Sony’s getting ready to release a Digital LCD Frame in October, just in time for Christmas.  The DPF-D72N/BQ Digital LCD Frame will feature a 7” LCD WVGA display and a 800×480 resolution.  It will sport 1GB of internal memory to hold your photos.  It is able to work with most of the popular memory card formats and it is also able to receive files via a USB port. 

Features include Auto Rotation and Auto Resizing, which will make it easy to show your photos in optimal resolution!  Other features are a clock, calendar, and several different view modes!  When it does hit the market, expect to pay around $150 for this unit.

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a wireless N router that side-kicks as a Digital LCD Frame AND has a network attached storage (SAN).  Due to debut at Comex in September 2009, this is by far one of the fanciest wireless routers out there. 

The Digital LCD Frame sports a 3.2 inch LCD screen and allows for streaming of photos, weather, financial news, download speeds, etc.  The NAS will allow you to attach a 2.5 inch SATA hard drive to the router and share the data/music/photos/etc. among the computers that are attached to your home network AND you can use FTP to share the files over the internet. 

Ready for more?  Well, the router has a built-in BitTorrent client that allows you to download directly to the NAS and it sports a UPnP server for streaming videos to the computers and/or game consoles that exist on your home network. 

This Router/NAS/Digital LCD Frame unit will sell for $399.

If you are new to the digital LCD frame marketplace and are overwhelmed by all the features that are provided by these digital LCD frames, or if you are not even sure what some of these features are (resolution?  Doesn’t that mean firm determination or something?), then you have come to the right place.  I’m a techie myself, and maintain several tech related blogs, and I have written down in plain, simple English, 11 things that you must look for in a digital LCD frame.  So I hope that I have done a good job of it and that you have benefited from this article. 

Things to look for when shopping for a digital LCD frame:

1. Screen size.

The screen sizes for a digital LCD frame currently varies from 5 inches to 19 inches.  This is measured diagonally from from the top corner to the bottom corner of the screen.  The screen size does not include the surrounding frame.
 
2. Resolution.

The resolution is a number that represents the number of pixels that can be displayed in a given area.  You want to go for the higher resolution, as this means a better picture quality. 

3. Aspect ratio.

The aspect ratio of a digital LCD frame is the ratio between the width and the height of the display.  HDTV has an aspect ratio of 16:9 for example.  That means that for every 16 units of width, there are 9 units of height.  Regular TV aspect ratio, and digital cameras use aspect ratio of 4:3.  In other words, the 16:9 aspect ratio is wide screen while 4:3 is “regular” screen. 

4. Shows photos AND videos AND plays music?

There are a few digital LCD frames out there than can show videos and play MP3 songs.  This comes in handy and it might be the wave of the future.

5. Does the digital LCD frame have Wi-Fi (wireless)? 

Wi-Fi digital LCD frames are new in the market, and while it is not an absolute must to have Wi-Fi, it sure opens a lot of doors for some creative fun!  For example, one can use a digital LCD frame to subscribe to an RSS feed or a flickr.com account and as new photos are added, they are displayed on your digital LCD frame instantly!  How cool is that?

6. Supported external memory cards.

This is an important feature to look for if you own a digital camera.  There are several different kinds of memory cards and it is HIGHLY IMPORTANT to look for a digital LCD frame that supports the memory card that you use in your digital photo camera.

7. Internal memory card size:

 While the prices of external memory cards have dropped sharply over the months and years, this option might not be as important.  Currently Best Buy sells a 2GB SD card for $10.  So does it matter if the internal memory in a digital LCD frame is 1GB or 128MB?  It hardly matters, so better choose the right digital LCD frame based on other criteria, such as image resolution and price.

8. Touch screen controls?

This feature is not as important as the others, but for those of us who like to have the latest gadgets in the market, then it’s a must.  Some, not all, digital LCD frames have their controls in the screen itself.  Others have the controls on the back of the digital LCD frame or on the sides. 

