Customer Reviews

Kodak Smart Picture Frame

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

I wanted to get a frame for my mother-in-law who is in a nursing home. Saw the ads for the Ceiva about a month ago, Kodak frame wasn't shipping, so I bought it. Played with it for 3 weeks and shipped it back, image quality was very bad (washed out) no matter how much you boosted the contrast in photoshop and it would fail in slideshow mode (just would get stuck). Ceiva web service wasn't bad. Boy, am I glad I switched. The Kodak Storybox frame is excellent. Many more features than Ceiva like the direct CF input. 3x the number of pictures, the online service has better pricing options (you don't have to pay for channels and 3rd party content if you don't use it) and best of all, the picture quality is very good. The frame automatically sets itself up and find the right phone number when you first plug it in where the Cieva ask you questions on the web site. The controls are really easy to use. I actually like the weight and stability better too. All-in-all a great product.

I also found the StoryBox service contract for the Kodak Smart Picture Frame to be confusing. You can transfer pictures to the frame using one of two methods: 1) Compact Flash Card, or 2) Via the Internet using the "StoryBox Network" - the frame uses a built-in modem to dial into StoryBox and retrieve pictures that you (or others) uploaded to the StoryBox Network.

It stated on the box that a one-year subscription was required for the frame to work. It also states this in the StoryBox terms of service agreement. The agreement specifies that a subscription to the service is necessary for the frame to work. The agreement also states that the frame needs to dial into the service every 10 days or the frame will stop working. I found this to be very unreasonable, as the recipient of this gift (my wife) owns a Kodak digital camera (that uses a compact flash card) and has no need to use the StoryBox service to get pictures to the Smart Picture Frame.

I spoke extensively with Kodak and StoryBox about this. Both admitted that, after my initial 6-month subscription (provided free with the Smart Picture Frame) to the StoryBox Network expires I could discontinue service and continue to use the frame by transferring pictures using ONLY my compact flash card.

The StoryBox website is VERY misleading with regard to this fact, while the Kodak website is very truthful and states that a subscription to the StoryBox network is only needed to share pictures to or from your frame, print pictures from the frame, and receive news, sports, etc.

Bottom line: If you have the ability to transfer pictures using a CF card, you won't need to continue to subscribe to the StoryBox service (Note: you will need to subscribe for the first free six months to activate the frame - after the free six months you can cancel with no early termination fee).

I have yet to actually use the frame (Christmas gift) but gave it three stars based upon the headache I had to go through to figure out how this thing works!

The Smartframe arrived today and took very little time and effort to set up. The picture quality is excellent, the connection time is fast, and the setup very simple. You can see the bright pictures even from side angles, and the wood frame looks elegant, not cheap. The website is easy to maneuver around and I already have pictures on my frame! I'm giving it to several as a Christmas gift. Although it is more expensive than the Ceiva, it is head and shoulders above that black overstated advertisement when you take into account the more extensive features, prettier look, and ease of use. It's definitely worth the extra dough.

I was quite amazed at the quality of this product. LCD is really bright and it looks just like other picture frames in my house. I was surprised by the self discovery feature of the frame. I took a few pictures of my daughter, and I put my CF card in the frame. Lo and behold, the frame automatically discovered my pictures an put them in a slide show - without me pressing a button. And then later in the day, it automatically sent my pictures to my web site account.

I also like the Weather and Traffic channels. It is very simple to use - I have already been sharing my pictures through this frame (it supports e-mail as well as send to another frame). I think this is a great gift for my mother.

I've had the Smart Picture Frame for a couple of weeks. The picture quality is high, the controls are simple and elegant, and the StoryBox.com customer service is fast and helpful. However there are some "bugs." First they need to make it absolutely clear that a 1-year subscription is required beyond the initial free 6 months for the frame to work at all. Second I doubt the claim that 90% of the country is covered by the StoryBox.com service provider; I live in a greater metropolitan area of 250,000 and there is no local access number. However StoryBox set me up with on 800 number after I contacted customer service. The "smart" ability to maintain the frame remotely from the web site is somewhat spoiled by the lack of a battery back-up (requiring a manual reset of the time if it loses power) and manual intervention can be required if it fails to connect to the network.

