Introduction to Aura’s Newest Product
Aura, a digital picture frame company, has released its newest product, the Aspen, which displays digital photos in an analog style. The Aspen features a 12-inch antiglare display, a 4:3 aspect ratio, and a super slim bezel, making it an improvement over the company’s 10-inch Carver frame. The Aspen also introduces two new features: text captions and people search.
Design and Features
The Aspen is designed to sit on a desk or shelf and comes with an adjustable stand that works in both horizontal and portrait modes. It features a paper-textured matte, a 1600 x 1200 resolution HD LCD display, and a bezel that’s just 0.5 inches thick. The frame’s antiglare screen and 4:3 aspect ratio make it ideal for displaying photos from smartphones, which typically have a 4:3 default setting. This means that photos will be displayed in full screen, without black bars or weird blurring effects.
Displaying Photos
Photos can be added to the frame from a camera roll through the Aura Frames app, which is available on iOS and Android. Users can also email photos to the device or have them automatically added with an iCloud Photos or Google Photos album integration. The Aspen’s display is individually calibrated at the factory to match the native lighting environment, and it features a built-in ambient light sensor that dims the frame in darker environments.
New Features
The Aspen introduces two new features: text captions and people search. Text captions can be added in the app and appear on the frame, providing context for shared photos. The people search feature allows users to filter their camera roll by specific people, making it easier to add photos of loved ones. These features are available on all Aura frames and enhance the overall user experience.
Sharing Photos
Sharing photos across different frames is a core feature of the Aura experience. According to Aura’s CTO, Eric Jensen, many people’s first experience with Aura is buying a frame for a family member and sending pictures to the frame from the app. Each Aura frame has, on average, four people connected to it, creating a network effect. This network effect was the original idea behind Aura, which was founded by Jensen and his cofounder, Abdur Chowdhury, after they left Twitter in 2012.
Business Model
Unlike some competitors, Aura doesn’t charge a subscription fee for its cloud-based photo storage. Instead, the company’s business model is based on people buying one frame and then inevitably buying more. Jensen says that when Aura sells a frame to someone, they know that person will buy a certain number of frames in the future, which accounts for more than half of their sales.
Conclusion
The Aspen is a significant improvement over Aura’s previous frames, with its antiglare screen, slim bezel, and new features like text captions and people search. The frame’s ability to display photos in an analog style, combined with its digital features, makes it an attractive option for those looking for a unique way to share photos with loved ones. With its simple and private sharing feature, Aura has created a refreshing alternative to traditional social media and email, allowing users to connect with family and friends in a more meaningful way.
