On10 has a nice video that shows the FrameIt service in general and about 60% through gives a brief demo of mesh in action.

FrameIt has done well to make sure digital frames with an Internet connection are leveraged better by their owners. This new Mesh functionality certainly adds to the simplicity of frame photo management and is definitely a huge blow to the competing FrameChannel service.

NAVTEQ Traffic gives you the ability to choose a specific traffic market, there are 29 cities available at launch, and schedule the day of the week and time of day for real-time traffic information display. The data display shows a map of the downtown area and the main roads are highlighted in green yellow or red, giving you a visual idea of the pace of traffic in those areas. It’s currently not possible to enter in your specific route for more detailed information, though Microsoft has offered that in other products in the past, so it’s reasonable to hope they eventually do the same here as well.

This announcement follows several in the last few days that highlight new Microsoft FrameIt partnerships with digital picture frame manufacturers. While this may not spell the end for FrameChannel, that competing service has definitely been put on notice by Microsoft. Users may configure their settings at the FrameIt website.

Aequitas Technologies has released the iGala Wireless Digital Picture Frame, which features an 8″ 800×600 touchscreen display, 1GB of internal memory, Wi-Fi and connections with Gmail, Microsoft Windows Live FrameIt and Flickr.

The iGala is another frame that’s opting for the Microsoft FrameIt service rather than the competing FrameChannel offering. With the FrameIt connection and the built-in Wi-Fi, the iGala can not only access online photos, but also view content including News, Traffic, and Weather information.

From a software perspective, the Gmail feature is not only a first in the digital frame business, but is also the most interesting feature. iGala owners will be able to associate a Gmail account with their iGala DPF and email photos directly to the frame from anywhere in the world. A few frames offer email addresses (many for a monthly fee), but none that we know of leverage Gmail.

The iGala hardware isn’t too shabby either. The frame features an 800×600 pixel 8″ standard aspect ratio display with touchscreen interface and 1GB of internal memory. The touchscreen interface lets customers complete frame setup easily, without needed a connected PC.

It’s a bit early to proclaim the iGala one of the most impressive frames on the market, but it certainly has that potential if the hardware and software live up to their promise.

The iGala is available now for $239.

Update

Our iGala review has been posted.

These Samsung digital photo frames are made-up in a glossy black bezel with rounded edges for an “elegant look.” All four models feature Samsung’s Starlight Touch Controls which integrate the On Screen Display buttons into the right side of the bezel. Starlight Touch features capacitive touch buttons, which disappear from the bezel after 10 seconds of inactivity. All four of these digital photo frames can also be used as a secondary monitor for your PC, using Samsung’s UbiSync technology.

The Samsung SPF-85V and SPF-105V are Internet-enabled photo frames; which allow for wireless connectivity via 802.11b/g. These frames are optimized for use with Windows Live Spaces for easy photo sharing. Additionally, these frames come with Samsung’s InfoLink feature, which offers the ability to receive RSS feeds from “USA Today” and content from FrameChannel.

One thing that is quite shocking though is that Samsung essentially removed the included memory from the wireless frames, opting for a paltry 64MB compared to the 1GB in the non-networked frames. It’s clear they’re assuming you’ll get your pictures online or via external card. By comparison, D-Link includes 1GB of internal memory with their wireless frame.

Other highlights include a small internal battery on three of the models, which will get you roughly half an hour of video playback or forty minutes of slideshow presentation. These frames also feature a speaker integrated in the back of the frame. All four look nearly identical; we’ve used varying shots of each below to give you a better feel for the frame design.

Samsung SPF-85H

Samsung 85H

• 8″ Display
• 800 x 600 High resolution
• Contrast Ratio – 400:1
• 1 GB internal memory
• Auto on/off function
• UbiSync Technology (Secondary PC monitor via USB)
• Auto Photo Resize
• SD/MMC/MS/XD card reader, USB memory slot
• Dimensions – 8.98″ x 7.38″ x 1.79″
• Weight – 1.6 pounds
• No network option

The Samsung 85H is due out September 1st for an MSRP of $129.99.

Samsung SPF-85V

Samsung 85V

• 8″ Display
• 800 x 600 High resolution
• Contrast Ratio – 400:1
• 64 MB internal memory
• Internal battery (estimated life – 30 minutes playing video, 40 minutes slideshow)
• 802.11b/g wireless
• Auto on/off function
• UbiSync Technology (Secondary PC monitor via USB)
• Auto Photo Resize
• SD/MMC/MS/XD card reader, USB memory slot
• Dimensions – 8.98″ x 7.38″ x 1.79″
• Weight – 1.89 pounds

The Samsung 85V is due out September 1st for an MSRP of $199.99.

Samsung SPF-105P

Samsung 105P

• 10.2″ Display
• 1024 x 600 High resolution
• Contrast Ratio – 500:1
• 1 GB internal memory
• Internal battery (estimated life – 30 minutes playing video, 40 minutes slideshow)
• Not networked
• Auto on/off function
• UbiSync Technology (Secondary PC monitor via USB)
• Auto Photo Resize
• SD/MMC/MS/XD card reader, USB memory slot
• Dimensions – 11.37” x 7.81” x 1.8”
• Weight – 2.18 pounds

The Samsung 105P is due out October 1st for an MSRP of $199.99.

Samsung SPF-105V

Samsung 105V

• 10.2″ Display
• 1024 x 600 High resolution
• Contrast Ratio – 500:1
• 64 MB internal memory
• Internal battery (estimated life – 30 minutes playing video, 40 minutes slideshow)
• 802.11b/g wireless
• Auto on/off function
• UbiSync Technology (Secondary PC monitor via USB)
• Auto Photo Resize
• SD/MMC/MS/XD card reader, USB memory slot
• Dimensions – 11.37” x 7.81” x 1.8”

The Samsung 105V is due out November 1st for an MSRP of $289.99.

Update – We have posted a review of the Samsung SPF-85V. 

Microsoft has recently released a free content service for digital picture frames called FrameIt. FrameIt takes a clear shot at the more established FrameChannel service, which is embedded with many Internet-enabled frames, like the D-Link DSM-210 that we just reviewed.

FrameIt lets users customize a content feed that is delivered via RSS. The promise is nearly identical to FrameChannel, you can customize weather data, news sources and your own photos via Live Spaces or SmugMug; amongst other things. Once you customize the channel, all you have to do is plug in the address of your custom RSS feed into the frame. The frame then consumes the feed and starts displaying your data.

The main setback for Microsoft though is that many frames don’t have their own RSS readers. The D-Link model can consume RSS feeds, but it does so through the FrameChannel interface which mangles the FrameIt RSS feed.

Microsoft also needs to work on the content delivery a little bit. Some channels like weather and their stock photo galleries work well, but the news feeds leave quite a bit to be desired.

FrameIt is in beta and is available to everyone right now. Follow the developments on the FrameIt blog, or customize your personal RSS feed now.

FrameIt Content Screen Shots