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.

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