Skype Picture Frame?

April 3, 2010 11:31 PM

A digital picture frame with an integrated camera/speakers/microphone/wifi that can run Skype, so you can interact with people (kinda like Dumbledore's office :-). Does such a beast exist? If not could it easily be assembled?
posted by rouftop to Computers & Internet (10 answers total)

An ipod touch, propped up against something! (Or an iphone.) (And if those, surely an ipad can do this too..)
posted by soviet sleepover at 11:35 PM on April 3, 2010

Neither iPod Touch, nor iPad, nor even iPhone, has a front-facing camera, which is a basic requirement for this.
posted by Tomorrowful at 11:40 PM on April 3, 2010 [1 favorite]

Not quite a digital picture frame, but there are new versions of Panasonic and LG's flat screen TVs coming out that will have skype built in as an app to work with an optional camera & mic.
posted by sharkfu at 11:59 PM on April 3, 2010

Digital picture frames have small, slow processors, to keep them cheap and to reduce power consumption. I don't think they could handle the compute load required to do bidirectional video.

Most netbooks could do this.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 12:27 AM on April 4, 2010

In the not-too-distant future the Nokia N900 will do this. ;)

I can already do SIP video calling with it.

That said, if you want something reasonably large, you'll probably have to build it yourself. That's not too daunting a task these days what with the vast number of Mini-ITX boards and cases for them that mount on the back of a monitor with standard VESA mounting holes. Something like this could be done and future-proofed with a relatively fast processor for under a thousand bucks, including the monitor. Probably much less.
posted by wierdo at 1:40 AM on April 4, 2010

Yeah ... I got one ... it is called the .....

Wait for it ...

Asus T91 eeepc.

Convertible Tablet with front facing camera, runs Win 7 like dream, touch screen, etc.

Makes perfect skype "picture frame" with a picture frame stand behind it (I made my own).

Even cooler with a bluetooth headset paired.
posted by jannw at 2:05 AM on April 4, 2010 [2 favorites]

I came here to say Netbook.
posted by fixedgear at 3:03 AM on April 4, 2010

Is an iMac inside your price range? It has a camera, mic, speakers, wifi, stand and plenty of processing power to do bidirectional video chat. It's a bit larger and more expensive than a picture frame, though.
posted by indubitable at 6:25 AM on April 4, 2010

I've been looking for something similar, basically an iPad with a camera and inking support (so a convertible netbook without the keyboard). I also think the convertible netbooks, like jannw's suggestion, are the best bet. Even if you don't use the keyboard it's probably cheaper than getting something without, and those things are definitely light enough to carry around easily.
posted by monkeymadness at 8:16 AM on April 4, 2010

Yep. Such a device exists.

Alternatively, if you have a computer nearby to tether it to, a Mimo might fit the bill.
posted by schmod at 5:28 PM on April 4, 2010