USB Digital Frames News & Views

USB News

2008-08-23T22:37:00.001-07:00

News Today

LeCroy Launches World's First Complete USB 3.0 Protocol Analyzer Solution - USB News

Where's SuperSpeed USB 3.0? - PC Magazine

'World's smallest' USB flash drive - CRN Australia

Intel Announces Beefy Bandwidth Boost for USB 3.0 - IDM

Intel Draws Outline for Speedy Next-Gen USB - Tech News World

Intel Confirms Specification For USB 3.0 - IT Vibes

Friday, August, 15, 2008

First USB 3.0 demos at IDF next week? TG Daily

MAXPower Wireless 802.11 n/g/b USB 2.0 Stick Adapter - US Daily

USB 3 creeps closer - VNUnet

"USB Stick" RFID Reader Debuts - RFID Update

USB and KVM Switches: The Rise of USB in the Data Center - Tech Republic

Icron Releases Next Generation USB 2.0 Core Modules - Canada Newswire

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Software expands USB protocol analyser - Electronics Talk

In-Car USB Charger - UberGizmo

MIPS Technologies Announces USB PHY Breakthroughs - Fox

Introducing UniKey Software Protection USB Key - PR Inside

Monday, August 11, 2008

Software Configurable 4 & 8 Port Desktop USB to Serial Adapters - Market Watch

Kingston USB Flash Receives FIPS 140-2 Certification - itVAR News

GAO TEK Introduces GAO2090 USB PC Based Oscilloscope - Home Toys

Small DataTraveler Mini Slim USB Drive Announced by Kingston - Tech Gadgets

Iomega device bridges USB, home entertainment gap - Slippery Brick

Friday, August 8, 2008

Iomega Screenplay TV Link - Gear Live

High Dexx USB Flash Drive introduced - Tech Gadgets

Buffalo DriveStation Quattro Turbo USB - ITP

Low-cost USB microcontrollers - Data Week

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

New USB 2.0 Host Controller for Embedded Applications - Market Watch

Bugs & Fixes: The trouble with USB ‘smart’ flash drives - Mac World

Buffalo DriveStation Quattro Turbo USB - ITP

Kingston USB Flash Receives FIPS 140-2 Certification - itVAR News

High Dexx USB Flash Drive - UberGizmo

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Freecom claims world’s smallest 2.5-inch external hard drive - Inquirer

USB Arbitrary Waveform Generator Now Available at GAO Tek - PR USA

USB Cooler Mouse Akiba Today

Sierra Wireless Downgraded Trading Markets

USB Pen Drives: Storing and Transferring Data becomes Easy - Best Syndication

Monday, July 28, 2008

Create Shortcuts on a USB Drive - Lifehacker Australia

Lexar Unveils JumpDrive Solo Vault USB Flash Drive - Trading Markets

Thanko Cooler USB Keyboard boasts three in-built Fans - TechGadgets

USB Crunching Dogs - Coolest Gadgets

Buffalo first with 8X Blu-ray burners - Electronista

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Backup Made Easy - PC Magazine

HP sends server customers virus infected USB keys - Portalino

Logitech Launches USB Hubs for Laptops - Tech2

Monday, July 21, 2008

Introducing UniKey Software Protection USB Key - iTWire

UK Defense Dept loses secret USB keys - ZD Net

Brando announces USB Fidgets

Thursday, July 17, 2008

USB Cooler Mouse by Thanko - Gearlog

What's new in Linux 2.6.26 - Current IT News

nTegrity Professional Secure USB Drive — Reviewed - RealTechNews

Measurement data throughput at 2 MHz/ch continuous over USB - Measurement Devices

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Belkin Announces Line of Laptop Cooling Products - Belkin

Transcend India Introduces 4 GB JetFlash V90 Pizazz USB Flash Drive - IT News Online

Audix USB12 - PC Music

OCZ Technology launches Alchemy Elixir Gaming Keyboards - TechGadgets

Cheap digital frames catch fire

2008-08-23T22:34:00.000-07:00

http://www.picturesnob.com/archives/2008/07/fire_warning_cheap_digital_pic.php

This is case in point of "you get what you pay for." With the rising popularity of the digital picture frame, all kinds of unqualified manufacturers are getting in the game, usually in China. These cheap frames are branded generically or sold as private label frames for stores like Best Buy and Wal-mart. Fortunately, U.S. port officials have caught on and just rejected almost 1 million digital picture frames manufactured in China due to fire hazard concerns.

Fire? Yes, indeed. Many a cheap digital picture frame has been blamed for fires in homes and offices across the country because the frames spontaneously catch on fire. Manufacturers are using substandard materials that run at high temperatures and/or LCD screens and operating systems that are not engineered to handle the constant usage that the average digital picture frame is under. Buyer beware of manufacturer Sun Plus Technology -- their screens and operating systems were originally designed for portable DVD players and have been identified as fire starters. Take it from us -- stick to the trusted brands and if the price is too good to be true, as Dad said, it usually is. (via DigitalPictureFrameReview)

Fires break out in Digital Picture Frames

2008-07-05T13:54:00.000-07:00

Over 1 million Chinese made digital picture frames to be recalled due to spontaneous fire hazard.

Print article
Refer to a friend
2008-07-03 00:23:21 - Over 1 million digital picture frames are being turned back at U.S. ports as instances of a high rate of spontaneous fires are being reported in hundreds of digital picture frames sold through the retail and promotional products sector. The Chinese made digital picture frames are being returned before being off-loaded at ports in Seattle, Long Beach and New York.

'The recent surge in popularity of the digital picture frame has increased the number of vendors in China exponentially' states John Graham of USB Digital Frames. 'With this increase in the manufacturing base we are seeing a lot of unqualified companies trying to cash in on the craze. The problems we are seeing are that many vendors are using substandard
and potentially dangerous components. These sub-grade components have been running at very high temperatures and have been catching fire'.

