Kodak EasyShare SV-710 (8370181) Digital Picture Frame

Do my eyes deceive me, or are my pictures moving?? Don't worry, no double vision eye tricks! The newest craze and fad in the digital world is digital picture frames!

For years we have had to live with only seeing our digital images in the computer, as screensavers and slideshows, or if you have a tv that is JPEG compatible. But now, you can have your digital camera snap shots on the fireplace mantle, on your desk, on your nightstand, on the top of the grand piano. You can give a living gift to grandparents and loved ones in a way that was not thought of when the first digital camera came on the market.


ONE HOUR PHOTO

Most of us are no longer a part of the "one hour photo" generation. If you do not have at least one digital camera in your home (we have several), then you are at least contemplating buying one. Gone are the days of having pictures in paper form all over the house. The days of photo albums and picture boxes are on their way out. But one of the most disapointing issues with digital photos is the display and storage of them. Slideshows on the computer are nice, but we all love having pictures framed around the home. We have the Kodak Easyshare SV-710 model, and it works with all of our memory cards.

Get ready for the next step forward in technology - digital photo frames. They are awesome! And while they are expensive (starting out at $99), unlike traditional photo frames that you have to buy to *fit* the picture (i.e. 5" x 7" or 8" x 10")and have basically one photo per frame, with the digital, you can have your entire memory card scroll through and show off your pictures! You can change memory cards and have variety, or you can invest in several picture frames! This is the PERFECT gift for dads, grandfathers, etc who work in an office and do not have a lot of room on their desks for multiple photo frames.

You can also have videos played as well, MP3, and all files that are JPEG, EXIF, MOV, MPEG 1 & 4, and AVI. It comes with a remote control so that you can edit your pictures, flip through them, turn the volume up and down on the built in speakers, work with the display modes, stop the picture to focus on one photo, watch your home movies, listen to music from your MP3 file, and watch slideshows. It is breathtaking. There has never been anything like it that compares. The clarity is sharp at a resolution of 480 x 234 with a 7" LCD screen. It is very bright and you can place this horizontally or vertically. You can have it sit, or hang it on the wall. It is amazing because if you have always been used to the traditional still picture frames, it is like this comes to life, almost a mini-tv. Everyone who has come over enjoys it and can't wait to buy one. It is truly a conversation piece! If you are in the WiFi community, you can also share your photos.

You can only have one memory card in at one time, and they support most cards, such as Memory Stick, Secure Digital, MicroDrive and XD, Multimedia cards, and Compact Flash. It is basically a mini computer, so anything that you can do with your laptop (within reason) you can do with this. It is a simple set up, and basically easy to get started right away. It does come with an AC Powercord, USB cable, manuals and guides, and software. You can edit with drag down on the frame itself, much like a Kodak Kiosk.


FINE LINE BETWEEN LOVE & HATE

I love being able to have my pictures scroll along with my iPod playlists..my digital cameras can not do that. Even more so, the one of a kind gifts you can create has no sky limit! For grandma, you can have songs from the oldies while pictures of the kids emerge, and they can even upload their own and add to your gift. If you have paper photos from seasons and decades past, you can either scan them to your computer and transfer, or you can connect to the pictures you already have in your files. You are not limited.

Of course, you always want to keep your hard copies. This does not replace your photo albums or memory cards, this is just an life-changing enhancement of your life and memories. I love all of the features, and the outcome of the work you put into creating the life of the frame.

However, even with that being said, the price is not ideal.. It is worth every penny, however, much like traditional photo frames that you have throughout your home, that typically range in prices of $1 ~ $20, these *start* at $99. Which means to have two or more frames in your home, you could have just bought another camera. It is a hefty price to pay to give up the paper picture era.

I think as time marches on, and more and more people purchase these, like the VCR and CD players, they will come down in price, and the investment will not be so steep. To find these on sale is like finding a treasure map! Get them while you can!

As for gift giving, you can not get anything better for under $100. Whether you are looking for something for that one person who is picky and hard to shop for (we all have one of those, who say "You don't have to get me anything" or, "Whatever you pick I know I will love"), a wedding party, even your kids who would love slideshows of their accomplishments and friends, creativity and imagination is all that you need next to the technical aspects. Once you purchase and give time & love to one digital photo frame, you will want more. They are addicting and fun!

We have nothing but joy and laughter with our frame and have not run out of space on it yet! This is an all-in-one and one-of-kind frame. You will not regret buying one!