Google Christmas Present

I received my first Christmas card this year… and it was from Google. It’s a digital photo frame… pretty cool if you ask me.

Comes with a mini USB cable, power cord, batteries, and an international power adapter. The international power adapter will really come in handy for some other stuff. πŸ™‚

According to the instructions, it’s a 960×240 screen and supports JPG images, MP3, WMA or WAV audio files and AVI movies. It also has a SD card reader for extra memory.

136 thoughts on “Google Christmas Present”

  1. Cool, I guess it’s pretty neat to be a friend of google.

    Anyhow, I wonder if Bill Gates is being sent one.

  2. Bit early? Maybe you’re just that special. Last year Google sent them out sometime in December? Either way, nice gift. I hope YPN rewards their publishers.

  3. pictures of me and your sister are on the way…all you had to do was ask πŸ™‚

    Google gave me a bean bag chair and a lava lamp last year…(fingers crossed for the DigiFrame!)

  4. Anyone figure out what kind of crazy JPG format this device uses? Nothing I export from photoshop seems to do the trick, and the manual conversion program is too much hassle to do 1 by 1.

  5. I got one too. Like Jeff said, anyone figure out the funky JPG format? I have tried everything, even their 1 by 1 tool and can’t get a picture to show up. All it says is file error. I delete the 4 photos that it came with immediately, maybe I shouldn’t have.

  6. Does it even work???

    Wow, glad to know I’m not the only one having trouble putting pictures on there. I too keep getting the “File Error” message. I somehow managed to get ONE picture on there and here are the details for it:

    Name: pic5.jpg
    Size: 49Kb
    Dimensions: 481×640

    If anyone else figures out how to make this work, PLEASE let me know!

  7. This is the first I’ve heard of this thing. When I first read the headline about a Google Digital Picture Frame, I thought someone was featuring my design! I built a DPF from a laptop that runs a Google screensaver. Unlike the one Google’s giving away, though, mine is really easy to use and it always works (and it’s big!). If you care to see how I made it, check it out at http://www.ferhoodle.com

  8. Thanks for the photos. Got mine today and I will put with last years unopened and untouched to be sold on Ebay in 10 years for enough money to replace all the $$ Google has gotten from me πŸ™‚

  9. In order for the pics to show you need to put the actual picture file into the file that says “photos” then they will all show up.
    Its really cool!

  10. I can’t get images out of Photoshop or Picasa to work either. I can only transfer the original photo from my digital camera. Lame! I found a software product called TVwriter which got it to work… but its not free and is over US$50! Anyone…?

  11. Folks,

    I just received in the mail what I believe to be a Google digital photo frame, but I’m not an AdSense advertiser, and I have no reason to believe that they would have a valid reason to be sending this device to me. I believe that this probably was intended for someone else and somehow mistakenly delivered to me, and I’d like to try to find out what the contact address is for the folks at Google who sent them.

    Do you have any information that might help me track down the appropriate people at Google that I can talk to about this?

  12. Hi all,

    I just received my Google Christmas present too. Better than a slap in the face I suppose! Strangely though, I’ve only earned a grand total of $8 on AdSense this year! Although I do spend an absolute fortune on Adwords – so maybe that’s why I got one!

    Neil, UK.

  13. Finally, I got mine too… thought they’d forgotten me all the way down (or is that up!!) here in Australia – at least they made it before Christmas πŸ™‚ does that mean I have to send them back a pressie now?!… what do you buy the multi bazillion dollar company?…

  14. Last years gifts: the usb pen drive wouldnt work, either on my Mac or PC. The usb lamp flickered and was no use.

    This year the digital photo frame complete with instructions in Pidgin English locks up my mac, fatally. Any pictures images movies or mp3 files transferred from the PC are not recognised, and of course the instructions are wholly lacking. The spec says the screen is 960 x 240 !! thats obviously not the case, unless these are new Chinese pixels which are 3 times taller than they are wide!!

    This will go in the cupboard with last years sad gift.

    Such a shame, I bet the FEDEX to my address for the parcel cost more than this POS.

    My 2 cents. (split with Google, unequally, by a ratio I am not allowed to know).

  15. OK:
    for PHOTOS:
    320 x 240 pixel JPG (NOT progressive)
    upload to device, eject from computer, restart digital photo frame and you SHOULD see your pictures begin to play,
    I called mine pic01.jpg pic02.jpg etc,
    Still seems very buggy, once ejected from mac desktop it will not remount unless the mac is restarted.

    Next? lets try get an MP3 to play……

  16. I received my Google picture frame last week — when I had trouble with the images breaking in the frame, I plugged the frame into my wall jack for power, and then I plugged the USB port into my laptop.

    Lo and behold, my laptop immediately blew up. I believe a power surge came in through the USB port via the frame being plugged into the wall. My box is in repair now, but I will let you know if the frame was really the culprit.

    Just wanted to send out a heads-up.

  17. The device will die after one day of BATTERY use. Battery is for short term use only.
    For normal use, the device comes with two β€œnormal usage” power supplies:
    USB Cable to be plugged in DIRECTLY to your Computer. Plugging in to USB Hubs, that are not β€œSelf Powered”, will not work in some cases.

