Linx Memoire 8in review

If you're looking for a way to view all your happy memories without cluttering up your house, a digital photo frame is the answer, and the Linx Memoire 8in is one of the more affordable and attractive models.

It supports photos, videos and music, its 8 inch colour TFT screen accompanied by a pair of small but audible 1.5W stereo speakers. There's also a remote so you can select content from across the room. It's almost a miniature media centre.

The screen is a decent size and has a relatively high resolution of 800x480 pixels, giving a good impression of detail. The only catch is that the 5:3 aspect ratio is unlikely to match your photos, so they'll appear either cropped or with black bars. Pop in a memory card from your digital camera - the built-in reader handles SD, XD, MS and MMC - and the Linx will do the rest. Alternatively, you can plug in a USB memory drive, or connect the photo frame directly your PC to display a larger collection of pictures from hard disk - a nice idea for the desk in your office. The frame can slide-show JPEG images or play MPEG videos in portrait (tall) or landscape (wide) mode, and rotates the picture automatically when you turn it round.

The Linx is also great for sharing photos with others, since it has a built-in rechargeable battery that will work for about two hours away from the mains. You can personalise the way your slideshow plays with an adjustable timer and transitions.

Integrating a calendar and a clock may be overkill, since it's not the most obvious place to keep that kind of information, and Linx's user interface doesn't make it very easy to get at. To check the time and date you have to exit the slideshow, go back to the main screen and choose the Calendar option, then exit and resume the slideshow. It might be quicker to ask a policeman.

The Linx doesn't have fancy extras such as WiFi support, but it does what it says on the tin and its simple, modern design will fit in to almost any household or office. £60 is a very reasonable price for an 8 inch model that covers all the essential features.