From the April 30 DIGITIMES comes this news about OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) digital photo frame orders:
“In view of the estimated global demand for 20 million digital photo frames in 2008, many makers in southern China have offered lower prices to compete with Taiwan-based makers for OEM orders, but their disadvantages in inferior quality and inability to secure supplies of small-sized TFT-LCD panels renders them unattractive to international brand vendors including Phillips, Sony, Toshiba, and ViewSonic, according to industry sources in Taiwan.
Most makers in southern China used to assemble digital music and/or DVD players and thereby are familiar with image processing and modulating technologies, the sources pointed out. AS the technological barriers for stepping into making digital photo frames are not high, makers have quoted prices 5-8% lower than Taiwan-based makers to compete for OEM orders.
However, compared with leading Taiwan-based competitors such as Lead Data, Foxconn (Hon Hai Precision Industry) and Qisda, China-based makers are significantly less competitive in terms of quality, production capacity and ability to procure enough TFT-LCD panels (mainly 7- and 8.9-inch) partly due to competition from low-costs notebook PC’s and handheld devices, the sources analyzed.
Consequently, it will be hard for china-based makers to land OEM orders from leading international vendors for the time being, the sources asserted, and so the makers are currently focusing on winning orders from second-tier and small vendors, white-box brands, as well as retail channels, the sources noted.
Currently, leading Taiwan-based makers each ship 200,000 - 300,000 digital photo frames a month while the average monthly shipment volume for China-based competitors is below 100,000 units, the sources indicated. Of the estimated global demand for 20 million digital photo frames in 2008, Taiwan-based makers may collectively account for as much as 90% of shipments with China-based makers making up the remaining 10%, the sources forecast.”
Some interesting news is coming out of China-based Huawei Technologies: there are plans to launch Sim-card-enabled digital photo frames in Taiwan.
According to the DigiTimes, “Huawei has held talks with a number of telecom carriers in Taiwan, and some of the telecom operators may introduct SIM-enabled digital photo frames in Taiwan in the third quarter of this year. . . .”
Apparently, Huawei Technologies is currently in talks with several Taiwan companies and wants to launch SIM-enabled digital photo frames as soon as possible. Krunker.com tells us that “With mobile phones fast replacing home phones, it’s only natural to see more and more convergence among different consumer electronics. Combining a digital photo frame with mobile phone technology is similar to caller ID photos appearing on mobile phones themselves - except with much higher resolutions.”
Sounds like a great idea to me!
I’ve posted before about the upcoming Parrot DF7700 wireless digital picture frame, and it looks like the waiting is almost over!
CNet Reviews’ Kent German informs us that this amazing Parrot wireless digital photo frame will be unveiled at this week’s CTIA.
According to Mr. German, “. . .the Parrot DF7700 is the first digital photo frame (as least that we know of) with an integrated SIM card and dedicated phone number. The phone number will allow you to send photos directly from your camera phone to the DF7700.”
The Parrot DF7700 wireless photo frame comes in both black leather or brown leather. The 7-inch display features 720 x 480 pixels, and supports 262,000 colors. Various features include adjustable backlighting and automatic photo orientation. This frame can hold up to 500 images in JPEG or GIF format, and when you use the wireless features, the number of pictures are, of course, unlimited.
Still no price available, but by this time next week, Parrot is sure to disclose it.
Blogroll, Bluetooth, Industry News, LCD Display (general), Perfect Gift, Products, Wireless Photo Frame, Wireless Photos, Wireless Picture Frames, Wireless Remote, Wireless/Digital Photo Frame
The 8-inch Sharp digital photo frame isn’t a new one - it came out last year - but it’s one of the few digital frames that lets you use pretty much any standard 8 x 10 picture frame. This enables you to give your digital photo frame a look that most other wireless/digital picture frames can’t give, yet. You can dig out that sterling silver engraved 8 x 10 picture frame Aunt Frances gave you when you got married, and actually put it to use!
With its 800 x 600 resolution and bright, clear LCD screen, the Sharp digital picture frame is ideal for home use, or for use by a business, school, hospital, nursing home, library, or any other place that might utilize a wireless/digital photo frame, which, in my opinion, is everywhere.
The Sharp 8-inch digital picture frame comes with a 1 GB memory card, a wireless remote, a USB cable, and a 12V adapter. It’s ready to go, pretty much out of the box! You don’t need to own a computer to use it, either; it’s compatible with most memory cards and sticks. This fact makes the Sharp digital frame a perfect gift for a grandparent or any person who doesn’t own a computer. This digital frame will showcase your JPEG, AVI, WMA, Mp3, and Mp4 files.
On Amazon, right now, the Sharp digital picture frame is only $169.00.
