Digital photo frames are not a new concept; there have been numerous LCD models on the market for years. E INK frames? There are hardly any options available for the English-speaking crowd. Most of the low-cost content originates from China, and the apps are not readily accessible, which is how you load pictures onto them. Does this mean that people in the Western world have no options? Not quite, there are a few options available.
Frame Labs is a European company, and they developed three different frames in late 2020. They use E INK Carta technology. The frames are constructed from black anodized aluminum and can be installed in either landscape or portrait mode. E Ink only draws power when the image changes, and the company has stated that the battery is good for 7,000 image changes before needing to be recharged with a Micro USB cable. To change images on the frame, simply use a free web app, which makes it easy and intuitive to load pictures from your computer. They have three different screen sizes. The 6-inch model features a resolution of 800 x 600 with a pixel density (PPI) of 166. This one retails for 349.00€. The next one features a 9.7-inch E Ink display with a resolution of 1200 x 825 pixels and 150 PPI. This one retails for 449.99€. The 13.3-inch variant, which is the largest one they sell, features a resolution of 1600 x 1200 pixels and a pixel density (PPI) of 150. You can buy it today for a staggering 899.00€
Ionnyk is the best-looking and premium E Ink photo frame that money can buy. They have an online portal that you get access to when you purchase one of their products, which is run by Visionect, the same company that makes the meeting room displays. The company also offers its app for both Android and iOS devices. You won’t have to rely solely on loading your own images, but you’ll also get free access to 10 new art pictures per month when you purchase your IONNYK frame. Get access to an exclusive and prestigious gallery to buy limited edition photographs and add them to your private collection. They also offer a subscription program for $12.99 per month, allowing you to choose from hundreds of high-quality artworks.
There are two different models to choose from. Jane is 50cm x 40cm and made of black aluminum, with a 4:3 aspect ratio, and retails for € 1,350. Linn is the larger of the two, 100cm x 70cm, and is also made of black aluminum. The aspect ratio on this is much better, with 16:9, so you will be able to get some excellent resolution on landscape images. But you will pay through the nose, it costs a staggering 3250€.
Color E INK Frames
If you are looking for something to repurpose your Onyx Boox Nova 2 Color, Onyx Boox Nova 3 Color, Pocketbook Color, Pocketbook InkPad Color, or one of the Chinese ones, such as the iFlytek C1, you can do a few things. You can simply take it to a professional framing shop and get a really nice black wooden frame. Then, mount the reader using 3M double-sided mounting tape or another suitable method. It will look stylish in your home, and you can easily sideload hundreds of nice pictures and set a slideshow. Everything but the Pocketbook line of devices is running Android, so you can easily install Google Photos or another app to control the pictures on the screen. If you spend the $50 to $100 on a nice frame, it will look stunning in your home, using a device you already have.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.