Why You Can Trust CNET Give Dad the gift of a smart digital photo frame for $130 (save $50)
Nixplay's lovely frame frees family photos from the confines of phones and social media.
Nixplay's dedicated digital photo frame looks snazzy and comes with its own email address for easy adding of new photos -- from you and from friends and family.
There are a handful of items I consider can't-miss gifts. A Tile tracker. An Ember mug. And, you guessed it, a digital photo frame. In recent months I've shared a handful of no-brand frames priced in the $80 to $90 range, but allow me to make the case for spending a little more -- especially if you're shopping for Dad.
For a limited time, you can get the Nixplay Smart Photo Frame 10.1 Inch for $130 with promo code CNETDADS. That's an extra $5 off the current Father's Day sale price; it normally sells for $180.
Why the unending love for these things? Simple: Instead of a single framed photo, you get to look at thousands of photos in a never-ending slideshow. It's such a smart way to actually do something with all those pictures you snap with your phone. And if you're giving this as a gift, it's a great way to share new photos with the recipient: You can just email them right to the frame (it gets its own address) or upload them via app.
The Nixplay can also import pictures from the likes of Facebook, Instagram and Google Photos. Because it's connected to Wi-Fi, you don't have to manually copy photos from a flash drive or memory card, as with photo frames of yesteryear.
This particular model works in either portrait or landscape mode. It has speakers for playing videos and a motion sensor that turns the screen off to save power. Best of all: No monthly fee or any kind of subscription. Buy it once and you're done. (Nixplay does offer a Plus subscription service aimed at families, but it's optional.)
Could you use, say, an Amazon Fire tablet as a dedicated photo frame? Absolutely, but it would be pretty basic, without the dedicated email address, motion sensor and all that. Same goes for the likes of an Echo Show or Google Nest Hub; they have basic photo-frame features, but the value of a dedicated frame is being able to quickly and easily add new photos, and do so from afar.
So get one for Dad or get one for yourself. Either way, it's a purchase you won't regret.
Read more: The best Father's Day gifts for 2021
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