PhotoShare smart frame review

REVIEW – The PhotoShare smart frame is a fun and easy way to stay connected, especially when you’re far away from loved ones.

What is it?

With the PhotoShare smart frame you can share photos from your phone, computer, social media, Google photos, and other storage services using the PhotoShare app or website. Multiple users can share images to multiple frames, helping families and friend groups stay current and connected.

What’s in the box?

• Digital picture frame
• Charger
• User manual
• Desktop stand

Hardware specs

• Package dimensions: 15.35 x 10.9 x 2.5 inches
• Item weight: 2.8 pounds
• ASIN: B07YNW2TKV
• Item model number: FSM010ES
• Sizes: 8 inch or 10.1 inch or 14 inch
• Colors: Black or espresso
• High definition 8” LED touchscreen display
• Multiple photos may be sent to up to 10 frames at once
• Works with Google photos, Amazon photos, Apple photos and other popular applications
• Photos may sent to the PhotoShare Frame via email, computer or Facebook
• 8GB of memory holds over 5000 high-resolution photos
• Accepts both SD cards and USB sticks for extended memory

Design and features

Setup

We tested the 14-inch model with an espresso frame and black matte, which is currently available on Amazon for $179.99. However, there are plenty of options, including both black and espresso frames; 8-inch, 10-inch and 14-inch sizes; as well as a two-pack of 8-inch frames available.

Right away, you can see the frame is very nice looking. It would match any home decor, from modern to traditional, even in a formal area.

First, you need to decide if you’re going to hang it on the wall like a normal photo frame or have it sit on a desk or shelf. 

We wanted ours to sit horizontally on a ledge, so we set it against the little kickstand it came with. 

Then we plugged it in and turned it on.

In order to share photos, you need to download the PhotoShare app, create an account and register. It also appears you can do this from the website, https://www.photoshareframe.com/#/register, though the instruction manual says to use the app so that’s what we did. You will need to enter your Frame ID, shown when you power on the frame. Only then, after you register, will it generate your unique email address to share photos. 

You also need to go to the touchscreen on your frame, go to settings, and click on your wifi and enter the password. Obviously, it needs to be connected to the internet to receive photos, though it does have a spot to manually upload photos from an SD or USB device.

App

The advertisements for this frame say that you can share photos with email, social media, Google photos and other storage methods. But for the most part, all roads lead to the PhotoShare app. That’s where you register and get your unique email. That’s how you upload your Google photos and Facebook photos, or download them from your device storage. 

For my family of four, it was very easy and intuitive. However, I bought this frame for my parents who live two states away and are in their 70s, and specifically for my mom. They wouldn’t be too keen on downloading an app in order to work their picture frame. My dad might be able to manage it from the website but I don’t think my mom could figure it out. Fortunately, I got it ahead of time and will have it all set up before I give it to them. But if you’re buying multiple frames in hopes of sharing photos across a group, everyone sharing photos should at least be comfortable downloading and using a simple app.

And the app is very simple to use. You click on photos to share, and click on the frame you want it to share it to, and bam. That’s it. 

Performance

Once you have it set up, it’s very easy to use. There’s a little chime on the frame when new photos are downloaded, which is a nice touch. Plus, if you’re not around to hear the chime, a display appears at the bottom to notify you that someone recently shared a new photo. Also, when you have a new user, you have to click the touchscreen to approve them before their photos appear. 

There are all sorts of fun options. 

You can include a calendar along the bottom of the frame (see photo at the very top).

You can select how fast you want your slideshow to run through photos, which photos you do or don’t want in your slideshow, and if you want certain types of transitions or just random transitions between photos.

From the app you can add captions, which is a fun way to communicate through the miles. However, you can’t control the color or placement of the captions: They are always white at the bottom center. As you can see, that works better for some photos than others.

There’s an option to turn on music, just make sure to go to the settings to turn up your volume. We tested this when we uploaded a video with sound. You could also put music files on an SD card. But I see this as a bit gimmicky. If we wanted background music, we’d just use a portable speaker designed for that. I guess it’s useful for sharing video but, at least for our purposes, the only sound we’ll use is the chime for notifications.

The internal memory of the photo frame will hold approximately 5,000 images (depending on image quality, photos are automatically resized down to the resolution of the frame and then compressed. This dramatically lowers the file size of each photo without losing quality). However, I think the real novelty of this product is being able to share photos across distances, and with mobile uploads each user is limited to 50 photos. The frame owner can delete photos from the touchscreen to make room for more. And, for us, that will be just fine. But for some photographer friends (I’m thinking of one in particular who has a new grandchild) 50 photos may not be nearly enough. 

What I like

• Nice looking design
• Easy to use
• Great concept to connect people

What I’d change

• More mobile downloads per user
• Additional options to customize photo captions

Final thoughts

It’s a great product to stay connected with loved ones, especially now when in-person visits aren’t always an option. It just requires a little bit of tech-savvy in the initial set up.

Price: On the PhotoShare website: $99.99 for an 8” frame now on sale; $119.99 for a 10” frame, also on sale. Additional options on Amazon: $179.99 for a 14” frame; $199.99 for a 2-pack of 8” frames.
Where to buy: PhotoShare Frame or Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by PhotoShare.