| Pros: holds 56 pictures; long rechargeable battery life; | | | | as Tao claims, I was able to fit 56 photos in the |
| close-up shots look good; easy-to-use software; | | | | keychain memory. |
| includes AC adapter and USB cord for charging. | | | | Carrying around the keychain, I found it a little bulky. It's |
| Cons: small screen, ONLY close-up shots look good; | | | | about half an inch thick, and tends to monopolize a |
| little too bulky for pocket. | | | | pocket. A slimmer design would certainly be welcome. |
| For years now, a bottle opener and a LEGO® | | | | But the Tao is very easy to use and the battery didn't |
| version of Steve Nash in a Dallas Mavericks uniform | | | | lose much charge after four days in action. Buttons on |
| have dangled from my keys. Since I don't drink too | | | | the top of the keychain allow you to flip forward and |
| many bottles anymore and Nash jumped to the Suns | | | | backward through photos, and tapping the power |
| a few seasons ago, I think it's safe to say my | | | | button turns on slideshow mode. When flipping through |
| keychains could use an update. Ready to take a small | | | | pictures manually, if there's no action for about a |
| step into the future, I removed the Tao Digital Photo | | | | minute, the device will automatically shut off to |
| Keychain from the packaging. | | | | preserve the battery (or after about 3 minutes in |
| The body of the keychain is a square black plastic | | | | slideshow mode). |
| housing with a 1.4-inch LCD screen (for people who | | | | As for the picture quality, the keychain certainly won't |
| want something a little fancier, Tao also offers silver | | | | awe anyone (colors are somewhat washed) - but, |
| and brushed metal versions). Included with the keychain | | | | with such a small screen size, you can't really expect it |
| are a USB cord, a foldout instruction booklet, a CD | | | | to. Also because of the screen size, not all pictures |
| containing image transfer software and an AC | | | | work well with the Tao. In fact, most don't. Long shots |
| adapter. The inclusion of the AC adapter is a nice | | | | or more abstract pictures (such as sunsets) can be |
| extra that a lot of companies (e.g. Apple) don't include | | | | nearly indecipherable. And even medium shots look |
| with items that can be charged through a computer. | | | | pretty muddled. For example, I uploaded photos from a |
| Installing the image transfer software was a painless | | | | recent vacation, and, in a lot of full- and half-body |
| process that only took a few minutes. But, lookout | | | | shots, faces appear almost completely featureless. So, |
| MAC users, the software is for PCs only (MAC users | | | | essentially, the only shots that really work well on the |
| have to download software from the Tao Web site). | | | | Tao Digital Photo Keychain are extreme close-ups |
| Though not the most impressive thing I've ever seen, | | | | (e.g., portrait style shots) - but those pics look just fine. |
| the software is pretty intuitive and straightforward. It | | | | Ultimately, despite its flaws, the Tao Digital Photo |
| allows you to browse for pics saved on your | | | | Keychain is a novel little gadget that catches eyes and |
| computer, transfer them to a collection (where you | | | | encourages casual photo sharing. And it's certainly |
| can remove or reorder photos) and then save them to | | | | more entertaining and aesthetically appealing than a |
| the keychain memory. The software also allows you | | | | rusty bottle opener or LEGO Nash. |
| to crop photos or adjust contrast and brightness. Just | | | | |