The frames in question are being sold as entry price level models at retailers such as Best Buy and Wal-mart. They are branded under many generic names but are commonly using operating systems and LCD screens not engineered for the high volume usage that most digital picture frames operate under. Office fires reported in Freehold New Jersey, Greenwood Colorado and throughout the country have caused major property damage. The source of these fires has been traced back to the faulty digital picture frames.

USB Digital Frames long ago recognized the hazard in these sub standard components and switched to the purpose-built frames and screens used by the popular Kodak, HP and Dell digital frames. The technical solution included a high end Amlogic board and LG Electronics LCD screen. The faulty screens have been traced back to Sun Plus Technology whose screens and O/S was originally designed for portable DVD's.

USB Digital picture Frames News

2008-07-04T21:09:00.000-07:00

Viruses now posing on Sunplus digital picture frames

2008-07-04T21:08:00.000-07:00

By Jack RogersJan 30, 2008 10:05 AM Tags: "virus" "digital photo frame security" "virus in photo frames" "frame security"
According to a warning issued Monday by the SANS Internet Storm Center, some digital frames produced by Advanced Design System and sold at Wal-Mart are infected by a virus.SANS said it has received reports of malware contamination in other digital devices with components that include writable memory, including MP3 players, video cameras and external hard drives.HDTV maker Insignia alerted its customers that some of its 10.4-inch digital picture frames may have been infected with a virus during the manufacturing process. Some of these units were sold through Best Buy, which has pulled the product from its shelves.According to a statement issued by Insignia, “a limited number” of the digital frames in a batch designated model number NS-DPF-10A were contaminated.This product has been discontinued, and no additional inventory will be sold. Please note that no other Insignia digital picture frame products are affected by this issue,” the company said in a statement.Insignia said the units had been infected with “an older virus” that is “easily identified and removed by current anti-virus software,” and which only infects Windows PCs. According to the company, digital cameras, USB flash drives and memory cards cannot be infected by the virus when connected to or inserted in the digital picture frame.According to a blog posting in the Washington Post, a Best Buy spokesperson said the virus was introduced when the Insignia frames were in production in China.The SANS posting said that five digital photo frames produced by Advanced Design and purchased at Wal-Mart's Sam's Club had been found to contain malware. SANS also said that “several thousand” Insignia frame units had been removed from the shelves of Best Buy.

Over 1 million Chinese made digital picture frames to be recalled due to spontaneous fires

2008-07-04T21:04:00.000-07:00

United States of America (Press Release) July 2, 2008 -- Digital Picture frames sold through the retail and promotional products sector. The Chinese made digital picture frames are being returned before being off-loaded at ports in Seattle, Long Beach and New York. “The recent surge in popularity of the digital picture frame has increased the number of vendors in China exponentially” states John Graham of USB Digital Frames. “With this increase in the manufacturing base we are seeing a lot of unqualified companies trying to cash in on the craze. The problems we are seeing are that many vendors are using substandard and potentially dangerous components. These sub-grade components have been running at very high temperatures and have been catching fire”.The frames in question are being sold as entry price level models at retailers such as Best Buy and Wal-mart. They are branded under many generic names but are commonly using operating systems and LCD screens not engineered for the high volume usage that most digital picture frames operate under. Office fires reported in Freehold New Jersey, Greenwood Colorado and throughout the country have caused major property damage. The source of these fires has been traced back to the faulty digital picture frames. USB Digital Frames long ago recognized the hazard in these sub standard components and switched to the purpose-built frames and screens used by the popular Kodak, HP and Dell digital frames. The technical solution included a high end Amlogic board and LG Electronics LCD screen. The faulty screens have been traced back to Sun Plus Technology whose screens and O/S was originally designed for portable DVD’s.

Mazda adopts promotional logo flash drives for their new proto car.

2008-03-12T17:19:00.000-07:00

Who'da thought it'd be possible, but Mazda of all companies has embraced the inner geek inside me to make me want to run out and test drive one of their cars.

Thankfully this is only a concept car for now as might want to plunk down the 30,000$ to buy it.
The car, designed for "net-savvy youngsters" is the new concept hatchback, Mazda Sassou, it ditches the traditional cylinder lock key system in favor of USB flash drives.

In addition to starting the engine, the flash drives can be used to transfer driving directions for long trips along with the latest songs for the day to the Sassou's internal hard drive. Just be sure to vent the windows though, it looks like the extra large sunroof would literally cook any electronics you have in the car during your lunch break.

This next step in flash drive revolution may help to benefit companies like Flash Drive Direct who design specific styles and then manufacture them for clients as an OEM product......

Keep you posted

USB Digital Picture Frames get RoHS and WEE compliancy

2008-02-07T17:44:00.000-08:00

USB Digital Frames is to be the first manufacturer to the promotional products industry to completely meet or exceed ROHS compliancy.

“ The corporate and promotional products industry is awash in poisonous junk” states John Graham of USB Digital Frames.

“ It is a very large (16 billion dollars USD) almost unseen and totally unregulated industry that sells the corporate world everything from soup to nuts with a corporate branding (logo) on it.
Until very recently there were few companies willing to spend the extra money to ensure that their products were not harming the environment. We decided to do something about it.”That something was to bring their standards up to both ROHS compliancy and to WEEE standard for USB Digital Frames

USB Digital Frames is now fully compliant with their products and vertically integrated only with WEEE certified plants.

What is ROHS and WEEE?
ROHS is the Directive on the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment 2002/95/EC (commonly referred to as the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive or RoHS) which was adopted in February 2003 by the EU (European Union).The RoHS directive took effect on 1 July 2006, and is required to be enforced and become law throughout the EU.

