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Not just a pretty picture

January 11, 2009 11:14pm
by Chris Nuttall

HP Smart Display@CES, Las Vegas - One significant trend to frame and hang on the wall from the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show, which ends today, is the increasing sophistication of digital picture frames (DPFs).

Wireless connectivity and high-performance multimedia processors are beginning to give them functionality far beyond the usual digital slideshows of family snaps.

Chumby, which streams widgets of information and video over its own custom device, showed off a reference design for advanced digital photo frames that would use wi-fi and media and application processors from Samsung and Marvell.

New applications promised include photo and video sharing via social networks, multimedia messaging, games, Internet radio, animation, video clips, constantly streaming news, weather information and RSS feeds.

HP also introduced its 8-inch Smart Wi-Fi Display. It too will link up with online photo-sharing sites to pull photos from the internet, play internet radio and serve news and weather information. The HP product is closer to fruition - it should be available this spring for around $180.

Digital picture frame sales grew 171 per cent in 2007 but, while unit volumes grew this past holiday season, revenues declined due to steep price drops, according to the NPD research firm.

Around 40 per cent of US homes with broadband want DPFs with networking options, according to a survey by the Parks Associates research firm.

So wi-fi and this new sophistication should satisfy consumers’ demands as well as giving a much-needed boost to average selling prices for manufacturers.

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January 11, 2009 11:14pm in Consumer Electronics, Digital media, Hardware | Comment

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