Kodak has done a terrible job marketing its Smart Picture Frame because it is the only one currently on the market that allows the user to insert a Compact Flash card filled with images and display literally hundreds of images as a slide show (time for each slide adjustable by user) which is a fact Kodak really doesn't play up in its ads for this frame. This is a great way for you and your family to have the opportunity to see all the vacation or holiday pictures without limiting the number of images to 20-24 pictures as do the other digital frames and without the time-consuming need of first uploading your images to the internet and then downloading them sometime later that night to your frame. After all, isn't one of the reasons to have a digital camera to take (and be able to see) lots and lots of pictures? The frame does not have to be connected to your computer and can be placed anywhere in the house, but does need an electrical outlet and a phone jack nearby. To send images to someone else who has a Smart Frame does require the use of the internet, as do all of the others in this category, but its operation is simple, if not time-consuming, over a dial-up connection. There is a monthly fee for the use of the frame, but I believe all of the others in this category also require such a fee. Unlike the others, the frame is made of wood which gives it a classier look. It is not the least expensive of the digital frames, but no one who comes to our house (as well as us) fails to be fascinated by the scores of ever-changing pictures.
If your primary goal is to send pictures to Grandma, any of the frames in this group will do. But if your primary goal is for you and your family to get to see all 150 of last summer's vacation pictures again, this is the best frame for that purpose.

This is an awesome frame, but there is only one problem...the StoryBox network which is required in order to send pictures via the internet is no longer accepting registrations of new frames. I recently purchased one for my mother only to find out she cant register it and thus cant use it.

The amazing thing is that no one tells you this. Even storybox.com doesnt tell you until you got to register a new frame (see for your self!!!). Storybox tells you that they are no longer accepting registrations and to contact Kodak for a refund. Save yourself the hassle and dont buy this.

I can not belive Kodak, StoryBox.com, and all of the retailers are still promoting a product that obviously has no future and can no longer be used with the Intenet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have the "non-networked" version of this frame, purchased after the demise of the Storybox network. It has a CF card slot on the side, and I just keep all my pictures on the card.

Pros: The picture quality is great - many people don't even realize it's a digital frame until the photo changes right in front of them. I keep mine in my work cubicle (securely tied to the desk via the built-in lock that works with a Kensington laptop locking cord). Everyone at my office loves it; I've gotten numerous comments about it. I used it at my wedding to display childhood pictures (showing a new photo every minute) of my husband and myself next to where our guests signed the guest book. After the wedding, I loaded 60+ of our best photos onto the CF card, brought the frame to work, put the card in the frame, and set the frame to change photos every 5 minutes. It's fun to come back from a vacation and get to load new pictures from the digital camera onto it. I love being able to have all of my favorite pictures nearby without the clutter of multiple frames. The frame displays pictures at a resolution of 640x480 and will compress or enlarge pictures if necessary, but I've found that I prefer to adjust the picture myself in Photoshop first, and then load it onto the frame.

Cons: It's hard to find one now other than on some auction sites, and they're still pretty expensive. Without the StoryBox service, it's not a great gift for anyone who's not comfortable with manipulating and transferring pictures onto the CF card.

Edited to add: It appears that somebody thought mine was really neat, because they cut through the laptop locking cord and stole it right off my desk at work in March 2003. So keep in mind that while the ability to use a locking cord is a nice deterrent, it's not infallible.

This product is an excellent idea; however, it is in my opinion being executed very poorly by Kodak.

When I received the frame and after I successfully registered the frame, it would not connect to the StoryBox network. I contacted Kodak Technical Support three times. The first time I called, they changed the number it would dial. Still it would not connect. The second time I called, they told me they were having problems with their servers and to TRY AGAIN IN A WEEK! I was incredulous; however, I did try to connect a week later without success. I called again and spoke with the Kodak representative who had told me to call again in a week. This time he changed the number from a local access number to an 800 number. Then it worked...

So, after proving that the frame worked for a week or so, I re-packaged it and sent it on to my 60+ year old parents who live about 800 miles from me.

They unpackaged the frame and connected it per the instructions and it worked exactly ONCE!!! Now, the frame once again cannot connect to the StoryBox network using the 800 number provided and set by Kodak.

I do not recommend this product to anyone. It does not provide a consistent level of performance and in my experience does not work as advertised.

Hardware is pretty good, nicest looking of the digital frame offerings. It has a narrow angle of view, which is too bad.

The real problem, and it's a major disappointment for anyone who just wanted a frame to display digital pictures, is the inability to use the frame without registering for a 6 month network service from a company called Storybox. This requirement is not only confusing and a hassle to follow through on, but is an especial liability if you have given or received the frame as a gift.

In such a case, even though the frame (and 6 month "free" network service) is already paid for, the user must supply his credit card number in order to activate the frame -- even if you do not want the service. After 6 months, the frame will operate without the service, but the user will be charged automatically, unless he calls the company proactively to cancel the service. You will not find anything about this requirement (to supply your credit card no. etc) on the box or in the user documentation.

I think Ceiva may have similar disadvantages without even being as nice looking. I didn't know about Digi-frame when I sent the Kodak to my father for Christmas. But now I'm going to look into Digi-Frame.