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Aura’s impressive e-ink photo frame doesn’t even look digital

1 d ago

Aura has launched the Aura Ink, a digital photo frame that uses color e-ink technology to create a display resembling a printed photograph. Co-founder and CTO Eric Jensen told TechCrunch that e-ink is "next level," with users mistaking the frame for a recently printed photo. Unlike standard LED screens, e-ink reduces eye strain and avoids the clunky, bright-screen issues of traditional digital frames. However, color e-ink currently only supports six colors (red, blue, green, yellow, white, black). To overcome this, Aura developed a dithering algorithm that blends these limited colors into smooth gradients, making images appear close to the originals. The frame connects to the Aura app, allowing users to upload photos from phones, web, email, iCloud, or Google Photos. The app also includes social features for sharing libraries with family. Aura also offers the 12-inch LED Aspen frame ($229) as a comparison, which features an anti-glare, paper-like matting for a premium look. The Ink frame (13.3 inches, $499) changes photos once daily, typically at night, and takes about a minute to render images manually. It charges via USB-C and lasts about a month on a single charge, with the display sleeping when not in use. Mounting hardware is included. While the Ink frame's color accuracy is not perfect—especially noticeable to analog photographers—the distorted palette can appear artistic. Despite technical limitations, the reviewer found the Ink frame a superior product for those seeking a non-digital aesthetic.