Nextar 3.5” Photo Frame Review

I have wanted a digital photo frame to display pictures of my family and friends on my desk for a while now. I recently found a really good deal on a Nextar 3.5” frame and decided to get it. While the 3.5” screen was smaller than I originally wanted, I decided that it was too good of a deal to pass up. Now, I must say, I wish I had! This isn’t to say that there are not positive aspects, just that the negatives outweigh the positives for me.

Pros:

· Price: It was very cheap in comparison to many frames. I was able to get it online for under $30.

· Screen Size: When I first pulled the frame out of the box, I was encouraged. The 3.5” screen appeared bigger than expected and is plenty big for my small desk. A standard 7” screen may be a bit overwhelming.

· Power: The cable allows me to power the frame straight from my computer or I can use the AC – USB adapter to plug into the wall. The 3’ cable is also a nice length to allow me to place the frame anywhere on my desk.

Cons:

· Screen: While I like the size of the screen and it is nice and bright, the quality leaves MUCH to be desired. Photos from my Sony Cyber-Shot H3 look like they were taken with a $2 disposable and scanned in. Whites are completely washed out and darker colors are almost pixilated.

· Software: The software is very restrictive and gives me only two options. Play slideshow or manage images. It would be nice to have a contrast control, which I think might help the image quality.

· Adding images: This process is atrocious. Even though it comes with a USB cable, it is for power ONLY. The only way to get images onto the frame is to insert your memory card and either copy one at a time or everything from the card. This was VERY disappointing because there are many pictures I want to add that are on my computer. To get these on I will have to transfer them to a card then add them to the frame. Talk about a usability nightmare!

· Batteries: While this is not a show stopper for me, many frames offer the option to run on battery power so it doesn’t need to be plugged in at all times.

Bottom Line:

As you can tell and I already stated, I am not the biggest fan of this frame. It has a nice feel and looks good but the terrible image handling and display make it a tough choice. After using it, it certainly seems as cheap as it actually was. Maybe this is a lesson for me to look for a bit more quality and not be mesmerized by a “shiny” price tag.

Interesting Article on the economy and mortgages.

An economist argues that mortgage modification programs discourage people from working.

read more | digg story

Windows Live Family Safety

Windows Family Safety is a home computer monitoring service that allows you to control everything from keyword filters (to block inappropriate content in searches and websites) to access controls.  It is quite a powerful program that gives parents some peace of mind when allowing their children to use the computer on a regular basis.  The main features offered by Family Safety include:

• Content Filtering: This feature allows you to set separate filters for each child based on content you do not want the children to see online.  This is basically a keyword monitor that restricts access to searches and sites with inappropriate content.
• Activity Reports:  This feature lets you see all computer activity for each child.  It provides a good high overview that can be drilled down if necessary. 
• Contact Management: This feature allows you to set restrictions on who your child can chat with, email, or interact with on their blog.  This has one major flaw however, this control is limited to the Windows Live products (Messenger, Live Spaces, Mail, etc.).  While there are certainly ways to keep your kids from using other services, it may be a bit naive to think they couldn’t get around a feature this limited.

As a user, I certainly have reservations about content controls, but, as a parent, some of these tools will prove to be invaluable.  Now, in my opinion, there is a fine line that must be walked here.  The Internet provides a great repository of knowledge and potential for learning.  I know I am a more rounded individual based on the knowledge I have had access to and chosen to gain from using the Internet to my advantage and I want to make sure my kids have the same opportunities.  I am certainly less about control and more about monitoring.  A product like this will give me the opportunity to keep an eye on my kids and their activity and inform me where I may need to intervene.  The idea of many of these control features put too many restrictions on access and “dumb down” the potential that is available.  As my kids get older, I look forward to helping them harness the knowledge potential available to help them grow. 

Until next time…

Cozi.com Family Calendar

A quick walkthrough of a nice calendar application, Cozi.

Nokia N97

Nokia unveiled the latest breed of pocket pc/smart phone with the announcement of the Nokia N97 at Nokia World today. The phone, which is set to come to market summer 2009, combines many of the most desired features of the current heavy hitters. The large beautiful screen promises to provide a seamless touch screen display that allows you to create a mobile computing experience second to none. The inclusion of an onscreen keyboard and a full QWERTY slide out keyboard is sure to please all the typing critiques alike. A first look the N97 looks like it will have a feature set backed by Nokia quality that I think will prove to gain a quality following of users. This is yet another product in the trend of pocket computing. I’m sure this phone will be hyped just as the others were but only time will tell how well it will perform. Stay Tuned…