The MMS Picture Frame

Not all technology is good. MMS, for example, has never reached the full potential that the networks hoped. A combination of cost, compatability and need meant that most users didn't see the point, or used it rarely.

However, a neat new application of the MMS system has been employed in a new digital photo grame.It can receive pictures directly from a mobile phone to be instantly displayed on a mantlepiece.

The 7-inch Parrot DF7700 Digital Photo Frame claims to be the first to market that accepts photos sent to it via MMS.
The device has an integrated SIM card with a dedicated call number and a log-in or password is not required when sending photos to the Frame via MMS. It also features a USB connection and an SD card slot for more conventional methods of photo transfer.

Photos are automatically resized to optimize memory which has a capacity of storing over 500 photos in its internal flash memory. These can be displayed on its high-resolution TFT screen in slideshow mode, or as a single picture. It includes automatic image rotation and a built-in light sensor that adjusts the LCD’s brightness as room lighting changes.

Given that digital picture frames were one of last Xmas's biggest sellers, the MMS Frame may well capture people's imagination.

MMS now quite popular

Picture messaging reaches a respectable one million a day in the UK.

Although it is clear that the predictions that MMS would replace SMS are now best forgotten, operators have been slow to release figures for the number of MMS messages that users were sending. This led inevitably to conclusions that the number of messages was well below exectations.

Now the MDA has ben able to secure the agreement of UK operators to issue a combined total from them of the number of P2P MMS that are being sent.

Earlier this year the MDA revealed that over half of the UK’s phones are picture-capable with the UK’s first five megapixel camera phone now available from LG, and one and two megapixel cameras becoming commonplace in handsets

As the number of people using camera phones grows, more and more users are sending and receiving the photographs they take. It won't be overtaking SMS anytime soon, but we extend a warm welcome to MMS into the family of mobile messaging products.

An alternative to MMS is WAP Push or URL sending. It costs the same as SMS, and can be sent from web-based messaging system, such as txt4ever.