“As usual, the Europeans, Japanese and Canadians are well ahead of the US when it comes to environmental issues.RoHS was an off shoot of the Kyoto Accord set forth in 1997 and signed by some 120 countries (The USA being a signatory hold-out). “ states Graham. “We watched the European business model burst forth as they adopted stricter environmental standards while the lower US environmental standards actually retarded business growth and development. We quickly saw that by offering ROHS and WEEE compliant products we not only were helping the environment but were encouraging growth in our business. The positive results are obvious”.
John

Digital Dojo competes in upcoming Hawaiian Ironman

2008-01-25T20:08:00.001-08:00

Dear All,

I am taking a break from the chores at home and a busy business to participate in the upcoming Hawaii Ironman......as you can see by most recent training pictures I am carbing up and getting plenty of rest before the big event......I have done this every year for the past 10 but each year have suffered a pulled groin or the heartbreak of psoraisis (if this is the right spelling let me know) ........this year I am really going to try and get off the starting line......I did come fully equipped with my Flash Drive Direct MP4 and 4 Gb flash drive..........If I don't get off the starting line at least I will have a number of Bob Marley tunes to listen to.........hmmm....did I pack my Jimmy Buffet....?Anyways ...........I will try and post while I am away.........then again............enjoy

Digital Picture Frames catch Fire

2008-01-24T16:10:00.000-08:00

Consumer Awarenes....

Today we had a couple of reports from customers who had bought inexpensive digital frames and had some of them catch on fire.

In each case it was the picture frames controller that caught fire. The internal CPU brand name is CH**AT*K (I would prefer to not name it as that might open me up to litigation.

However this just goes to show you that in the Digital Picture Frame market you must stay with quality components to insure no problems. The rule of thumb is simple

1) Always ask your supplier what LCD screen they use...(We use Panasonic) so stick with the well know names.

2) Ask your supplier what CPU/Chips they use. We use Samsung.....Once again if it is not a name brand you recognize or that you are familiar and comfortable with ...walk away.

If your supplier cannot tell you what is inside your picture frame and is unwilling to stand behind it.......Walk away........

John

Best Buy digital picture frames infected with malicous Virus

2008-01-23T22:21:00.000-08:00

This is the result of using poor quality manufacturers in Asia to obtain artificially low price points and as such low quality. USB Digital Frames made in ISO 9001 certified factory with RoHS and WEEE designation. Using only Panasonic LCD's. You get what you pay for...!

This article appeared in the New York Times this week

Best Buy Co. Inc. sold digital picture frames during the holidays that harbored malicious code able to spread to any connected Windows PC, the big box retailer has confirmed. It is not recalling the frames, however.

What Best Buy called "a limited number" of the 10.4-in. digital frames sold under its in-house Insignia brand were "contaminated with a computer virus during the manufacturing process," according to a notice posted on the Insignia site last weekend. The frame which went by the part number NS-DPF10A has been discontinued, and all remaining inventory pulled, Best Buy added.
But that didn't happen until after some of pre-infected frames were sold to customers.
Best Buy did not specify the number of virus-loaded frames that had ended up in customers' hands, but said in a second notice posted today that it is continuing to investigate and is "connecting with our customers who may have been impacted."

The malware packed with the frame is an older virus that Best Buy claimed would be easily detected by any up-to-date anti-virus software. It did not, however, specify the malware or narrow the scope of the danger by confirming that it was say, a non-replicating Trojan rather than a self-propagating worm.

Only Windows PCs are vulnerable, said Best Buy's notices, and then only if the picture frame were to be connected to the computer via the included USB cable. Frames like digital cameras are designed to connect to PCs so that images can be downloaded from the machine to the frame.
Best Buy recommended users running a current anti-virus program plug the frame into the PC so that the security software can scan the frame and delete the malware. Other customers should call a special toll-free number for help.

"We apologize for the inconvenience that has been caused as a result of this incident," said Best Buy.

Best Buy's public relations team did not respond to a call for comment.
The frame snafu is only the latest in a tradition of factory-infected hardware. Last November, Seagate Technology LLC admitted that an unknown number of its 500GB Maxtor Basics 3200 hard drives left an Asian manufacturing plant with Trojan horses designed to steal online gaming passwords. The year before that, Apple Inc. had to warn Windows users that some of its iPod music players had been infected with a factory virus.

At the time, an Apple vice president made light of the iPod incident, telling Macworld UK: "We are upset at Windows for not being more hardy against such viruses, and even more upset with ourselves for not catching it."

Think that going direct to China is a cakewalk.....Think again...a cautionary tale

2008-01-21T14:55:00.000-08:00

Thinking of going direct to China?.........Well just to put a fine point on this practice....we deal with China twice a day..........365 days a year.......If you think it is easy consider the following communication.....Let me paint the picture...the factory had sent 5 emails in the middle of the night as they could not figure out how to send a rush DHL.......after emailing me 5 times she finally phoned (4 a.m.) and I had to explain to her how to ship....this is an award winning company that grosses over 50 million dolars.

I was so peeved that I wrote her this nasty letter.....after-all I had lost my beauty sleep...which I so dreadfully need.........here is what I wrote her...read it carefully.....and the last letter is from her thanking me.....go figure....?

Dear Laura,

I understand what has happened and I just wanted to thank you for being so hard working and thick as a brick.

It is rare that we see in one individual such an extraordinary inability. It is truly a thing to marvel. Your efforts and diligence are not there and we have learned to appreciate, understand and even come to expect such quality. I am duly impressed with your work and would love to send a recommendation to the owner of your company. Do you have his email so I may pass along my appreciation? He should know when he has such an amazingly lard worker as yourself.

I am sure we will let you know what to do with the shipment.

Enjoy the day....we have a holiday over here today....National Chimp day...in appreciation and remembrance for all those animal who cannot look after themselves ......such as baby seals who get clubbed for their fur and circus Chimps who were taught to drive but were injured while changing lanes in the circus show.

