device if HP decided to give the DreamScreen a simple browser. It didn’t.

Another missing feature is the capability to stream video and auido files from your PC, which would eliminate the need to run them locally on the DreamScreen. Ideally you’d be able to navigate libraries of content on your desktop PC or NAS device and playback through the DreamScreen. Right now you can’t.

Another temptation with this device is to pick it up as if it were a sleek portable tablet. Want to take that video you’re watching into the kitchen? You can’t do it without unplugging the device. Even if you don’t mind plugging it in everywhere you go, the DreamScreen sports some bulky hardware on its backside, making it less than ideal for porting from room to room. Once you find a home for this unit, it will most likely stay there.

Now, I’m not going to be popular with HP’s Ameer Karim, director of product marketing. On Wednesday night he told me people just don’t want this type of functionality I want from the DreamScreen.

I readily admit I may be suffering from Apple tablet envy, where I think that everything that kind of looks like a tablet should be a table. But the DreamScreen, for me, is stuck in tablet purgatory. It’s not quite the tablet I want it to be and too expensive to justify as a replacement for the digital picture frame I never use.

Sanyo Launches Latest Albo Digital Photo Frame

I’ve posted before about Sanyo’s Albo Digital Picture Frames, and now, Sanyo has a new one!

Sanyo’s newest Albo digital picture frame, which will be on the market by October 8, is a classically lovely piece of practical art!

This new Sanyo digital frame isn’t wireless, but it’s a fine quality frame nonetheless. The 7-inch screen has a resolution of 800×480 pixels, plays your videos as well as your digital pictures, and will also play your favorite Mp3’s.

The Sanyo Albo digital picture frame has 500 MB of internal memory, and is also compatible with your camera’s SD card and almost any memory stick.  It also supports infrared connectivity for transferring photos from mobile phones easily.

The newest Sanyo Albo digital picture frame’s price will be approximately 15,000 Yen ($ 165).

TOSHIBA BRINGS HIGH STYLE AND INNOVATION HOME WITH NEW DIGITAL MEDIA FRAMES FEATURING Wi-Fi® CONNECTIVITY

Home Theater Forum has posted a great article about Toshiba and Thinking Screen Media’s FrameChannel:

Through its partnership with FrameChannel®, Toshiba’s Digital Media Frames deliver digital personalized content including weather, news, sports and photos

Atlanta — September 9, 2009 — Toshiba America Consumer Products L.L.C. (“Toshiba”), a market leader in home entertainment products announced cutting-edge advancements for today’s connected home. Taking photo sharing to new heights, Toshiba’s Digital Media Frames deliver real-time information through its partnership with FrameChannel®, such as personalized weather, traffic, and sports scores as well as music and video to any room in the connected home.

Toshiba is creating a new trend-setting product category with its new Digital Media Frame models. Picture the possibilities of a fun, interactive product that not only displays photos but also makes it possible for users to automatically share priceless memories with friends and family anywhere in the world thanks to FrameChannel®. Simply set up a FrameChannel® account and upload images or link favorite photos, music and videos from popular sites like Flickr®, Photobucket®, and Facebook®. Friends and family can stay updated with new photos when their frames are connected to the account.

“Toshiba is dedicated to creating innovative and entertaining products to enhance the needs of today’s connected home,” said Jodi Sally, Vice President of Marketing, Digital A/V Group. “Through Toshiba’s partnership with FrameChannel®, our new Digital Media Frames allow the user to not only display and share photos, but also customize their frame with personalized digital content, all in one sleek package.”

Not Just a Photo Frame

The feature-packed channels available through Toshiba’s FrameChannel® partnership can be customized to an individual’s passions. Currently there are over 1000 free channels to choose from in 19 categories with selections like People.com, Men’s Tennis, 3-Day Forecast, Stock Quotes and Facebook®, to name a few. Users can subscribe to their favorite channels and their Toshiba Digital Media Frame will automatically update with real-time information.

“FrameChannel® was created to provide a wide range of personalized content to the next generation of digital devices,” said Alan Phillips, co-founder and CEO of Frame Media. (FrameMedia is now called Thinking Screen Media) “With over one thousand current channels, FrameChannel® subscribers can find virtually anything they’re looking for and Toshiba’s new Digital Media Frames take this market to the next level with their intuitive interface and great looking design.”

In a true function meets fashion manner, Toshiba’s tradition of high-gloss design and brilliant screens adorn the frames; Toshiba’s Digital Media Frames offer rich, vibrant, high-resolution screens that make photos pop with crisp color. A tilt senor automatically adjusts to view photos in portrait or landscape formats when the frame is turned on. Easy-to-navigate home screens boast touch sensitive controls that light up when pressed. Home screens are customizable with a calendar, clock and streamed online feature channels to match personal interests and hobbies.

The new Digital Media Frames were announced at House Beautiful Magazine’s Kitchen of the Year in New York City, an event celebrating the intersection of dining, entertaining and design. Kitchen of the Year is an ideal venue to showcase how Toshiba’s Digital Media Frames can seamlessly bring engaging content to every room of the digital home.

Toshiba’s Digital Media Frames come in two sizes – 8-inch frames available in black (DMF82XKU) or white (DMF82XWU) with an acrylic front finish and eye-catching reflective trim and black 10-inch frames (DMF102XKU) offering a striking faceplate design and a slim profile.

Pricing and Availability:

Digital Media Frames

White 8-inch Frame, DMF82XWU (currently available, MSRP $179.99)

Black 8-inch Frame, DMF82XKU (currently available, MSRP $179.99)

Black 10-inch Frame, DMF102XKU (currently available, MSRP $229.99)

About Toshiba America Consumer Products, L.L.C.

Toshiba America Consumer Products, L.L.C. is owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, a world leader in high technology products with subsidiaries worldwide. Toshiba is a leading manufacturer of a full line of home entertainment products, including flat panel TVs, Hi-Definition Blu-ray Disc players, TV/DVD Combination products and portable devices. Toshiba America Consumer Products, L.L.C. is headquartered in Wayne, New Jersey. For additional information, please visit www.tacp.toshiba.com or www.toshibatv.com.

Important Notes:Wi-Fi® can be used to connect to FrameChannel® and Picasa™ services.

Use of FrameChannel® or Picasa™ services for uploading requires a personal computer and a

working Internet connection. To receive FrameChannel® or Picasa™ services on your Digital

Media Frame, you need a working Wi-Fi® connection. These services are provided by

third-parties and are subject to change or discontinuation without notice. Toshiba makes no

warranties, representations, or assurances about the content, availability or functionality of third

party services.

DRM-protected files cannot be played back. For supported storage media and file format types,

please refer to owner’s manual at www.tacp.toshiba.com

1GB (gigabyte) = 230 = 1,073,741,824 bytes. Available storage capacity will be less.

Facebook is a registered trademark of Facebook Inc.

Flickr is a registered trademark of Yahoo!, Inc.

FrameChannel is a registered trademark of Frame Media, Inc.

Wi-Fi is a registered mark of the Wi-Fi Alliance.

All others are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.