Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: Nixplay Original 12 Inch WiFi Cloud Digital Photo Frame. iPhone & Android App, Email, Facebook, Dropbox, Instagram, Flickr, Picasa (W12A)

Top positive review

176 people found this helpful

Great frame and great company

ByN. Palmeron May 9, 2014

UPDATE: Upping to 5 stars (from 4) because I am really enjoying the frame overall the issues I mentioned aren't worth docking 1 star.

I bought one of these the first day it was available for sale and I was initially disappointed. The frame did not perform like the W08A I had purchased. However, after the the software update I received 5/8/2014 (version 1.7), it seems to be working well and I am now very happy with the frame, and I even ordered a 2nd one!

I have 3 suggestions for the frame.
1) Slideshows need a random playback option, and from what I read on their support forums, this is in the works.
2) I would like to be able to configure a DND time period, where the frame is asleep and the motion sensor is disabled. The reason for that is that I have one frame in my bedroom and don't want it kicking on during the night for any reason (and I am too lazy to turn it on/off manually everyday).
3) I would like higher resolution screen (comparable to a retina iPhone's PPI).
I'd actually edit my rating to 5 stars if the first 2 are addressed.

Also, this frame has VESA mounting holes underneath a slip cover on the back. Their product description does not mention that like it does for their non-cloud frame.

Finally, NIX seems like a great company that stands behind their products. The unit I ordered had one bad pixel, and after I contacted NIX, I had a new (perfect) frame in my hands the next day.

Top critical review

See all 157 critical reviews›

28 people found this helpful

Overly complex; also no app for Amazon Fire devices!!!

Byspringfield, vaon December 12, 2015

We have been using Kodak Pulse Wi-Fi frames for 5 years, so this review will mention the differences between Kodak and Nixplay. We gave a frame to each set of grandparents, and we regularly email new pictures directly to their frames throughout the year. Great way to satisfy grandparents' desire for new pictures without having to print them out and snail mail them new pictures. Kodak's service seems to have ended this year, so when Nixplay went on sale, it was time to give it a try. We purchased two of these 12" Nixplay frames plus an 8" Nixplay Edge.

Nixplay prices are virtually identical to what we paid for 10" Kodak screens 5 years ago. We figured there must have been a lot of improvements along the way. The reality is that there isn't a lot of improvement, and unfortunately I like the Kodak better overall.

Both Nixplay and Kodak let you log onto websites to upload pictures to your frames, or you can email pictures directly to the frames. But their implementations are different. Kodak's version was pretty basic, but it did everything we wanted very easily. When I wanted to add a picture, I would just email the picture to the address assigned to the Kodak frame, and I would put whatever I wanted for a caption as the subject line of the email. Within 10-15 minutes, the new photo would show up on the screen at the grandparents' house with my caption (caption could be turned on or off through Kodak's touchscreen interface).

Nixplay has modeled their service after a photo sharing site, but it frankly doesn't work very well for 90% of people who just want to upload pictures to a frame easily and let the collection of pictures grow. Nixplay's approach is customizable by allowing (forcing?) you to group your pictures into albums and playlists (aka slideshows). The idea is you can choose which playlist you're in the mood for watching. Perhaps that is appealing to someone, but I see no use for it, and it comes at a cost of taking a very simple process and complicating it. It allows you to manage photos and have flexibility in what is displayed, but I personally have no interest in managing photos, and it means photos can and do get lost in the shuffle.

General procedure: When you want to upload a bunch of pictures from a computer, you have to first create at least one album and one playlist, then upload the pictures to the album. Next step is to select pictures from that album and copy them into a playlist. You cannot upload the pictures directly to a playlist by design. No idea why. At some point, you need to publish the playlist to your frame.

If you later add new pictures to your album, it doesn't update the playlist. After you add new pictures, you need to go into the album, select ONLY THE NEW PICTURES, and drag them onto the correct playlist. If you try just dragging all the pictures in an album into the playlist, then you would have two copies of all pictures (except the new ones).

