Sony this past evening unveiled its VAIO CP1 Wi-Fi photo frame that allows pictures to be streamed real-time from a PC. The seven-inch, 800x480 LCD frame can connect to Picasa, allowing viewing of four web albums simultaneously. Pictures can also be uploaded from the frame to the Picasa account. Content is organized into "frames" and can be played in different modes including Slideshow, Flow (adding special effects), or Dissolve (fades images).

A built-in real-time RSS reader can display news headlines along with the other content being displayed; MP3s or streaming radio can also be played from SHOUTcast along with the images.

The CP1's display supports 16 million colors and a light sensor to automatically dim when a room's lights are turned off. In addition to the wireless communication, the frame can additionally access pictures from Memory Sticks, SD cards, CompactFlash, or its own 128MB internal memory. A clock can fill in when pictures or media browsing are impractical.

The CP1 will be available in October for around $300.