One of the more interesting items being demoed Wednesday in New York was FaceCake’s Frame Wizard, a picture frame that does more than just cycle through your pictures with pretty transitions. The technology has been out for a little over a year, but the company appears to be again pushing it as we come into the holiday season.

Here’s a video shot on YouTube of the picture frames so you get an idea of what it does — its better illustrated by this then me telling you about it:

FaceCake’s technology makes the pictures actually move. For instance, people in photos blink, smile, or move; fall scenes come alive with falling leaves; water ripples; and the lights blink. The company bills the Frame Wizard product as the only picture frame to accomplish such a feat. Frames are sold in two sizes, 8″ and 15″, which retail for $199 and $299 USD respectively.

The animations are accomplished through the use of four different included software products that spice up your still photos. One called Moving Memories adds the blinking and lifelike movement to people and pets in the shots you take, while Element Effects adds elements to inanimate objects, such as weather, falling leaves, moving water, and blinking lights. Change of Scenery will take phots and place them in new locations — say your wedding photo in a banquet hall is suddenly in front of ferris wheel ride, and Matte Magic adds borders. All four can be used in conjunction with one another, the company says.

I can honestly say that this is one technology that actually creeped me out a little bit. While yes, for classical art and the like it was kind of cool, with people’s faces it was a bit too much. The movements were kind of robotic-like and unnatural to me, and I guess I just can’t get over the fact that still photography is meant to be just that.

The creepiness factor is definitely something that this technology needs to work on. I’d be interesting in hearing what our readers think. Are you getting that same vibe?

 
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