Pandigital launches touch-screen photo frames

Keith Shaw — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:44:48 -0400

It's not just cell phones that are falling under the "touchscreen mania" brought about by the Apple iPhone. Now digital photo frames are getting into the touch-screen game. Pandigital today launched its PanTouch line of frames, which include a touch-operation interface that lets users access digital images, video clips and MP3 music by using their fingers instead of a remote control (the company includes one in case you don't want to use your fingers, or to control the frame from a distance). In case you're worried about fingerprints all over that nice frame, don't fret – the touch operation is on the matting area of the frame, which "resists fingerprints in the viewable area, so the frame always looks great," Pandigital says. The new line of frames include support for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, although this involves inserting a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth USB dongle into the frame and then transferring images this way. The frames support Google's Picasa Web Albums site, allowing them to synchronize online photos with the frame (again, through the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth dongle). The new models include a 7-inch model (128MB of internal memory, $119.99), an 8-inch version (512MB of internal memory, $169.99) and a 10.4-inch model (512MB of internal memory, $249.99). Each of the new models include a 6-in-1 memory card reader, and have standard and mini-USB 2.0 ports for direct connection to a PC or digital camera. The company says the PanTouch line of frames will be available next month at U.S. retailers.

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