Reflection Frame: FirstLook
Cordless, ePaper, no WiFi needed!
The first week of the year was the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. It is also when super cool, fun, cutting-edge stuff shows up at the RainyDayMagazine office.
DPFs had pretty much plateaued about 10 years ago, but advances in electronic-paper tech (E-paper) have created a resurgence of new DPFs in the market.
E-paper
What is E-paper (electronic paper), and why is it great for digital photo frames?
E-paper is a display technology that mimics the look of ordinary ink on paper (it reflects ambient light rather than emitting its own), which makes it easy to read in bright sunlight, and is extremely energy-efficient because it only uses power to change the image.
Tiny microcapsules containing charged particles (like black and white ink) move to form images when electricity is applied. Unlike LCD, E-paper will hold the image indefinitely without power. Common uses for E-paper include e-readers, electronic labels, and digital signage. Its advantage is a paper-like experience with update capabilities.
E-paper is still too slow for tablets, computer screens, and TVs, but is colorful enough for showing static images…hence, photo frames.
The upside? No need for power when the image is not changing!!! This means these frames can be hung on a wall without a cord dangling from them!!!
Unboxing
The 13.3″ Reflection Frame came packaged in an Apple-esque box…bright white, solid construction, with a magnetic lid. You will want to keep it for storing other stuff once the frame has been removed.
Features:
- Cord-free ePaper display
- 2-year battery life between charges
- Up to 1,000 photo updates on a single charge
- No Wi-Fi, no cloud, or subscription needed
- Fully assembled 13.3″ frame,
- Second color mat,
- USB cable, and
- Instruction sheet.
The interchangeable mat attaches magnetically and is easy to swap out. With the revised edition, the mat is no longer designed for quick front-swapping. Instead, it is placed behind the wood frame,
Specs:
- Display: 13.3″ E Ink Spectra 6 display
- 1200×1600 resolution
- 5000mAh rechargeable battery
Closer look
- Frame size: 12″ x 16″ x 1″
- Image size: 8″ x 10″
The Reflection Frame comes with two color mats (olive, white). The mat is attached to the frame magnetically and is exchanged by lifting it out. No tools needed!
- Frame weight: 6 lbs
The back is screwed into the frame. The hinged horizontal and vertical hanging hooks are pre-mounted on the back. All we have to do is decide where to hang it, drive in a nail, and we should be good to go!
The connector for charging and data upload is in the back, along with a few indicator lights and a recessed reset button. The battery life of the frame will depend on how it is used, but most users can expect months to over a year of battery life per charge. The E Ink display only consumes power when updating the image, and up to 1,000 updates may be made with a single charge.
FirstThoughts
We really like the quality feel of the Reflection Frame, the ease of updating the mat, and the overall simplicity of this piece of tech.
We’ll have more about the display in the FirstUse now that we have it set up. That write-up should be done soon!!!
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