This ePaper photo frame is about to enter mass production — and it's completely cordless

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You can hang the Reflection Frame anywhere in your home without having to worry about being near an outlet

A person changing the photo on a digital frame
(Image credit: Reflection Frame)

One of the greatest struggles we've encountered with even the best digital photo frames is their electricity source. Most require a cord to power their screens, which can be frustrating when you want to display your photos in an area of your home that's far from outlets. Even if you're thinking of hanging a digital frame on your wall, that dangling cord is an unavoidable eyesore. Luckily, an alternative to the traditional digital photo frame is about to hit mass production.

Reflection Frame, which has garnered nearly $90,000 on Kickstarter, is an ePaper photo frame that doesn't need any power to display your favorite pics. It works like any other ePaper device, such as the ReMarkable Paper Pro, to display vibrant, clear images that look and feel like they're printed on real paper.

Power-free functionality

The real star of the show is the Reflection Frame's energy usage, or lack thereof. Since the Reflection Frame doesn't need any kind of backlighting, the only time it uses power at all is when you change the photo it's currently displaying, which the frame's creators claim you can do up to 3,000 times between charges. Otherwise, this cordless frame can sit idle for an eternity without losing the image's original contrast or saturation.

To change the photo the frame is displaying, all you'll need to do is install its companion app on your phone, load up the image you want to transfer, then tap your phone to the frame. In just a few seconds, the frame will "print" the new image on the display.

As this frame is cordless, you have the freedom to mount it anywhere, including on a wall with no outlets. It hangs just like a standard picture frame, and when the time comes to recharge it, you can simply take it down, charge it up, and remount it. The best part: even when the battery dies, the last image you loaded onto the frame will remain displayed at full quality until you recharge and swap in a new photo.

Availability and pricing

According to the schedule posted on Reflection Frame's Kickstarter page, mass production is scheduled to begin in February of this year. The manufacturer is ready to begin production immediately and is simply waiting for a final order count. Completed models will ship out just two months later in April.

In terms of pricing, there are multiple options available on the Kickstarter page, but the standard pre-production pricing is $249 plus shipping for the "Early Bird Special." This deal is allegedly a 24% discount from the Reflection Frame's final price post-production, and pre-ordering guarantees you'll get your frame as soon as they start shipping out in April.

On the same timeline, you can also score a two-pack of the Reflection Frame for $479, which increases the overall discount by another 3%. Both frames are the same as what you'd be purchasing individually, and there is no indication that these frames will arrive any sooner or later than single orders.

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Adam Schram
Adam Schram
Staff Writer, Home Office

Adam Schram was a staff writer covering home office gear for Tom's Guide, writing about everything from standing desks to comfy chairs to the occasional walking treadmill. Prior to his tenure with the team, he reviewed running gear for Runner's World, cycling gear for Bicycling, and the occasional Lego set for Popular Mechanics. Before he became a journalist, he was a bike mechanic in his home town of State College, Pennsylvania for almost seven years. Now, he's based in Philadelphia. He spends his free time ripping his bike around local trails, perusing the local music scene, and trying in vain to do the Sunday crossword without cheating.