Aura Ink – An E-Ink Photo Frame That Looks Like a Print
Aura has launched the Aura Ink frame, using color e-ink and a custom dithering algorithm to display photos with only six colors, mimicking the look of printed photographs.
After a decade in the digital photo frame market, Aura introduces the Aura Ink, a frame that employs e-ink technology similar to e-readers, avoiding the glare of typical LED screens. The e-ink display can only produce six colors: red, blue, green, yellow, white, and black. To overcome this limitation, Aura developed a proprietary dithering algorithm that blends these colors into smooth gradients perceived by the human eye. Co-founder and CTO Eric Jensen noted that extensive testing under various lighting conditions was necessary to perfect the algorithm.
The frame connects to the Aura app, allowing users to upload photos from their phone, web, email, iCloud, or Google Photos. The app includes social features, enabling family members to share albums so new images appear automatically on the frame. The Aura Ink measures 13.3 inches and by default changes the displayed photo once a day, typically at night. Manual photo changes trigger a dithering process that takes about a minute.
For comparison, Aura also offers the Aspen, a 12-inch LED frame priced at $229, with an anti-glare screen and paper-like matting. The Aura Ink is priced at $499. While color accuracy is not perfect, the TechCrunch reviewer found the effect artistically pleasing. The frame charges via USB-C and lasts up to a month on a single charge due to a sleep mode that activates when no one is in the room.
