Digital Frames on The Rise - Demand Expected to Hit 20 Million Units in 2008 (GALLERY)

Now this could be a thoughtful Valentine gift. How about a digital frame loaded with pictures or video of you and your loved one?

According to Taiwan’s Industrial Economics and Knowledge Center (IEK) demand for digital photo frames is expected to increase to 20 million units in 2008, up from about 12 million in 2007, 80% of which were sold in North America and Europe.

International companies such as Samsung, Sony, Kodak, Philips, ViewSonic, and Hewlett Packard (HP), are already on the wagon with numerous models sized as small as 1.5-inches and as large as 32-inches. Models range from low-priced digital photo frames priced under-US$49, to higher-end models with rich features such as video, music, built-in camera and applications such as a calendar.

As with normal picture frames, the typical choice of grandma; digital frames have the potential to become a popular choice for the young generation. While teen girls used to obsess about boys by writing and drawing on their scrap books, now they can do that using rich multimedia and technology.