Thanks again for the help that didn't happen. John

Dear John,

You are welcome.Thanks for all your compliment.All our did is aiming to provide better and better service,hope all our customers can satisfy with our service.

Enjoy your holiday,have a nice day!!!

B.regards,
Laura

Tomorrow's Digital Frames...what to expect. Is it the new way to advertise?

2008-01-20T13:25:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow's Digital Frames

Photo courtesy USB Digital Frames. The next-generation digital picture frames will add some neat features such as the ability to print pictures. You'll be able to print them either on a special local printer or remotely through a service that prints the pictures and sends them to you in the mail.

It will also have the ability to record and play sounds with each picture. The current Bluetooth models can already send the photos to and from the frame to any other Bluetooth device. The memory slot will aid in displaying pictures directly from a digital camera, and a small remote to control will let you adjust settings. Emailing the pictures direct from the frame is also on the near horizon.

Even with these added features, you'll also be able to control the entire frames functions via the Web.

Imagine being in Paris, accessing your frame via a cellphone or via the web and having the images change or be shared with other frames or computers. This may seem like a frivolous idea on the surface but think about the panels as being advertising frames hung in public spaces. If you own the rights to them you can change the picture (ie advertisement) at your will and to match the up to the minute viewer.

Imagine 100 of these in a corporate environment all bluetoothed. Daily corporate news can be displayed, that days lunch menu, a meeting at the boardroom announced. In the public sector ads can be made to suit the clientele....a 3000 seat theatre can display ads for the Symphony goers Friday night and change to meet Finger Eleven concert goers the next night....all done remotely........

Hmm..........more than meets the eye.......keep tuned.

USB Digital Frames adds first MP4 digital frame and player to its collection.

2008-01-20T09:51:00.000-08:00

This is an interesting twist in the digital frame world. An MP4 player re-purposed for use as both an on the go MP4 -player plus desktop digital picture frame.

USB Digital Frames have added 3 new styles including a widescreen 7-inch, widescreen, 2.5 inch MP4 digital picture frame and a new 12-inch.

Pictures can be uploaded to the frames with a USB cable or directly from a camera’s memory card. With 512MB of internal memory standard (MP4 can come in at 4 GB) , the frames can display and rotate nearly 300 1.2-megapixel images.

The user can browse and display photos individually, view thumbnails or create an image slideshow with transition effects. The widescreen 7-inch offers an 800 x 480 resolution, 220 cd/m2 brightness and a 400:1 contrast ratio. It has a modern white acrylic bezel and can display JPEG or BMP files and also includes a clock and alarm.

The 2.5 inch MP4 usb digital frame can plav avi, mpeg, jpeg, bmap and tiff plus can be enabled to play flash files. It can also play up to 3000 songs (4 GB model) and has touch screen technology. It sits in a desktop cradle acting as a digital desktop frame while it is easy to come and go as you please. Net price about $50 depending on memory size.

Also added is a new 12-inch usb digital frame which display JPEG, BMP and M-JPEG files, and also displays MPEG2 . Both the 7 and 12 inch frames include an integrated speaker for MP3 sound, a remote control and clock, alarm and calendar functionality. The frames are currently available at

www//usbdigitalframes.com

Happy Trails

Consumer Reports on the Digital Picture Frame

2008-01-19T17:39:00.000-08:00

Consumer Reports on the Digital Picture Frame

Keep a slideshow of your latest family photos on display with a digital picture frame, a photo-sized LCD panel that sits on a desk or tabletop. Plug the frame into a power outlet, insert a digital camera memory card, select one photo or a group for a slide show, and you're set.

Some frames contain built-in memory, so you can store photos in the frame and then return the memory card to your camera. Some can store and play digital music to accompany photos and others can play short digital video clips, although not all of those can play audio with the video.

Frames generally range in size from about 3x5 to 10x12 inches. What's more important is the display area within the frame. We tested 7- and 8-inch frames, measured diagonally. Smaller frames fit well on a desk but usually provide too little resolution to do justice to photos taken with newer, high-resolution cameras. Larger frames have higher resolution but take up more space.

Our tests showed that a number of models have some glitches that affect setup and use, and menus that can be confusing. But those issues can be overcome with a little effort.HOW TO CHOOSE
Consumer Reports Video
BUYING ADVICE

Digital picture frames
Consider the frame's resolution and image quality. The best frames of those we tested had 800x600 resolution. (Larger frames might have higher resolutions.) Almost all of the displays we tested were judged Good or Very Good for overall picture quality. The screen surface also might affect how well you see the picture.

All but one model (the Mustek) had non-reflective screens, but four (the Smartparts, Panasonic, Insignia, and Digital Spectrum) have the screen under a piece of glass that creates a bit of glare. The Mustek's mirrored screen caused noticeable glare.Check the aspect ratio. Aspect ratio represents the relationship between an image's height and width. Ten of the 12 frames we tested had either a 4:3 or 3:2 aspect ratio.

They work well because most digital SLR cameras shoot at 4:3 or 3:2. Two frames, the Polaroid and the Kodak, used the widescreen 16:9 ratio typical of digital TV sets. Many cameras can shoot images at 16:9, but only if you change the camera's default setting. If you shoot at the standard 4:3 or 3:2, displaying those images on a 16:9 frame can distort the images as the frame stretches and crops to make the pictures fit. You can also select a 4:3 setting on those frames, but that leaves black bars on each side of the image. Frames with 4:3 aspect ratio provide the best view for most people.Connections count. Most models can accept the common types of memory card, such as SD, Compact Flash, or Memory Stick. Make sure the frame can use the same type as your camera.

Some frames have built-in flash memory that can store images, which is more convenient than leaving your camera's memory card in the frame. If you want to transfer digital images directly from your computer, look for a frame with a USB port. (Those with a USB 2.0 port, noted in the Ratings, generally have faster transfer rates than those with 1.1.) If your camera or cell phone has Bluetooth, you might find the USB Digital interesting because it also has Bluetooth capability. But Bluetooth is its only mode of connecting for image transfer.

Four of the models we tested-the Smartparts, Westinghouse, Kodak, and Insignia-work with Macs as well as Windows-based PCs:

Consider ease of use. Most of the frames we tested were reasonably easy to use: You insert your camera's memory card into a slot, turn the frame on, and your photos display in slideshow fashion. With others, though, you must decide whether to display a still image or slideshow each time you turn on the frame. Some have on-board software and controls for selecting images stored on a card or in the frame's internal memory and, in most cases, for setting slideshow timings, transitions, and brightness.

On most of the frames we've seen, such controls are on the back or side, which keeps them out of sight but makes them harder to reach and forces you to tilt the frame back and forth to see the settings you're changing on the screen. A wireless remote makes the frames easier to use. Most of the frames we tested had one, including the Smartparts, Panasonic, Kodak, Mustek, Insignia, Audiovox, Digital Spectrum, and Polaroid.

The software menus were often difficult to use, and the meanings of various settings were unclear. Also, brightness and contrast controls on many frames had little effect.Look for versatility. Most frames can be placed in either the wider "landscape" mode or the taller "portrait" mode. But not all offer that versatility, so check before you buy.

A few frames can automatically rotate individual photos to their proper orientation, but only if the pictures were taken by a camera that records orientation as it shoots. Some frames can be hung on walls but all the frames we tested require AC power, so there is a power cord to contend with. Generally, digital frames are best suited for use on a desk or credenza. Frames with removable outside borders can be customized to match a room's décor. We also found that some models would simply skip over incompatible picture types, such as TIFF and RAW, but others would display an error message, which can be annoying.

Audio and video extras. Some models give you the option of accompanying slideshows with music or narration. It's fairly simple to do with some frames and a bit more involved with others. Some models can play AVI Motion JPEG video with sound, others can play it without sound, and a few can also play MPEG1 and MPEG4 digital video formats.

How to deal with a client who goes direct to China for their digital frames

2008-01-19T13:34:00.000-08:00

How to deal with a customer who goes direct to China for their digital frames.

What do you do when you are competing with another distributor who is offering a price for USB Digital Frames that are direct from China? Or better yet…what to do when a customer tells you..”I found them on-line for ½ the price…I am going to buy there!………I love these guys………..these are the ones who in the last century did buy the swampland in Florida…………..they also went to Tom Vu seminars in the 80’s as well……they are my all-time favorite people….

Here’s what happens….here’s what you do

If it is a customer who is hell-bent on buying direct from China over the net……say this to them…….first…..”You are right…I can’t match that price…and then say NOTHING………I don’t care if you hold your breath until you turn blue…SAY nada, zilch, zip….NOTHING…….This should prompt the customer to speak first (remember the one who speaks first ALWAYS loses)……they will say something clever like….”Well…..you can see my reasons can’t you…? Or the ever popular reply…..”What would you do if you were in my shoes?”

This is where YOU speak up…….you say..” You are right…on the face of it all I would do as you are doing……….there are risks but I am sure you can work through them…”“Risks!” says the buyer….”what risks?”………this is where you look humble, never smile and speak in low soothing tones………”Well…..All I know (aw shucks) is that with most off-shore dealings you need to pay the Chinese vendor with a Letter of Credit or Credit Card or other prepayment options that is sent to a Hong Kong or Mainland China bank before they will process the order…….are you prepared to do that….?

Also remember that when you are at work, they are sleeping so communication will be difficult”…..buyer then says…”A-ha…But they have an American office!”…..you say…”So then the American office will translate and transfer your message to them while they sleep…?”

Then you must be honest and say….”listen I don’t really care if you go there..if you get a better price, with no grief or risk…I WOULD do the same!……..however the way USB Digital Frames factories work is this

.a) There is a charge for Frame, but also another for memory (won't run without it, shipping, logo etc) .

b) Is there is a screen set up charge?d) Do you pay for the broker or do they?e) Is the price landed at your door or ex-factory? (Big difference..trust me)f) Do they have a return policy if there is failure?g) What is the warranty? Is there a warranty……..?Now if the customer at this point wants to go to China ..let them……..to quote a Great American….”stupid is as stupid does”…Gump.

And walk away……….they will either

a) Call you back after they have “reconsidered their position”.

b) Keep on going and deal with all of the crap.Either way…you will have informed them (honestly…..)..you did not show them panic…(remember if someone sees you panicking because you may lose a sale as they will think they are on the right track……if you seem non-plused by the whole thing they will sweat…….if you are calm, they will be freaked at the best and nervous at the least…..this is where you want them………..Why am I writing about this?I bring this topic up to you this morning as I just had a situation that hi-lites what I am talking about. We deal with a factory in China and we have problems with communication….I am going to explain the situation and give you the verbatim emails I woke up to this morning.Here’s the scenario:There is 100 Digital Picture Frames that HAVE to be in Dubai Monday.The factory deals with us everyday and has our credit card and courier accounts on file.

The customer and distributor are “having kittens” as this shipment is close to the bone.The customer supplied their DHL account number (which unfortunately was a number or letter wrong.)

Laura Wu is the customer service person at this factory. She is EMAILING me at 2-3 in the a.m Saturday morning……..she has my home phone number….she knows this is an urgent order

.Email 1

2:18 a.m. HI John,I see this order is extrodinary urgent,so I arranges to ship it out by DHL prepaid for the Dubai shipment 100pcs frame,also bought insurance prepaid.We will caculate the real shipping cost and will ask you for the extra cost over USD 124(shipping cost you have paid for this order).Is it OK?The tracking no.is DHL# 192-8224-012 for the 100pcs USB to Dubai shipment,attached invoice pls find.For the left 50pcs to Canada,tracking no. is Fedex# 9511-2x59-xxx5.B.regards,Laura(We are of course ….sleeping.)

Email 2

2:42 a.m.John,Just now,the shipping department told me the 3rd party DHL account #FQ5302 is WRONG,the DHL account should be 9xxxxxxxx,pls kinldy inform me the right DHL account asap as you know we are hurry to ship it out this afternoon.B.regards,Laura

Email 3

2:44 a.m.John,I called you but could only leave message.The DHL account is wrong,how can I ship it out now???Email 4 2:50 a.m.John,If we can't receive the correct account in 45 minutes,the courier will be off and can't pick it up.Then we could only ship it out next Monday.Laura

Now…….you might think they would do something like USE THEIR FRIKIN HEAD…but no…..They should have or could have

1) Used our courier

2) Charge it to our account or credit card

3) Put it on their account and charge us back…..(We do more than a few 100k with this company each year……you’d like to think they took that into account?)

But Nooooo!……they stare at the box and are mystified into absolute stupor…the proverbial “Deer in the headlights”……..So now what happens?

1) We either eat the order or cut a deal for our distributor…why?… because that’s the right thing to do……..

2) The distributor…..we probably lose their business……

3) The distributor may lose his customer……..Now let me ask you this….?If we as a major supplier have this happen (fortunately it is not often) and we deal with the Chinese factories EVERYDAY… ……how do think the end-user will do with them going direct for their 100 or 1000 piece order……?Feel free to pass this along……..Happy Trails

USB Digital Frames awarded ROHS and WEE compliancy gertification

2008-01-19T12:22:00.000-08:00

USB Digital Frames and Flash Drive Direct to be the first manufacturer to the promotional products industry to completely meet or exceed ROHS compliancy.“ The corporate and promotional products industry is awash in poisonous junk” states John Graham, head of USB Digital Frames and Flash Drive Direct.

“ It is a very large (16 billion dollars USD) almost unseen and totally unregulated industry that sells the corporate world everything from soup to nuts with a corporate branding (logo) on it.

Until very recently there were few companies willing to spend the extra money to ensure that their products were not harming the environment. We decided to do something about it.”That something was to bring their standards up to both ROHS compliancy and to WEEE standard for both their Flash Drive line ( Flash Drive Direct) and their digital frame division (USB Digital Frames).

USB Digital Frames and Flash Drive Direct are now fully compliant with their products and vertically integrated only with WEEE certified plants.

What is ROHS and WEEEROHS is the Directive on the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment 2002/95/EC (commonly referred to as the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive or RoHS) which was adopted in February 2003 by the EU (European Union).The RoHS directive took effect on 1 July 2006, and is required to be enforced and become law throughout the EU.

This directive restricts the use of six hazardous materials in the manufacture of various types of electronic and electrical equipment. It is closely linked with the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE) 2002/96/EC which sets collection, recycling and recovery targets for electrical goods and is part of a legislative initiative to solve the problem of huge amounts of toxic e-waste.“As usual, the Europeans, Japanese and Canadians are well ahead of the US when it comes to environmental issues.RoHS was an off shoot of the Kyoto Accord set forth in 1997 and signed by some 120 countries (The USA being a signatory hold-out). “ states Graham.

“We watched the European business model burst forth as they adopted stricter environmental standards while the lower US environmental standards actually retarded business growth and development. We quickly saw that by offering ROHS and WEEE compliant products we not only were helping the environment but were encouraging growth in our business. The positive results are obvious”.

Gizmo Central explains the USB Digital Frame

2008-01-19T12:06:00.000-08:00

This is an article I found on the net that I thought you might find interesting. It provides a good overview from a reputable reviewer. It gives impartial opinions and advice and should help learning about the USB Digital Frames more in depth.

It seems that everyone has a digital camera these days and what happens with those? People take hundreds and thousands of photos. The problem? When you find photos you like and want to display in a frame, most people don’t have enough wall space. Digital picture frames to the rescue!When you have thousands of photos, you’re sure to have quite a few that you’d like to display somewhere other than on your computer. Normally, you’d print them out and hang them on the wall like a traditional photo, but eventually, you wall will become plastered with too many photos of little Johnny and his pal Spot!

So, get yourself a digital photo picture frame and display a rotating set of your favorite photos in one neat, clean frame. The issue with the digital photo frames is that there are so many of them, covering a wide spectrum of features and prices. You’ll want to avoid the el-cheapo ones that you find in the discount bin and aim for something over $100 or so if you want good quality and decent features. Fortunately, Coolest Gadgets has done the legwork for you and built a nice digital photo frame comparison chart and provided easy-to-understand explanations of the various features.

To find out more on the digital click on this Google search result link it will give you a wide selection of options and information.

Thanks

BBC review about the news on USB Digital Frames.

2008-01-19T11:55:00.000-08:00

Digital photo frames are dropping in price and increasing in popularity at equal speed. It is now possible to pick them up for as little as $90 in the US or £45 in the UK - with the higher spec wireless frames and larger ones going up to around $300/£200 respectively.
But not all frames offer the same functions or quality, and as always with technology, it is best to know some of the details of what you are buying before you part with your cash.

The look Screen quality Display options Storage Wireless options

THE LOOK
The look is important as the frame may well be turned off most of the time. Some frames offer changeable fascias or use natural materials like leather or wood. Also give some thought as to whether you really want a brand name stuck on the front.

Some frames have touch sensitive controls on their front
The controls too should be accessible but without spoiling the look. Because of this most are on the back but some have touch sensitive controls built into the front.
Common sizes range from 5 to 10 inches or 25cm, like a TV - that measurement should be from one corner of the screen to another. But some manufacturers quote the size for the entire frame so check if you are unsure.
If you are thinking of getting a frame to put on the wall you may have to think again. Some do not have batteries they just plug in, so you may find it tricky to hide that power cord.
Those that do have internal batteries typically last for just a couple of hours before needing a recharge.

SCREEN QUALITY
The quality of the display comes down to three things. The number of pixels will determine how fine or blocky the picture looks. The more the better.
A seven-inch should offer at around 750 by 500. As with any display, check its contrast ratios to see how well it deals with darker colours. You will see a figure and then a colon and then the number 1 when this is quoted - like 300:1 or 500:1. Basically the larger the first number the better the contrast quality.
Also check its brightness rating. Some frames struggle to match the brightness of a flat panel monitor.
When you get it home, if more than a couple of pixels are dead or constantly too bright - you are within your rights to ask for a replacement.

DISPLAY OPTIONS
With some picture frames, whichever way you turn them, the picture will rotate accordingly. Not all frames do this but it's a nice option to have.

Viewing photographs in a slideshow is possible on digital frames
Also try to find out what the frame will do with a picture that has been cropped or is not the same proportions as the display.
Take a panoramic photo for example. Most frames will try to resize the photo to fit with varying degrees of success: it may be squashed or cropped, so try to find a specific review of the frame you are about to buy or take an SD card - with some shots on - to a photo store and ask if you can see them on display.
Just about all frames offer slideshow options. You can vary the time a photo stays up and choose a favourite transition to go from one to the next.
Some frames have an internal clock so you can set which times of day they turn on or off.
Consider what format your pictures were taken in. By far the most common and widely supported is called jpeg. You may struggle to find a frame that supports other formats.
And if you are a movie maker then you might like a frame that sports video playback too which has its own built-in speakers - again check video playback formats matching those that you are shooting in.

STORAGE
Some frames have an internal memory allowing you to store your snaps. Other frames offer memory card slots, typically for SD cards with others swallowing MMC, XD, CompactFlash and Memory Sticks too.
So with a 2GB card your frame can now deal with 1,000 of those high resolution images.
Some frames offer both internal memory and the ability to hold pictures on an internal memory too.

WIRELESS OPTIONS
Finally some of these frames will let you send pictures to them wirelessly. Some come with a USB bluetooth dongle that acts as a transmitter from your laptop or PC to the frame.
Plug it into your PC or laptop and you can send the frame whatever photos you like. Or you can send the snaps from your camera phone if it has Bluetooth.
A handful of frames also support wi-fi.
Once set up, it is possible to send a photo to the frame from anywhere in the world over the internet. It makes use of Windows XP and Vista 'slideshow' technology which means you can stream a lot of content to the screen - like RSS feeds (eg. news stories/share prices) from the web - as well as photos.
It can also stream galleries from online photo sharing sites like Flickr.

For more info go to http://www.usbdigitalframes.com

Reproduced by kind permission in

Focussing on digital photo frames
By Richard Taylor Editor, BBC Click

How to Sell USB Digital Picture Frames to the Promotional Marketplace

2008-01-19T10:58:00.000-08:00

How to Sell USB Digital Picture Frames to the Promotional Marketplace.

Please don’t take this as an insult to your sales skills or a reflection of my ability to be right 98% of the time. Its just that I have worked both sides of the business and with so many things to sell, it always took me while to learn how to sell something new. I remember when Pima cotton first came out, I described it as a fabrication designed by Puma and this was the wicking version. Doh!

So I figured a sharing a few basics bits of knowledge about selling any USB Digital Picture Frame (especially ours) wouldn’t hurt.......

1) What is a digital picture frame:

A digital picture frame is a memory device for storing data and displaying them on an LCD screen. On a high end one this includes, pictures, video. ANYTHING viuals that can go on a computer can go on a USB Digital picture frame.

It has NO MOVING parts: Beauty eh? No moving parts means no break downs.....no blue screen of death. Your PC and Mac has a Hard Drive which spins around at about a jillion revolutions per minute and has an arm (just like a turntable arm) that retrieves the data. A digital frames acceses its data from a flash memory

Compare the 2....1) Flash memory never breaks down......The other) will break down...it just depends on when.

A digital picture frame has NAND Flash memory?

Who cares! To sell it you don’t need to know this.... What is important to know is that the LCD screen is THE BEST. The only reliable LCD screen is made by Panasonic. All of our frames are made from these chips. If you buy a drive that is not made a Panasonic LCD then you are buying crap. Simple!

4)

Tier 1, USB 2.0, recycled memory, Tier 1, Windows Vista and MAC ready....what does this mean and why you should care?

Simply put....a reliable quality digital picture frame MUST have USB 2.0 (this is a faster speedier chip) Tier 1 (means it is professional grade) Windows Vista and Mac ready...(This means the drive will run with these operating systems.....if it doesn’t have this designation you may have problems)

Recycled/re-used/Tier 2 Memory: Personally I don’t know ( or want to know) any supplier who will tell you they sell this. Why? Because it is crap.....It will fail and no one will tell you....”Buy mine...its junk”.

So why do you need to worry about this? Call it what you will.... recycled memory, whatever.... it is basically “factory seconds” that didn’t make the Quality Control standards. They are often sold on a “Gray Market”.

The same applies to the LCD screen. If its not Panasonic....it is likely to be junk.

So how do you know?

1) Ask the supplier...2) The Price....Chip and LCD prices are commodity driven and prices go up and down....all reputable digital frame manufacturers price the wholesale according to the chip and LCD prices that day. If you are buying a 100 7 inch digital picture frames for 50 dollars (as I write this) then it is likely it is probably junk. A natural quality wholesale for a 7 inch Panasonic LCD based digital picture frames should wholesale (net) at about $80-$90

The emotional sell, the reasons why your clients should buy USB Digital picture frames?