9. Multiple viewing modes.

Digital LCD frames all have neat features that can add to your fun and photo viewing experience.  Some will show you one picture at a time, while others will show you a photo collage or fade the pictures as they change, etc.  If these tricks are important to you, make sure to check out what viewing modes the digital LCD frame that you have in mind can support.

10. Support of different formats.

You will find that there are a vast number of formats out there and some digital LCD frames support a few formats whereas others support a lot more.  For example, a digital LCD display can show a picture of JPEG or EXIF formats, while others can show only JPEG.

11. Auto on/off.

This feature comes in very handy.  With the Auto on/off feature, your digital LCD frame will automatically turn on or off at your requested time.  This not only saves you money, but it will prolong the life of your digital LCD frame as well. 

AKAI has recently introduced a larger than life, 15” Digital LCD Frame to the market. Its size is a big positive and it will definitely help in bringing out the details of the photos and thus make the photos more pleasant to look at. It is not full of features, which is actually a positive aspect, depending on who you are…if you are a non-technical person who just wants to have a digital LCD frame to show the photos of loved ones and photos of your vacations and your masterpieces, then this AKAI is exactly what you have asked for.

The AKAI digital LCD frame has a glossy frame that exudes elegance. Not only that, the glossiness has also been applied to the 15” screen. The build material is above average, giving this item a great first-impression.

The connections include a USB port and a mini-USB port, and card reader supports are CompactFlash, SD, xD, MemoryStick, and MMC. Further, the AKAI digital frame supports JPEG picture format, MPEG1, MPEG2, and MPEG4 video formats, and MP3 audio format.

A shortcoming of this AKAI frame is it’s lack of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. Many of the current digital frames are equipped with both of these technologies, which enable you to use your PC to download new photos to your digital frame among many other things. But again, this AKAI digital LCD frame is best for non-technical users who would have a hard time doing anything with the Wi-Fi or the Bluetooth. Think about it, would you like to explain what Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are to your 80 years old grand-mother, let alone teach her how to use them?

Another shortcoming is the lack of internal memory. That means that you cannot store your photos and videos inside the digital LCD frame itself. Instead, you have to always attach your memory card to the AKAI unit if you want to show your photos. Or you have to attach your digital camera, which is even worst. But….then again, you can give this AKAI digital LCD frame as a present to your elderly parents or grand-parents and insert a SD card full of pictures of the kids and all they have to do is turn on the digital LCD frame and enjoy the pictures. I think that is the idea behind it.

Giant International has a Digital LCD Frame that you are going to love!  It is sexy, contemporary, nicely built, but the real beauty is in the details.  What details, I hear you asking.  This Digital LCD Frame is Web TV enabled, is wireless enabled (802.11 b/g), has full Touch Screen, has wireless RSS 2.0, has internet radio, has video/audio/photo playback, has clock/calendar/alarm, has stereo speakers, has an external speaker jack, has external memory card slots, has, has has, and has more.  You get the idea.  )

The Digital LCD Frame sports a 7” 16:9 display with a resolution of 800×480.  It is listed at $229.99, but currently Amazon.com has it for $189.99 and it is worth every penny if you ask me.  I highly recommend it.

Duration : 0:9:6

Duration : 0:2:21

Duration : 0:0:22

I’ve found some great blog posts on digital frames you might like to take a look at:

• Aequitas Technologies iGala Wireless Digital Picture Frame … – Matsunichi PF8e Photoblitz 8″ Digital Picture Frame · Coby DP758 7-Inch Widescreen Digital Photo Frame · Sony 7″ Digital Photo Frame · Kodak EX1011 10 Inch WiFi Digital Picture · Smartparts 11” Digital LCD Frame, Black (SP1100B) …

