Ceiva
Picture Frame - and PoIP...
or "How to Keep Grandma Happy
with Pictures of the Kids"
MAR-31-2000
An
electronic picture frame with a connection to the Internet?
There is VoIP (Voice over IP); now let's coin a new abbreviation
right here on the spot: PoIP - Pictures over IP. - Read on.
Taking its cue from the outrageously overpriced Sony CyberFrame,
a start-up by the name of Ceiva Logic in West Hollywood, California
has gone one better with its innovative Internet appliance
device named the Ceiva Internet Connected Digital Picture
Frame. By simply plugging the picture frame into a standard
electrical outlet and a telephone jack, the Ceiva turns into
an "on line" display device that can receive digital photos
which have been uploaded to the Ceiva Web site.
There
is no keyboard, no mouse or a PC connection… just two buttons
on the back of the picture frame which adjust display brightness,
allow for switching between either displaying a single image
or cycling through a collection of multiple images, and control
manual photo downloads.
To activate the Ceiva frame, an online account is set up which
includes a user name, password and a "Buddy List", which tells
Ceiva from whom it can receive digital images. Authorized
senders can then forward and upload their digital photo's
to the Ceiva Web site; the frame does the rest of the work
by automatically calling a local access telephone number in
the middle of the night, typically between the hours of 1:00
a.m. and 5:00 a.m., to retrieve any new pictures which have
been posted to your account.
Located
within the Ceiva picture frame is a microprocessor which directs
the collection and display of the images, along with a one
MB flash memory card which holds approximately ten photo images.
When the Ceiva frame dials up the local access number in the
middle of the night, it will remove existing images on a one-for-one
first-in/first-out basis to download any new photos which
have been posted to your account. Purged photos will be stored
back on your account at the Ceiva website. There is also a
feature which allows you to lock images onto your picture
frame and not have them replaced by newer images, if so desired.
The download process takes about 4-5 minutes to complete a
full ten photo download and your connected telephone line
is obviously unavailable during this short time window.
A
manual download, during the middle of the day, can be initiated
by pressing and holding the white control button on the back
of the picture frame. Because the frame incorporates flash
memory, it can be disconnected from an AC electrical outlet
and moved to a new location without loss of the last set of
images displayed on the unit.
Additional
features include the ability to vary your slideshow interval
(through your account at the Ceiva website) and a capability
to customize images by adding captions and turning photos
into postcards. The Ceiva presently comes in only one color,
black, although Ceiva has indicated that a wide array of colors
and picture frame finishes will be coming soon.
The
picture frame screen is a passive-matrix LCD which measures
approximately 5" X 7". Ceiva released the product on-line
on January 24th, 2000, and is making the frame available through
their website. However, the automatic dial-in service only
works in the U.S.
Price: $249
Service fees: $2.99/month (*)
(*) associated with accessing the Ceiva
website for image downloads, and for a local access telephone
connection. $7.99/month for a toll-free (1-800) connection.
For further information and pricing updates, visit the Ceiva
Logic website at www.ceiva.com.
