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Aura Frames Mason Luxe Review Rating
Generalize
Aura Mason Luxe is an exquisite but expensive digital photo frame. It is an ideal gift due to its multiple setting options and collaborative uploading function.
advantage
- Exquisite display and overall design
- Easy to use, with multiple upload options
- Photos and WiFi voucher can be pre-set for gifts
shortcoming
- Photos are stored on the Aura server-not directly uploaded to the frame
- The suggestion feature will automatically upload the metadata of all photos (but not the photos themselves)
- expensive
As Christmas approaches, many of us will look for a thoughtful gift for our loved ones.
All the options of Aura Frames are a particularly good choice because they all allow you to pre-set the frame and upload photos before giving the gift. This makes them more considerate and personalized than some random techniques.
Aura Mason Luxe is the brand’s new flagship frame. It uses a high-resolution 2K display that can work in landscape or portrait orientation and also supports 30-second video.
Specification
- 9.7″ 2K 2048×1536 screen, first-class picture quality
- Rotate to display in landscape or portrait
- Unlimited photo and video storage-Send more than 10,000 photos from your phone to your Aura frame. Each frame contains unlimited cloud photo storage space. There are no hidden fees or subscription fees.
- Easily upload photos and videos from anywhere using the Aura app on iOS and Android
- Adjustable slide show speed, allowing photos to change quickly or slowly as you like
- Display photos and videos in chronological or random order
- Built-in speaker allows you to hear the sound in the video
- The ambient light sensor automatically adjusts the display brightness (and turns off when it’s dark)
- Upload via app, email or web
Video support
Mason Luxe supports up to 30 seconds of video, and the photo frame has speakers that can play video and audio. When the video is playing automatically, it is in silent mode. The only way to upload videos is through the app.
design
The frame has an attractive design. The sample I received was in pebble color, which is a plastic frame, but with a textured color and design. It doesn’t have the same plastic appearance as other brands, and all controls are discretely located on the top panel of the touch bar instead of ugly buttons.
The thickness of the frame is just right. In my opinion, it will not be too thick or too thin. It looks like an ordinary photo frame.
It has a lot of depth, more than what you can get on a normal frame, but the frame itself is a scaffold. There is no flip stand.
Like other Aura Frames, you have to plug it in, there is no battery or any other magic that allows you to avoid using cables. The cable has enough length so that you can route it reasonably to hide it. It is also a texture white, making it less ugly than black plastic power cords.
set up
The Aura Frames series is the perfect gift, so I set it up as if I would give it at Christmas. However, since I need to actually view the product, I have to create an account for the recipient and set it up this way.
You have many options to set as a gift. If you ship it directly to the recipient, you can upload a photo for them in advance and attach the virtual gift information. However, with this option, you cannot set up WiFi for them.
When giving a gift, you can use the QR code on the side of the box to set things up, but I opened the normal way for everything I made.
After installing the app and creating an account, you can pair the photo frame with the help of Bluetooth, and you need to confirm the code on the screen.
I need to set up WiFi for my own house, but if you know the recipient’s details, you can set up their WiFi in advance, allowing them to plug it in and use it immediately.
Upload content and privacy issues
When i look back Halo carver, I raised some privacy issues.
It seems that some of these problems still exist, but they are not as bad as I originally thought, and Aura has made it clearer what data they can access and how to disable them.
Any photos you upload will be stored on their servers. Aura clearly states that they do not own your photos (unlike some social media sites). In addition to providing services to you, Aura will never use your photos for any purpose.
They will use metadata related to the photo, such as location data about where the photo was taken and the camera or device that took the photo. It is then used to group photos that may contain the same personal image.
One of the problems I encountered before was that when you provided access to all photos (the settings they recommended), it was not clear what was uploaded.
Aura now confirms:
The Aura app will access your device’s photo library and collect metadata, including facial recognition data, and upload this data to the cloud. This metadata will not be shared or sold, and your photo itself will never be uploaded without your permission. If you turn off smart suggestions, Aura can still access metadata about the photos you shared, but Aura will not upload data about photos you haven’t shared with the frame.
In general, I am not too concerned about the above issues. Most privacy-conscious people may want to turn off smart suggestions. In some cases, Facebook is worse in terms of privacy, so if you use it, then you shouldn’t worry about Aura.
is using
After everything is set up, Mason Luxe is very pleasant to use and is an excellent digital photo frame.
The frame can be placed in portrait or landscape mode, and the image will automatically rotate. There are two touch bars on the photo frame, you can slide between pictures twice, one in each direction. The frame will also intelligently crop photos. The following example shows that some photos of Blackpool Tower are cropped, and then a group photo of people it knows, suitable for everyone.
The display has a matte finish and excellent color reproduction. Then combine it with smart backlighting to maintain image quality throughout the day and make the photo frame look like an actual photo frame instead of staring at the laptop screen.
When the photo frame detects very low light, it will automatically turn off the display, allowing you to use it in the bedroom.
The viewing angle is also great. Even at sharp angles, the image still looks great.
Prices and alternatives
Aura Frames Mason Luxe is Aura’s flagship product, priced at £249
Then they bought Carver for £179, which is a 10.1-inch full HD 1920×1200. It only works in landscape orientation and does not have video compatibility.
Sawyer is priced at 219 pounds and measures 9.7 inches 2K 2048×1536. It is suitable for landscape and portrait orientation, but lacks video.
Nixplay seems to be the most highly rated alternative brand, with models ranging from £130 to £240 depending on the size. The resolution is low and the overall aesthetics is not very good.
overall
Aura Frames Mason Luxe is an excellent digital photo frame. In all respects, it is the best on the market, the framework itself looks good, the display is first-rate, the video compatibility is good, and the application is also excellent.
This also means that it is premium. Buying Sawyer can save £40, but Mason’s frame design looks more beautiful, with narrower borders and textured finishes. I would say it is worth it.
Overall, this is an excellent high-quality frame that will be the perfect Christmas gift this year.
Last updated on 2021-09-19 / Affiliate link / Image from Amazon Product Advertising API