• GiiNii Digital Photo Frames Blog – Digital Picture Frame DIY and … – Jessops Digital LCD Frame 8″ Hi-Resolution with clock. Posted by David Allen in Digital Frames on 10 14th, 2008 |. This digital photo frame comes in a sleek shiny black, which no matter where it is will look very cool indeed. …

1.  Nickelodeon SpongeBob SquarePants 7″ Digital Photo Frame

Imagine that!  Take that!  It’s a SpongeBob digital LCD frame and it looks awesome.  What kid would not clean their room and your room for this?  With a 7-inch LCD screen, a 16:9 aspect ratio, and a 480×234 resolution, it has great photo quality, not to mention that it shows a photo of SpongeBob in between your photos!  Add to that custom borders and overlays, and this digital LCD frame can be customized to any kid’s delight. 

2.  PF Fridge Frame Digital Photo

This is a 1.5-inch digital LCD frame that you can place on your fridge and enjoy.  It holds up to 60 photos, has automatic motion detector, kitchen/countdown timer (sooo handy), a built-in clip to hold notes, artwork, grocery lists, etc., rechargeable battery, and an alarm clock.  It’s an all-around performer.

3.  Coby 1.5-Inch Digital Photo Keychain

A digital LCD frame as a keychain?  Yes, you read that right, they folks at Coby have done just that!  It has superb photo quality and holds up to 60 photos.  You can upload photos very easily, thanks to the supplied USB cable and the accompanying software.

4.  SUNPAK SF-200-42401SL 20″ Multi-Image Digital Photo Frame

I bet that you are thinking that I chose this digital LCD frame because it has a 20-inch display!  Even though a 20-inch digital LCD frame is impressive (as I write this on a 19-inch LCD), this is not why I chose this frame.  And if big digital frames are your cup of tea, then just look for a couple of big digital LCD frames that are featured later in this post.  I chose this digital LCD frame because it is capable of showing 8 photos at once!  Yes, 8 photos at once, and since it has a 20-inch digital display, you get to see those photos in large enough size that you can actually enjoy them.  This unit is capable of displaying two 8-inch and six 3-inch photos at once.  It has an image resolution of 1024×768, which is incredible and if you own one of these, I, and a lot of others are definitely jealous.  )

5.  Sungale 7-Inch Collage Digital Photo Frame

Here’s a simple idea, but a great one.  Mix a digital LCD frame with a traditional photo frame and that’s exactly what Sungale has done.  This digital LCD frame has a 7 inch digital display and 3 regular, non-digital displays.  So while your digital display can show different photos, you can have several constant photos.  Put 3 of your favorite photos of the kids in the regular frames, and have the digital lcd frame show other photos of the kids and family.  How awesome is that?

6.  Pandigital 7-Inch Collage Digital Photo Frame

This is similar to the Sungale Collage Digital Frame above, it boasts a 7-inch digital LCD frame and 3 non-digital frames.  However, it’s more stylish than the Sungale unit, that is if you like the modern look.  This digital LCD frame is able to hold up to 1000 photos and plays video and audio as well.  And further, it comes with a 6-in-1 card reader!

7.  Smartparts 32-inch Digital Photo Frame

I told you that I was going to post about a bigger digital LCD frame in this article.  True to my words, here is a 32-inch digital LCD frame!  32 inches of awesomeness, 32 inches of beauty, 32 inches of WOW, and 32 inches of mama mia!  The Smartparts SP3200 displays photos, video, and plays sounds on a 16:9 widescreen LCD with a resolution of 1366×768.  Want to control this bad boy?  How about doing it with the supplied remote control from a 100 feet away?  For all the goodies that come with this digital LCD frame, it is a bit costly at $999.99 (now $749.99 at amazon.com).

8.  Hyundai Digital Folding Screen

This has to be the mother of all digital LCD frames.  For a cool $70K, you can buy yourself a Hyundai Digital Folding Screen with 4 large, interlinked digital LCD displays.  I, just like you, can only dream of this digital display, so let us dream…here’s a photo of it: