The other two products have one grayscale LCD screen, much like a Web tablet. Despite these features, we believe the acceptance of eBooks will be low in the near future. A lack of standards and compatibility between readers and electronic formats and exclusive partnership deals with publishing and e-commerce sites has resulted in a decrease in content and an increase buyer uncertainty. Digital Frames Digital frames have just arrived on the market and offer connectivity for long distance family members and friends. Sony's frame allows a user to display not only digital images but MPEG movies using Memory Stick media and a Cybershot or DCR-TRV 10 digital video camcorder.
Users can also print images from the frame.
Ceiva, which uses a phone line and a local number to upload images each night, holds 8 pictures on the frame. The Ceiva Web site offers the ability to handle images in the inbox and on the frame as well as create personal albums to store additional pictures. Digital frames are a strong product concept. However, their potential is limited and pricey which results in a narrow market. The product also has limited appeal, especially with the growth of services that save traditional photographs on a CD-ROM or make digital photographs into printed replicas.