Amazon’s New Digital Picture Frame Is Clever and Classy

Amazon just dropped its first-ever digital picture frame, right in time for the holiday gifting rush, along with a whole batch of new Echo-based gadgets. We got a peek at the Alexa Photo Frame at a launch event in New York, and it has a few neat tricks and design touches you won’t find on most frames.

The big standout is that the frame syncs automatically with Amazon Photos and picks out the “best” shots for you, so you’re not stuck watching all 300 photos from your upstate leaf-peeping trip on repeat. We love the idea, but we haven’t tested it yet, so we can’t say how well it curates.

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The first smart frame with Alexa built in

Amazon’s frame, which comes with unlimited storage for Prime members, is the first with Alexa built in, so you can ask to see photos of certain people, places or events.

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“Alexa, nobody believes me that I met Dolly Parton at Costco; please bring up the selfie,” is one example for locating photos.

You can also use AI-style prompts to create a specific slideshow, such as “show pictures of the kids” or “absolutely no pictures of the kids, please.” 

We’ve tested generative AI frames before, and most left us wanting more. SwitchBot recently came out with a second-gen AI frame model, but we haven’t seen anything like this Alexa hybrid approach before, which makes us really want to try it out.

High-definition picture that adjusts to changing light

The 10-inch high-definition, semi-matte, anti-glare finish was impressive, making photos look more like a physical photo than a screen, and they show clearly from almost any angle. A clever light sensor automatically adjusts the screen brightness from day to night.

The wood frame may be the best part

What first caught our eye was the textured, soft-white matting and the real wood frames, available in walnut, lighter birch or black. If you’ve browsed digital frames online, you’ve likely noticed a trend: drab black plastic designs with little warmth or visual appeal. Amazon’s wood options are a welcome departure from the norm, even if they cost more.

You can add voice notes to photos for some reason

Perhaps the strangest feature is the ability to add voice notes to accompany images as they pass across the screen to “capture the story behind the moment.” I suppose this might enhance the picture-frame experience in some cases, but I can’t think of many. 

Pricing and availability

The Alexa Photo Frame costs $200 in black plastic and $229 in one of two wood finishes, walnut or birch. Frames start shipping Dec. 16, just in time for Christmas gifting.