Joy is a $500 tablet that’s a curated digital frame for your photos

By Julian Chokkattu October 18, 2016

We prize our smartphone cameras and share photos to social networks daily, but there’s something about holding a physical photo or album you just can’t replace. That’s what Alan Chan finds lacking in today’s digital world, but he has a solution: a tablet.

It’s not an iPad or an Android tablet — no, Joy is a one-trick pony that displays your photos not unlike the former app Storehouse. It’s a 13.3-inch HD touchscreen tablet that runs a proprietary operating system based on Android. It’s meant to sit on its wireless charger in your home as a digital frame for your photos, but you can easily pick it up to jump into all your curated albums.

Most of the work is done via the Joy app for iOS and Android. It pulls images, GIFs, videos and more from your camera gallery, and you decide what shows up on the tablet. The app lets you curate albums with descriptions and text, and you can share them with other Joy users so they can use their tablet for viewing.

“We want Joy to be the final cut, the final edit … like your wedding album — we don’t want every single photo your photographer took at your wedding,” Chan tells Digital Trends.

When on the stand, Joy shows a reel of photos from various albums — like most digital frames. It also lets you hop on a call, done via Wi-Fi, with another Joy user — your screen will be shared, so you can talk to folks on the other end while showing off your album photos.

All of these photos are automatically backed up on Joy’s cloud, of which you get 10GB to use — there are more storage options available, but you’ll have to cough up some extra dough.

The tablet has a five-hour battery life, and it looks somewhat like Google’s Nexus 9 except its back slants out into the middle for better ergonomics.

Unfortunately, what may kill Joy is its price. While the app, which will be available early 2017, is free, the tablet will retail for $500. You can buy a lot of tech at that price points, so for many it will not seem worth it. For what it’s worth, you can get Joy for $300 if you pre-order it.

The device will begin shipping in the summer of 2017, but it’s available for pre-order now.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Julian Chokkattu

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Julian is the mobile and wearables editor at Digital Trends, covering smartphones, fitness trackers, smartwatches, and more…

Smart Home

Are robotic pool cleaners worth it?

The Airper Seagull SE robotic pool cleaner at the bottom of a swimming pool.

The worst part of owning a swimming pool is taking care of it From filter maintenance and skimming debris from the surface to managing chemicals and more, you'll likely find yourself hanging out around the water more often than you're actually in the water. Robotic pool cleaners are designed to alleviate this pinch point of pool ownership by giving you back your time and automating most of your tasks.

But are robotic pool cleaners worth it, or are they a gimmick that still require heaps of manual input? Here's a closer look to help you decide if one would be a good addition to your backyard.
Budget-friendly devices are often a hassle

Smart Home

Best Buy cut this air fryer’s price in half, down to just $25

The Bella Pro Series 3 Quart Air Fryer near food.

If you want your food crispy all over without having to deal with draining a ton of oil, your best bet is to use an air fryer. They're never too expensive and there are always great air fryer deals going on, but you'll rarely find one with a price like this. Right now, the Bella Pro Series 3 Quart Analog Air Fryer is half off, moving its price from $50 to $25. To pick yours up today all you need to do is tap the button below. If you're interested in our take, however, be sure to keep reading.

Why you should buy the Bella Pro Series 3 Quart Air Fryer
The Bella Pro Series 3 Quart Air Fryer holds up to about 2.5 pounds of food, heats up to 400 degrees, and has easily-removable dishwasher-safe parts. If you notice it is "analog" that is because it has a 60 minute shut off timer to give you peace of mind and an easy way to time your cooking. Of course, this means there aren't a ton of digital options, buttons, and settings. However, this can be a plus for some and possibly you. Not every item in the home needs to be "smart" and less can certainly feel like more.

Smart Home

Revolution Cooking’s high-speed smart toaster is $100 off today

Someone using the Revolution Cooking InstaGLO R180 smart toaster in the kitchen.

If you're thinking about getting a new toaster for your kitchen, why not go with a high-speed smart toaster? Best Buy is currently selling the Revolution Cooking InstaGLO R180 smart toaster with a $100 discount, slashing its price to $250 from $350 originally. There's no telling how much time is remaining before this offer expires though, so if you're interested, it's highly recommended that you proceed with the purchase right now in order to secure the savings.

Why you should buy the Revolution Cooking InstaGLO R180 smart toaster
Are smart kitchen gadgets worth it? The answer is a resounding yes, and the Revolution Cooking InstaGLO R180 smart toaster will show you why. With this kitchen device, you'll no longer suffer from burnt or uneven toasts as it's powered by the brand's InstaGLO heating system. The technology will start toasting your bread in just two seconds without any need for preheating. You'll get bread that's crunchy outside and moist inside every single time, which is a huge upgrade over the inconsistencies of traditional toasters.