Can digital picture frames with cloud storage work offline?
Pix-Star’s digital picture frames with cloud storage offer extensive offline functionality – but this isn’t a universally offered feature. Many digital frames – such as the Aura frame range – don’t work well without being constantly connected to Wi-Fi.
Frames that offer great offline use include features like browsable internal storage with 8GB of internal storage space, the ability to plug & play slideshows from a connected USB/SD card, and they automatically save incoming media to their relevant offline folders.
For example, Pix-Star’s digital picture frames let you start slideshows, adjust the frame’s settings, move files and folders around, delete photos from internal storage, and more – without being connected to Wi-Fi. You can play videos and audio files from connected USB/SD card devices too.
You only need to reconnect to Wi-Fi when you want to sync or update web albums, download pending photo-mail, send photos to other frames, update the frame’s firmware, and have changes made to the cloud reflect on the frame.
What are the best digital picture frames with cloud storage?
Pix-Star digital picture frames with cloud storage are some of the most versatile – and best value for money – frames on the market at the moment. With free-for-life cloud storage, automatic backups, remote control access, and the ability to link, manage, and connect up to 25 Pix-Star frames from a single user account – Pix-Star has an impressive cloud-based feature set.
Cloud storage functionality has enabled features like Pix-Star’s rather unique and popular web album feature. This function lets you import photo albums directly from your social media, photo-sharing, and online storage platforms directly to any of your connected Pix-Star frames. Additionally, linked web albums can be set to automatically update when new photos are added – and are synced & saved to all linked frames.
It’s one of the best cloud-based digital photo frames for families and elderly users. Their interface is well refined and the mobile app & web dashboard are refreshingly easy to use. Unlike many other top digital frames, there are no paywalls or optional subscription fees (yes, we’re looking at you Skylight, and Nixplay).
They’re easy to set up and offer immersive & natural viewing experiences for the whole family, letting you connect more effortlessly and intuitively with your loved ones! Pix-Star’s frames are available in either the uber-popular 10-inch version or the larger 15-inch digital picture frame.
Can digital picture frames with cloud storage be remotely controlled?
Only a handful of the best digital picture frames with cloud storage can be remotely controlled and managed. This is usually done through a supported web interface – but there are some cases where the mobile app is used (less preferably). Remote control functionality refers to the ability to adjust the frame’s settings, start slideshows, manage slideshow sources, make changes to internal & cloud storage, import photos from external sources, and more – from anywhere in the world.
Perhaps the best digital picture frame with a remote-control feature is the Pix-Star frame. You have almost the same level of control over the frame as you would use it in person. You can easily start slideshows from various sources such as photo-mail, web albums, etc. You can change between these slideshows remotely, and adjust slideshow settings on the go – no matter where you are.
All you need is an online Pix-Star frame that’s been registered on the web dashboard and access to the web dashboard via an internet browser. It’s a fantastic – and arguably essential – feature for families. It’s great for elderly users too as you can remotely display all the latest photos in customized slideshows without them having to lift a finger. You can even control which photos are synced and saved to the frame’s local storage.
Do digital picture frames with cloud storage use touchscreens?
Few good quality digital picture frames with cloud storage use touch screen displays. There are several issues common to these frames that make them a less-than-ideal choice such as reduced durability & longevity, they can be difficult to use when not well-refined, and are super-prone to scratching and taking damage from small knocks and falls.
Another major concern with touchscreen digital frames is cost. Display panels larger than 8-inches that use touch displays are significantly more expensive than their non-touch counterparts. This means that for the frame to keep a competitive price (to go against top frames like the Pix-Star price-wise), several features need to be sacrificed.
Commonly cut features include free cloud storage, a mobile app or web interface, no video or audio playback, and a generally less-perfected interface. Build quality is another area that takes a hit. If you spend any time going through reviews of popular touchscreen digital frames on platforms like Amazon, you’ll find many are directed at screen durability issues. Many of these reviews claim that the display stops working or starts experiencing issues as early as 4-months.
Do digital picture frames with cloud storage charge extra fees?
Some of the top digital picture frames with cloud storage charge extra recurring fees (usually annual) to unlock features like cloud storage (or expand the initial allotment), video & audio playback, access to the mobile app or web dashboard, and the ability to create custom playlists. Examples of frames that charge these extra fees are Nixplay (Nixplay Plus) and Skylight frames (Skylight Plus).
By contrast, other top frames like the Pix-Star and Dragon Touch digital frames don’t charge any extra fees. Pix-Star offers all the features you get with other frames that charge extra fees. Pix-Star’s features include free-for-life cloud storage, video & audio support, the ability to create custom folders, and access to both the Pix-Star Snap mobile app & each frame’s web dashboard. You can also manage & control up to 25 connected Pix-Star frames from anywhere in the world.
We don’t recommend buying digital frames that charge extra recurring or hidden fees as there are plenty of top digital frames that offer the same features – or better – but don’t charge a cent extra. Top frames like the Pix-Star offer great value for money, and often a low starting price than most other premium digital frames.
