Kodak announces $999 OLED photo frame

Kodak will be showing off a fancy OLED photo frame in Germany next week. I bet it’ll look really nice. I also bet it’ll be prohibitively expensive for most people. Yep, there we go — it’ll cost $999. I hope you have some really good looking friends and family.

If you have beautiful acquaintances and deep pockets, here’s what you’ll get: a super thin 7.6-inch screen with 180-degree viewing angle and 30,000:1 contrast ratio, Wi-Fi connection for streaming photos from Flickr and/or FrameChannel, 2GB of memory, 16:9 aspect ratio at 800×480 resolution, video playback, and support for multiple memory card formats. It’ll be available from Kodak.com in November.

Look for the frame if you’re at the Photokina show in Germany next week.

Full release:

Kodak Debuts World’s First OLED Wireless Frame

Unmatched Image Quality from Any Viewing Angle Delivered by Kodak-Invented OLED Technology

ROCHESTER, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) has introduced the world’s first consumer-available wireless picture frame featuring innovative Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) technology, a Kodak invention that produces exceptionally sharp and vivid image quality. OLED technology generates greater color depth and saturation than other displays, on panels that are substantially thinner, resulting in a sleek, low-profile design.

The frame will be on display at the Kodak booth (Hall 5.2) during Photokina, the world’s largest photo and imaging trade fair, which runs Sept. 23-28 in Cologne, Germany.

“Kodak is a worldwide market and technology leader in digital picture frames, and OLED technology was created by Kodak, making us uniquely positioned to bring the benefits of OLED to consumers,” says Pete Jameson, general manager, Digital Devices Group, Eastman Kodak Company. “We’re tremendously proud to introduce this exciting new picture frame.”

The new KODAK OLED Wireless Frame features built-in Wi-Fi technology that enables the display of pictures as well as access to videos and music stored on a PC elsewhere in the home. The wireless feature also enables connectivity to online photo and video sharing sites and Internet content portals for news, weather, sports and more.

“In addition to spectacular image quality, the new frame’s Wi-Fi connectivity delivers a richer experience to the consumer, enabling them to connect to their favorite social sites and view their personalized content online,”Jameson adds.

At the heart of the new KODAK OLED Wireless Frame is an ultra-thin, 7.6-inch diagonal digital panel that produces stunning image detail regardless of viewing angle. The viewing experience is further enhanced by KODAK PERFECT TOUCH Technology, which automatically processes images to improve exposure, brightness and color, and KODAK Image Science, which optimizes image quality for display on OLED panels.

Kodak’s extensive achievements in OLED development and innovation were recently recognized by a 2008 Technology Leadership Award from business consulting firm Frost & Sullivan.

The KODAK OLED Wireless Frame requires no backlighting, and incorporates an ambient light sensor that optimizes the viewing experience by adjusting display brightness based on the surrounding light. Kodak has also designed a premium audio system into the frame, providing outstanding sound reproduction for videos, digital music and online content.

“People want their images to look their best,” says Jameson. “Our new OLED frame foreshadows a dynamic future of an exciting new generation of KODAK products that deliver unsurpassed image quality and unprecedented clarity and color for capturing and reliving life’s moments.”

Benefits delivered by the KODAK OLED Wireless Frame:

Pricing and Availability

The KODAK OLED Wireless Frame will retail for US $999 (MSRP) and will be available at kodak.com from November 2008, with additional online and retail distribution to be announced later in the year.

Latest Stories