    AC Adaptor is also provided for normal use.
    As far as Loading images, it’s very easy:

    For PC Users:

    Β· Turn the unit on

    Β· Plug the unit in to the USB Port on your Computer using the cable provided

    Β· Go to β€œMy Computer” under your Start Menu on your Computer Desk Top

    Β· Go to appropriate β€œRemovable Disk Icon” and double click to open

    Β· Open β€œPhoto File”

    Β· Drag your .jpg files to this folder

    Β· Turn unit off

    Β· unplug from your PC

    Β· After you turn the unit back on, your image should now be viewable

    For Mac Users:

    Β· Turn the unit on

    Β· Plug the unit in to the USB Port on your Computer using the cable provided

    Β· Double Click on the β€œDrive Icon” on your Desk Top

    Β· Go to β€œPhoto File: and Double Click to open

    Β· Drag your .jpg files to this folder

    Β· Turn unit off

    Β· unplug from your Mac

    Β· After you turn the unit back on, your image should now be viewable

    β€œFile Errors” occur when the device is unplugged from your Computer without turning the unit off first.

    When using the SD Card:

    PC Users:

    Β· make sure the unit is turned off

    Β· plug in the SD card to the top of the unit

    Β· turn on the unit

    Β· Your SD card is now being formatted automatically. Your SD is now formatted with 4 new file folders:

    a) MP3 File (for Music)

    b) MP4 File (for video)

    c) Photo File (for images)

    d) Rec File (for recordings)

    Β· Take the USB cable provided and plug one end in to the device and the other end in to your computer

    Β· Go to “my computer” under your Start Menu on your computer desk top

    Β· Go to appropriate “removable disk icon” and double click to open (Make sure that it’s the correct Removable Disk Icon, there will also be one for the Internal memory as well)

    Β· Click and drag your image files to the “photo file”; your music files to the “mp3 file” etc…

    Β· Turn the unit off

    Β· unplug from your pc

    Β· after you turn the unit back on, your images will now be viewable

    For Mac Users:

    Β· make sure the unit is turned off

    Β· plug in the SD card to the top of the unit

    Β· turn on the unit

    Β· Your SD card is now being formatted automatically. Your SD is now formatted with 4 new file folders:

    a) MP3 File (for Music)

    b) MP4 File (for video)

    c) Photo File (for images)

    d) Rec File (for recordings)

    Β· Take the USB cable provided and plug one end in to the device and the other end in to your computer

    Β· In a moment, 2 drive icons will appear on your desk top

    Β· Go to appropriate disk icon and double click to open (Make sure that it’s the correct Disk Icon, there will also be one for the Internal memory as well)

    Β· Click and drag your image files to the “photo file”; your music files to the “mp3 file” etc…

    Β· Turn the unit off

    Β· unplug from your computer

    Β· after you turn the unit back on, your images will now be viewable

  18. anybody know how much you need to spend to get one of these from google? its one of those presents that are cool to get but wouldnt buy.

  19. Hello Shawn. IΒ΄m from Brazil and I received this digital photo frame too in the christmasΒ΄s party from the company where i worked for. But I had I little problem: It doesnΒ΄s recognize any type of picture I tried to include. ItΒ΄s just move the file to the PHOTO folder, right? Well, it doesnΒ΄t work. If you could help me IΒ΄ll thank you. I let my e-mail, if want to reply
    See ya

  20. I heard from the repair shop — looks like the picture frame fried my Mother board. My brother, who is more familiar with the way computers are built says that the frame is probably missing some diodes that keep the power from the wall outlet from frying the mother board.

    This cost me $600, so I am warning everyone I can — DO NOT plug the frame into the wall and into your USB port at the same time.

  21. December 21, 2006

    Hello Dear Shawn!

    IΒ΄m from Delhi (India) and wish to thanks from the bottem of my heart for Google Christmas Present.

    I and my family wish you all Google family a very happy Christmas and New Year!

    Further, I love people from all over the world as long as we are not hearting ony one but love as Jesus Loves the world to-day and ever.

    Love to all Google Staff!

    Johnson

  22. sup ya’ll, I got problems with my google frame: It won’t display any picture, I got file error right after the start up sound. At first it was displaying some of my pics (very few) but many file errors already. Now it won’t work anymore πŸ™
    I’m trying with and without SD card, I’ve even formated the internal memory, won’t help.
    I’m uploading pics as sarah said above but it’s not working (it even shows file error when during the upload).

    Can someone help me pleeease?

  23. OK, this is the fourth “gift” from google that is complete junk! All you people asking to buy one, don’t even think about it! Google must shop for the absolute cheapest overseas manufacturer -like sweatshop extreme!

    First, Google sent a mood-light/radio. that seemed to work ok. Then we got the laptop accessory pack wich was ok, only the USB storage drive didn’t work at all like Ed says above. Then they sent a little refrigerator and that actually got warm instead of cold. Now this picture frame which gets worse the more you try to use it…

    Look, I’m not trying to be ungrateful. I think it is nice that they give gifts to their customers, but they should consider more than just a low price in their purchases. I’d rather get a $5 credit on my account than a $5 made in sweatshopville, China piece of junk that will ultimately end up in a landfill along with 1000’s of others.

    For you who like the digital picture frame, you can buy one much better than the Google promo piece and you’ll be a lot happier.

  24. Hi, Its a cool way of greeting and whenever you memorize your memories in this gift, of course implicitly it will memorize the Name of Google.

  25. Wow! I’d like receive one too, I participing in Googe Adsense too! N I’m from Brazil…but I don’t have to many wins in my site, don’t u like to go there n help me, dude?
    hehehe, thanks! And Merry Christimas (it’s better late than never) and nice year!

  26. Pingback: D
  27. the google gifts are a loadof shitte a fucking photo frame that costs a about 50p in the paki shop a fridge thats warm how sad can u get i would rather them send u money more send u a nice looking girl 2 your house for the day and you could do what ever u wanted 2 her lol google can bite me ass

  28. No idea what 2010 was, we once got a cute little fridge with their logo on it, but that was years ago and nothing since these days.

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