Picture frames had not changed much over the many centuries until computers revolutionied how you display your photographs. No longer are you restricted to just one photograph per frame, you can even take your digital frame with you where ever you may go. Simply take a photograph on your cell phone, digital camera or webcam and connect your device to the digital photo frame. Many frames feature even memory chips that save your pictures right into the digital photo frame, freeing up your device for other projects. Other devices invite you to store your pictures on secure servers on-line.
Digital photo frames come in a variety of sizes up to 20 inches. You can even clip the smallest digital picture frames to your keychain. Most digital photo frames use jpg format, although some manufacturers now allow for GIF and other formats. The finest digital frames use sophisticated software that allows you to run a slideshow or to add special features like wipes and captions.
Most seven-inch digital picture frames display images at 480 x 234 pixels. These images may be stretched to fit the screen, so do expect some problems with aspect ratios. For best results, check the digital picture frame image to be sure the device has not stretched the picture sideways. If it has, crop the picture with the digital frame stretches your subject in a complimentary way. Other images may appear pixilated, or "boxy", due to problems with resolution. Some digital picture frames put a black border around images or crop pictures.
The digital photo frame market has exploded with new and exciting products. Several major companies now offer digital frames, including Kodak, Sony, Polaroid and Ceiva. The frame is actually a simple, self-contained computer. Each frame contains a CPU, or Central Processing Unit, memory, a modem to connect to the internet, a display and some controls, like brightness and an on / off switch. These small memory chips or computers uses an operating system similar to those used in PDAs and electrical-testing units.
In 2008, some digital picture frames manufactured in China and in Hong Kong were infected with a Trojan horse virus on the product's internal memory card storage units. There have been no notable security threats with digital photo frames since this incident. Digital frames are now safe, secure and perhaps the easiest way to display all the photographs and still-frames of your life
