I just moved into a new apartment. This process threw up a lot of things I wasn\u2019t expecting (why did no one tell me how fucking expensive dining chairs are?), but one of the elements that has most surprised me is the artwork.<\/p>\n
I thought choosing some cool things to hang on your walls would be easy. But it really isn\u2019t \u2014 especially when there are two of you having to decide on something. It\u2019s also damn expensive if you want something beyond a Bob Marley poster. And then what happens if you spend a whole load of cash on a piece of art, then discover you actually kinda hate it two years later? Yeah, it\u2019s a shit show.<\/p>\n
But there\u2019s something out there that could solve these issues: The Canvia digital art frame.<\/p>\n
[Read:\u00a0Life with the MacBook Touch Bar is awful and I hate it]<\/em><\/p>\n As the name suggests, the Canvia is a, uh, digital art frame. What this actually means is that it\u2019s a specially designed device for displaying artwork. Rather than one of those cheap digital photo frames that were all the rage a few years ago, the Canvia was created to deliver a realistic experience when looking at art.<\/p>\n The question is: Would the digital art frame actually live up to its potential? Well, to try and answer that question, we put together an unboxing and first impressions video. Yes, I know, we\u00a0are<\/em> pretty great. Make sure you scroll to the top of the page to watch the damn thing.<\/p>\n Since recording the video, we\u2019ve spent a bit more time with Canvia digital art frame, so you can find some more detailed thoughts in the sections below. You are very welcome.<\/p>\n It\u2019s very realistic. Shockingly so. You have to get up nice and close before you can see it\u2019s a screen. I\u2019ve got to say, I was very impressed.<\/p>\n The only time when it\u2019s clear it\u2019s a display, and not actual artwork, from a distance is when the brightness is too high. Basically, this shouldn\u2019t really happen due to what Canvia calls its \u201cArt Sense\u201d technology.<\/p>\n This is an automatic feature that adjusts the screen depending on the light conditions in the room. In my experience, it means it just changes the frame\u2019s brightness so it looks natural in rooms. Generally, this works fine. But there have been moments that it didn\u2019t seem to detect the change in light.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not a deal breaker \u2014 as one assumes it can be solved with a software update \u2014 but it\u2019s not something you want to encounter in a $550 product.<\/p>\n Basically, Canvia has partnered with a range of artists and features artwork from a range of museums. This means you have access to over 10,000 pieces of art when using the Canvia app.<\/p>\n But there is a catch.<\/p>\n When you buy the digital art frame, you have access to this entire library \u2014 but only for 12 months. After that, you have to sign up to the service, which will set you back $120 every year. I mean, that only works out at $10 a month, but I\u2019d much rather buy the Canvia and have it come with a pre-installed set of artwork, then have the option of upgrading to more with a subscription.<\/p>\n Another thing I found irritating was how much the app sucks. When you load it, you\u2019re confronted by this:<\/p>\n Yep, it\u2019s super ugly. But, in the grand scheme of things, that doesn\u2019t really matter.<\/p>\n No, the real problem is that those categories don\u2019t really make any sense. When you dive into them you\u2019re not confronted with a logical system of laying out artwork. Instead, it looks a bit like this:<\/p>\n While the marketing copy promised the ability to separate by moods, eras, and artists, none of this was available in the test account I had \u2014 something I\u2019ll put down to a quirk in the data they sent me, rather than a systemic issue.<\/p>\n I fully expect that if you buy a Canvia you\u2019ll have full access to the library, rather than just the taster I experienced.<\/p>\n Still, this isn\u2019t the main point. It\u2019s more about the clumsiness of this interface. If there are 10,000 images available to you on the Canvia digital art frame, navigating through them with these sort of bulky menus would be a nightmare.<\/p>\n Again, this is something that can be solved with a software update, but you would expect a better user experience for a product that\u2019s going to set you back this much.<\/p>\n Basically, I\u2019ve been very impressed with the hardware for the Canvia, minus one thing: The power cord.<\/p>\n Yep, to use the digital art frame, it has to be plugged into the mains. It really does put a negative spin on the whole thing.\u00a0You either need to be fine with a dangling power cord, or do some serious DIY and hide the cable in the wall.<\/p>\n Ideally, it would be amazing if the Canvia was battery powered \u2014 potentially using e-ink technology so the image would remain even if it was off. Mmm, just thinking about that makes me warm inside.<\/p>\n If this was rolled out, it\u2019d be the deal breaker between me thinking the Canvia is a very cool bit of technology, and genuinely needing one in my life. But, if the power cable thing doesn\u2019t bother you \u2014 and you\u2019re desperate to drag your artwork into the modern world \u2014 it could be for you.<\/p>\n For the rest of us though, it might be a few years before we can replace our regular wall hangings with something like the Canvia. Which hurts to say, because it really is an awesome product \u2014 it just seems like technology hasn\u2019t quite caught up with the idea. <\/p>\n For more gear, gadget, and hardware news and reviews, follow Plugged on \n Published February 21, 2020 \u2014 15:47 UTC\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nWhat\u2019s the screen on the Canvia digital art frame like?<\/h2>\n
How do you get art on the frame?<\/h2>\n
![\"canvia](\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2020\/02\/canvia-main-page-796x1298.png\")
![\"canvia](\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2020\/02\/IMG_1664-796x1368.png\")
So who\u2019s the Canvia for? And is it worth getting a digital art frame?<\/h2>\n
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