Thursday, November 05, 2009

Isabella Products' Vizit: first 2-way touchscreen photo frame headed to AT&T in early 2010

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/05/isabella-products-vizit-first-2-way-touchscreen-photo-frame-he/

We've been hearing about Isabella Products' cellular-connected Vizit photo frame since early this year. The 10.4-inch touchscreen LCD features a GSM/GPRS module that enables the digital photo frame to receive images via MMS, email, or internet sharing sites. You can even share images with friends and family via email or through Vizit-to-Vizit transfer directly from the frame. Now the company has announced a partnership with AT&T when the two-way frame begins shipping in "early 2010." Here's the problem: the price; $279.99 and it still requires an unspecified monthly or annual photo plan. With Wal-mart shoppers accustomed to spending about $140 for 10-inch digital frames... well, good luck with that pricing scheme Isabella Products, you're going to need it.

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Isabella Products' Digital Photo Frame Connects Families and Friends Over The AT&T Wireless Network

November 5, 2009

Vizit[TM] is the First Two-Way, Touch Screen Photo Frame to Deliver Images Over the Mobile Network

San Francisco, CA - November 5, 2009 - Isabella Products, Inc. and AT&T* announced today that the industry's first two-way, fully interactive digital photo frame -Vizit-will be powered by the AT&T wireless network.

Vizit enables people to send and receive digital photos over the air and features an easy-to-use interface, real time photo sharing, a full-touch interactive display and remote photo management from VizitMe.com. Vizit's unique combination of touch-screen technology, proprietary software and cellular connectivity creates a rich, yet effortless, photo sharing experience. Vizit will be available in early 2010 at www.VizitMe.com and other online retailers.

With Vizit, parents can take a picture of their child's first steps in San Francisco from their camera phone, for example, and send it instantaneously to a Vizit frame sitting next to the proud grandparents in a New York City living room. Images are delivered immediately to the Vizit frame, without any action required from the recipient.

"Digital frames have been a great step forward in viewing convenience, but there has not yet been a single product that allows consumers to fully interact with their photos in a meaningful way," said Matthew I. Growney, Founder and CEO of Isabella Products. "With Vizit, one can now interact with their photo collection, as opposed to only receiving photos to view. Vizit combines two-way capabilities with an attractive, innovative design and an interface that makes it simple for anyone to use."

Vizit will leverage AT&T's nationwide wireless network to receive photos from mobile phones, e-mail, computers or Internet photo management sites. Users can send pictures! directl y from the Vizit to friends and family's email or to another Vizit, enabling them to build a private community of friends and family who are sharing their lives all at the same time.

"Photo sharing has evolved to a new level with Vizit," said Glenn Lurie, president of AT&T emerging devices, resale and partnerships. "The days of stockpiling photos on a camera or wireless phone until you get a chance to load them to a PC or photo sharing site are behind us. With a Vizit and a wireless connection, we're able to share photos in the moment."

Vizit's 10.4" high-resolution touch screen features easy-to-use icons and an intuitive carousel menu to navigate through photos. Users can see all photos in the gallery view, create photo slideshows, rotate or enlarge photos to fill the screen. When photos arrive on the frame, users can send replies back to friends and forward photos along to other friends and family. The frame's connection to the mobile network allows for features currently in development for early next year, such as eCommerce on the frame, to be sent seamlessly over the air.

Remote photo management is part of the overall Vizit experience. Each Vizit owner will have a personal Vizitme.com online account where they can fully manage their photos on the Vizit frame, including editing captions, creating slideshows, archiving photos, and inviting friends and family to share their photo albums.

With an ultra-thin display, Vizit is wall mountable and is available in gunmetal with black or rosewood accents, and silver with white or teak accents measuring 10.9" wide x 7.4" high x .65" deep. The suggested retail price is $279.99, and requires a monthly or annual photo plan.

Vizit feature highlights include:

Sending photos with ease - Photos can be sent to the Vizit frame via MMS or email from one's phone, Internet, PC or even Vizit to Vizit.

Real-time sharing - Receive photos of important milestones and memories in real! -time fr om anyone, anywhere by way of the frame's two-way cellular network connection.

Full-circle experience - Share, reply and forward your photos directly from the Vizit frame with just a touch.

Full-touch display - The Vizit frame automatically scales your photos to ensure they look their very best on a clear 10.4" full-touch LCD. Touch the screen anywhere to pause the slideshow of photos and display the carousel menu, previous-next photo arrows, and an info balloon with photo date, sender and caption info.

Intuitive interface - The touch-activated carousel menu features simple graphic icons and large touch targets, providing easy and fun navigation for all ages and levels of tech savvy.
  • Gallery view displays thumbnails of all photos on the frame. Touch any thumbnail to select that photo for full-screen viewing. Touch the photo again to resume slideshow.
  • Favorite icon lets users tag a photo as a "Favorite" for the Favorite slideshow. A favorite will never be deleted from your frame.
  • Select play to view the various slideshows; All Photos, Favorites, or Most Recent (photos received within 48 hours).
Simple set-up - Plug it in and Vizit is ready to receive and share photos. No need to upload photos with memory cards.

Always up-to-date - Software updates are sent seamlessly over-the-air without requiring further action from the user or interrupting the Vizit experience.

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Isabella Products' Vizit: first 2-way touchscreen photo frame headed to AT&T in early 2010 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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