Aura Ink 10 Cuts the Cord With a Sharper Smaller Color E Paper Frame

Aura Frames has spent the past year improving its cordless approach since the larger Ink 13 came last fall, and the new 10-inch model is thinner, sharper, and $150 less expensive. Priced at $349 and available now in the United States, it maintains the same fundamental promise as its larger sibling: a photo that fits on a shelf or hangs on a wall without a power cord dragging across the room. When the frame refreshes once every day, the battery life can last up to three months, however brighter rooms or more frequent adjustments shorten that time frame.

E-ink’s Spectra 6 panel powers the display, and unlike the previous generation, it has 9 base colors to choose from, including black, white, red, yellow, blue, and green, but also off-white, mustard yellow, and orange. These latter three colors aren’t afterthoughts; Aura and e-ink intentionally tuned them to make family photos stand out with improved skin tones, sharper textures on grass or clothing, and smoother transitions in sunsets.

The pixel density rises from 150 to 200 per inch, reducing the roughness that emerges when using limited inks to replicate a full-color photo. Refresh still takes around a minute, and the changes can be seen washing over the screen in waves of color, indicating a clear tradeoff if you see it in action.

The thin front light only turns on when the room is dim and someone is present, and it turns off when the room brightens or people depart, allowing the battery to last longer. There are some handy little touches, such as a hook for hanging the frame on the wall, a detachable stand for placing it on a desk or side table, and a mat with a rich linen texture that complements the frame.

Shared albums in the Aura app allow others to upload photos from their phones, and you get free limitless cloud storage. The frame can also retrieve photos from Google Photos and Apple Photos. Color e-paper still lacks the brightness and saturation of a normal LCD, and some colors, such as brilliant yellow, can appear muted.

When compared to the larger Ink 13, the 10 performs slightly better, but not much. However, the smaller model is simpler to fit into more areas because to its greater resolution, more basic colors, and cheaper price point. If you want a photo that looks like it was printed and framed without the hassle of a cable, the ink 10 is the most compact alternative they’ve released thus far. If you like a glowing screen and constant updates, Aura still sells standard LCD versions starting at $149.
[Source]