Now that digital cameras are standard, just about anyone can take good quality photographs at the touch of a button. With today's technology, you don't need to wait for your photos to be developed and printed, and you're not restricted by the number of exposures on a roll of film. You can take as many snaps as you can fit onto your camera's memory card, edit or delete them as you wish, and then just store them digitally. That's why most of us have hundreds or even thousands of photos stored on our computers, iPods or other digital devices.
The trouble is, all those image files on your hard drive take up a lot of valuable space. And with so many photos, how can you display the best ones without the expense of printing them all out and buying frames for them? - not to mention the question of where to put them. In the old days people used to arrange their favorite photographs in albums, and display those that meant the most to them around their homes and workplaces. Well, these days you can use digital photo frames in the same way, but with far more flexibility.
Just like conventional frames, digital photo frames are available in a wide range of sizes and styles, so you should have no problem finding models that fit your needs and lifestyle. You can display a digital frame on a table or desk, put it up on the wall, or carry one of the smaller versions with you in your purse or backpack, or attached to a keychain. The beauty of a digital photo frame is that you can load it up with many different images, and then pick which one you want to view at any given time. In that sense it works like a combination of a photo album and a frame.
To display your photographs you simply slot the memory card from your camera into the digital picture frame. Some of the latest versions also have built-in storage space that you can expand with an SD card. You can typically download images and other media onto your frame in a variety of other ways, too. Many models have internet connectivity via a USB modem or Bluetooth that allows you to access files from your email, and from RSS feeds and photo sharing sites. Others can connect to the cellular network so you can load photos straight from your cellphone. You can often also share files between different digital photo frames, as well as sending them wirelessly to a printer.
In addition to displaying your photographs, both singly and as a slideshow, many digital frames can also play video and audio files in various formats, and display text. These models are equipped with speakers, and some have a remote control for the ultimate in convenience. With the right software on board, you can hook your frame up to a DVD player or a PC and use it as an external screen. In other words, a digital picture frame is much more than just a place to store and view your family portraits and vacation snaps. With so many different capabilities it can be a true multimedia station that you and your whole family can enjoy for many years to come.
