Amazon's first digital photo frame uses Alexa to pick and group pictures from Amazon Photos. It costs $199 and has a microphone built in.
Amazon has launched its first digital photo frame, the Alexa Photo Frame. It has a 10-inch screen and is available now for $199. Instead of making you pick pictures, it uses Alexa+ to sort through your Amazon Photos and choose ones it thinks you will like.
Amazon wants the frame to look like a real printed photo, not another glowing screen. It uses a semi-matte, anti-glare display, and light sensing lets it adjust to how bright or dark the room is. A Gizmodo reviewer said that at first glance it was hard to tell apart from real framed photos placed next to it.
Alexa+ also groups photos. That could mean two pictures of your kids at different ages side by side. Amazon says it looks for photos where "you're smiling, and the lighting is right," or ones that "match the season you're in." You choose which people to feature, and the frame syncs on its own, so the mix keeps changing.
The black frame costs $199. The birch and walnut versions are real wood and cost $229. The voice note feature could suit a gift for a parent or grandparent, as long as they are comfortable using it.
The frame has a built-in microphone, which is how the voice commands work. If it sits in a living room or bedroom, that is worth thinking about. The material does not say whether the microphone can be switched off, so check the settings and details before you buy or place it.
Amazon also announced the Echo Show 16, a smart display. Amazon says it is 40% thinner, with 10% more viewing area and 20% more computing power. It has a new 13-megapixel wide-angle camera, which Amazon says extends the range of Visual ID from eight to 13 feet. It also adds night vision.
It has three new Screen Styles: Smart Home, Family Organizer and Photos. It costs $499 and ships later this year, but pre-orders get $100 off.
The Alexa Photo Frame can pick your best Amazon Photos on its own, but its microphone means it is worth choosing its spot carefully.
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