Now that we have all of the geeky techy junk out of the way...trust me I could have gone on and on...and on.......you don’t sell on technical issues do you...(its just a good thing to know)?.....you sell on emotion...you must present a good reason for someone to buy what you have to sell.........fortunately USB Digital Picture Frames actually have some great legit reasons for corporations to buy them.....here are just a few.

1) They are the perfect team building gift, embed your pictures on the drive and remind both customers and employees of the positive experience! You can’t say that about Bang Sticks.

2) They are VERY USEFUL: They can hold 100’s of files, they can put their powerpoints and other presentations on it, put pictures, music files and just about anything else from your computer on it.

3) They are an EXCELLENT business tool: Not only can they do what’s descrived above, they can do a number of other things.They are perfect for tradeshows, corporate identity building, fund raising, team building and more....in house advertising and more........

4) More expensive is Better: DO NOT Buy frames priced below the average market price....they are too crap. People who recieve them and they are hard to set up, run poorly, fail etc. They will chuck them in a drawer. If you want to give your client something they will be happy with and that you can be proud to sell......sell them a Panasonic LCD enabled frame.....they are a great deal....big enough to hold lots of information and most importantly....people will use them.

That’s the basics......there are always lots of new twists and turns with this technology....new uses and new venues for sales....but I hope the above gives you a small bit of knowledge to help you feel more comfortable about selling USB Digital Frames.

Thanks

What makes digital picture frames work?

2008-01-19T10:39:00.000-08:00

What is a USB Digital Frame and how it works?

One of the things I have learned is that there is a dirth of info and understanding on what is a digital frame and how does it work....what is good and what is crap........hope this helps!

What is a digital picture frame and how does it work?

A USB digital frame is the perfect gift for sharing photos. The device is about the size and shape of ordinary picture frames. It contains a Panasonic LCD screen (The good quality ones at least), which displays multiple photos in a slideshow and other various formats.

It connects to your computer, cellphone or memory stick to retrieve the pictures and then displays them. Many of the new USB Digital Frames have remote controls and are Bluetooth enabled allowing you to send pictures and files to your frame from any other Bluetooth device (Bluetooth…fancy word for wireless connection between devices)

What's in a USB Digital Frames Frame?

The frame is actually a very simple computer. It has most of the same components as the computer on your desktop, but they're a lot simpler in the frame because they only have to perform a single task.CPUThe central processing unit (CPU) in the digital picture frame is similar to the kind used in small, electronic handheld games.

MEMORY:The frame has some ROM memory to store the operating system. However additional memory is required (SD Cards) to run the programs. It also has some Flash memory, which is where the pictures, settings and some of the operating software live. No data is lost if the unit is unplugged.

USB Digital Frames Panasonic Display: The display is a 640x480-pixel, passive-matrix liquid crystal display (LCD). This type of display is thin enough that the digital frame isn't much thicker than an ordinary picture frame. The pictures are displayed in 12-bit color, which means that approximately 4,100 different colors can be presented on the screen.

USB Digital Frames Controls: Depending on the model the user-operated controls on the frame can operate a menu of display options, including movies, m-pegs, mp4’s, avi, jpegs. There is a brightness of the display button that corrects the look for your environment.

USB Digital Frames Features: Some of the USB Digital Frames styles have speakers, can load and play MP3’s. There is also the ability to send (via Bluetooth) the pictures or songs back to your computer so you can email them to friends.

I hope this gives you a brief technical understanding.....next post we will look at how to sell the darn things into the promotional industry.

USB Digital Frames. An introductory explanation.

2008-01-19T10:00:00.000-08:00

January 15, 2008 -- USB Digital Frames provides a working understanding of the digital picture frame for the 16 billion dollar promotional products industry

As both a professional distributor for 8 years and now a supplier for 9 years I find that the hardest part about being in this promotional business is product knowledge (PK).

We are being asked more and more often to sell and promote products that have a high technical aspect.........In this industry there are a lot of technophobes.......One of the mandates of this blog is to explain in easy to understand ways...how a digital picture frame works, how to sell it, etc.

So, in response to this industrys shortcoming on PK, USB Digital Frames has started the first in a series of informative and interactive tutorials, an industry first.

The first sessions will address the digital picture frames, with sessions on Flash Drives, MP3’s and more to follow.

What is a Digital Picture Frame and can it be simply explained to over 70,000 promotional products salespeople?

Most digital photo frames can only display JPEG pictures although increasingly TIFF and GIF ability is becoming more common. However, others support additional multimedia content, including movie clips recorded in a digital camera's movie mode, MPEG video files and/or MP3 audio.

Digital photo frames display the photos as a slideshow and usually with an adjustable time interval. Many are blue toothed enabled which can send and receive photos to and from any other Blue Tooth enabled device.Certain frames can also load pictures over the Internet from RSS feeds, photo sharing sites such as Flickr, Picasa, FrameChannel and even from e-mail.

Such networked models usually support wireless (802.11) connections.Digital photo frames typically display the pictures directly from a camera's memory card, though certain frames also provide some very small (16MB) internal memory storage. Certain digital frames allow users to directly upload pictures to the frame's memory via a USB connection.

Most digital photo frames have no or low built-in memory making the purchase of additional memory cards neccesary.USB Digital Frames come complete with a 512MB SD memory.

The North American corporate and promotional products industry topped 16 billion dollars in sales in 2006. Although still in its infancy the digital picture frame industry has racked up impressive sales in this marketplace.

According to the Retail Sales Index, this Christmas (2007) sales of digital picture frames grew by more that 1200%. That percentage of growth was mirrored in the promotional products industry.

USB Digital FramesHorseshoe Way VancouverCanada