| Manufacturer: HP | Model: df300 Picture Frame |
| Price: $54.99 | Web: hp.com |
Whilst we get a lot of storage and server hardware through the doors of WGS to review, once in a while we also pick up some really fun kit to review.
HP’s new df300 Digital Picture Frame is one such device – a small and friendly 3.5” portable photo frame. Let’s take a look at what it’s got to offer!
What’s in the Box?
The df300 is a dinky LCD photo frame, that’s designed to be as portable as possible. It’s well presented in a branded HP box – let’s open it up.
Even the packaging suggests that this frame is designed to be given as a gift.
In the box, you’ll find the following:
- HP df300 3.5” Picture Frame
- Universal Power Adaptor
- USB 2.0 Cable
- Leather Carrying Case
- Manual & Warranty
First Looks
- The build quality of the picture frame is pretty good, given its price point. The screen is clear and its rubberised finish at the back gives the frame a feel of quality.
An integrated stand pulls out from the back of the frame to help it stand – it feels a little flimsy when extending back, but does the job well.
Anodised-aluminium style buttons at the top of the frame provide all of your controls (Power, Menu, Photo/Menu Section) and you’ll find a mini USB port for powering the unit, and an SD/MMC card slot on the left hand side for additional storage.
Small, neat and looks great.
First Impressions
When you first switch on the unit, a demo slideshow shows off the main features of the picture frame, along with a series of preloaded photos.
Even with such a small screen, photos look vivid, bright and colourful and the slideshow itself runs very snappily with a range of 6 image transitions that animate well.
Specifications
Here’s the lowdown of what’s on board:
| Screen Size | 3.5” |
| Screen Resolution | 320 x 240 pixels |
| Screen Ratio | 4:3 |
| External Storage | SD/MMC Card |
| Image Format | JPEG |
| Internal Memory | 4Mb (45 Images) |
| Image Controls | Zoom, Rotate, Brightness, Contrast, Tint and Colour Adjustments |
| Image Transitions | 6 (Normal, Random, Top to Bottom, Curtain, Open Door and Cross Comb) |
| Slideshow Speed | 5, 10, 30 seconds |
| Battery Power | 2 Hours Between Charges |
| Rechargeable | By AC Adaptor or PC USB Connection |
| Power Saving | 4 Settings (5, 10, 30 Mins or No Power Saving) |
| Dimensions | 95 x 77 x 13mm |
| Languages | English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Dutch & Portuguese |
Using the Picture Frame
Displaying images on the picture frame is a cinch – simply place a series of images on an SD card using your computer, then slide that SD card into the frame and it’ll start a slide show of those photos immediately.
Using the menu, you can copy pictures off the SD card over to the internal memory if you so wish, but with 2Gb SD cards being cheap enough to fall out of your cereal box in the morning, there’s little need.
The menu provides access to a number of basic image controls – you can Zoom into images up to 4x, rotate images and change the Brightness, Colour, Contrast and Tint on the frame’s display.
The frame’s battery lasts around 2 hours on a charge (you can keep it plugged into the mains though too) and handily, the frame can be recharged by USB when attached to your PC.
One big word of warning – the internal battery has a lifespan of just 2 years and is not replaceable. Once it’s expired, so is the photo frame – so consider this a great gift, but one with a limited shelf life.
Summary
So, the HP df300 Picture Frame is a great little frame that would make an ideal gift but is also small enough to find a place on your office desk or sideboard at home.
It’s USB connection means that you can power it from your desktop PC and have the frame displaying your favourite photos as you work.
A 2 year battery expiration is a problem, so beware if you want (or want to give) a photo frame that lasts longer than two years (the frame may continue to work on AC power however), but that aside, the df300 is a small picture frame that delivers all the basics really well.
Buy: hp.com