Nixplay allows directly emailing pictures to frames, but again they have complicated it. By default, you have to add friends through the website before they are allowed to email to your frame. And somehow that email has to be tied to the proper playlist, or the pictures will be received and saved, but won't be shown. You can specify which album and playlist you want the emailed picture to go to if you know (and remember) the names of the album and playlist. You do this by adding AL = and PL = statements into the subject line of the email, but if someone actually does actively manage the frame, sending to an inactive playlist could mean that you picture is never displayed. I don't believe there is a way for adding a caption to a picture you are emailing, which is a shame, as that often was a fun part of emailing pictures to the Kodak. (Please comment if anyone knows a way to do that.)

Nixplay also allows for connection with various online sites like dropbox, flickr, Facebook,... I'd list them here, but Nixplay doesn't publish a list on their website. Sounds possibly useful, but from user tales from their support site, getting photos to the frame isn't automatic. More management of photos is necessary. Even if it is possible to make the transfer automatic, I'm not sure I really want everything I post to automatically go to the parents' frame.

One nice feature that Nixplay did add is a motion sensor so the frame doesn't keep playing to an empty room. Both Nixplay and Kodak allow you to set a time for the frame to turn if at night and back on in the morning.

Finally, Nixplay's lack of touchscreen is a little disappointing, but there are positives. Nixplay uses a remote control instead of a touchscreen. It also has buttons on the back of the frame which you can use if you don't hang it on a wall. The touchscreen is nice because it's always there, and the slideshow goes past a picture you want someone to see, you can just touch the screen to get it back. Positives for non-touchscreen: brighter, clearer picture, and cost of screen is lower. Also, if you're sitting at a table or on a couch, the remote is convenient, provided it doesn't get lost.

Oh, and even though Nixplay seems to rely on Amazon for distribution and payment, the Amazon app store doesn't have the Nixplay app! That means that you can't use it with Amazon Fire tablets or phones. Not a huge loss. The android app on a Samsung phone sites allow you to upload pictures with captions, but it is very basic. You can still email pictures from your device if everything is set up right, but you can't add captions.

Basically Nixplay is a nice frame hampered by an overly ambitious and complicated interface. It is workable, but here is no reason a Wi-Fi frame should be this complex. At the very least, they should have a "Grandparents Mode" enabled by default which would allow a simple way to have a frame that people far away could add pictures to, without having to have anyone manage it, and without the multiple steps required to add pictures through the website. Kodak's simple method would be a good example for them to follow.

If you find this review helpful, please vote for it. I've spent way more time on it than I should have, and I hope someone benefits from it.

Sort by:

Filter by:

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

After hard set up, stopped working after 4 months of use.

ByChristie Lynnon March 28, 2016

Verified Purchase

I purchased this item for my mom for Christmas last November & it was hard to set up, requiring a reset, which the instructions on how to reset are difficult to find. But I finally did get it up & running & it is has been great. Until yesterday when it stopped working after a power loss & is stuck on the Nixplay arrow logo. Plugging & unplugging the power cord, trying to reset a thousand times with a paperclip & pushing the power button for hours now. Not happy. I want to throw this thing out the window.

0CommentWas this review helpful to you?YesNo

Four Stars

ByDawnon March 27, 2016

Verified Purchase

Has been working great

0CommentWas this review helpful to you?YesNo

Five Stars

ByAmazon Customeron March 22, 2016

Verified Purchase

I love it. Enjoy looking at my pics on this frame

0CommentWas this review helpful to you?YesNo

Doesn't work.

ByM Varenhorston March 14, 2016

Verified Purchase

Cannot complete the set up as the device will not stay connected to my Wi-Fi. The troubleshooting section for connectivity issues on the nixplay website was of no use.

11 commentWas this review helpful to you?YesNo

Five Stars

Bystinaon March 10, 2016

Verified Purchase

amazing gift for my parents they love it!

0CommentWas this review helpful to you?YesNo

it's a wonderful idea and a great way to share photos

Bysavenergyon March 9, 2016

Verified Purchase

My Mom loves it! Everyone in our family has uploaded pictures. The navigation is a bit cumbersome at first but once you figure it out, it's a wonderful idea and a great way to share photos!

0CommentWas this review helpful to you?YesNo

12 Inch is Fantastic to fill and empty space

ByAmazon Customeron March 9, 2016

Verified Purchase

Ordered the 8-Inch (now at the Grandparents across the country) but the 12 is so much better. We have it in our most active area of the house, the kitchen and its awesome seeing all our family holidays and daily lives in the past. Set it up for everyone in the house to contribute too and its so easy.

0CommentWas this review helpful to you?YesNo