Check out Popular Science’s Gallery: Science Confirms The Obvious 2010.

It’s a funny top ten list of actual studies performed to prove things you probably already knew.

Reuters: While Steve Jobs is blowing smoke, Google is betting on wind.

As a fellow nerd illustrated this afternoon, there are many reasons why technology need not replace your old collection of photographs.  With that said, I happen to like digital frames.  I own one, and have gifted them to others.  Here are five thoughts on why you should abandon prints, and switch to digital immediately.

1.  Digital frames conserve valuable desk space.  I happen to have a job where I work in a cubicle, and desk space is at a premium.  Especially when you have four monitors on your desk.  I happen to like the fact that I can keep a couple dozen pictures of my children on my desk, and it takes as much space as one photograph.

2.  I can see it in relatively low light situations.  Unlike a photograph, I can enjoy glancing over and seeing a cute picture of my kids in near darkness, and be reminded of why I’m working so late in the first place.

3.  You’re killing the environment, photograph junkie.  Do you pour hazardous chemicals down your sink?  Developer and fixer solutions are not environmentally friendly at all, and digital photography requires none of that.

4.  You’d be saving money.  Let’s be honest, what is the life-cycle of a photograph on your desk?  Your kids will get older, and you will update those photos on a regular basis.  Even if you rely on Costco pricing, photos can get expensive.  Especially if you aren’t ordering standard tiny 4X6 photos. 

Math:  Most digital frames are Energy Star rated, and consume on average 5.5 watts.  Even if left on 24 X 7 X 365 (which most of you won’t), we are talking 48.18 kWh per year.  At the Department of Energy’s published average rate of 10.6 cents per kWh, we are talking an annual expenditure of $5.11.  Even at Costco’s competitive $0.39 for a 5 X 7 print, do you really think you will order fewer than 13 prints this year to realize a cost savings?  And that doesn’t even take postage into consideration.

5.  You are less likely to be a random target of violence.  A childhood friend had parents who owned a small hardware store that contained a one hour photo.  The photo technician maintained a drawer of copies of racy photos which he had developed for customers.  I’m not saying he ever stalked and harmed any of the customers, but he did bear a striking resemblance to Robin Williams’ character, in One Hour Photo.

If you’re so inclined, you could pick up a Toshiba 10” Wireless Media Frame from Woot.com today, but you’re not going to like what I’,m about to say about you.  ….Now, if you’re done trying to justify the above purchase to yourself, here are five thoughts on the matter.

1. Digital frames are for grandparents.  This represents a problem because they represent the one population that has enough pictures of babies that only they care about seeing.  On the other hand, they completely lack the know-how required to transfer pictures from a camera to a SD card or configure anything digital in the first place.

2. The beauty of a photograph is that you don’t need to be tethered to an electrical outlet to view them.  Pictures are meant to be hung on walls, kept in leather-bound albums, tossed in an old shoebox until the time comes to blackmail someone.  The only digital pictures you should have should be stored in discreetly named folders buried somewhere deep in the depths of your hard drive.

3. You’re killing the environment, you energy hog.  Do you keep the bathroom sink running 24x7 just for those few times you actually brush your teeth?

4. It’s a waste of money.  If you really have $90 to burn on this type of garbage, I’d also like to talk to you about some investment opportunities that involve supporting any number of deserving nerds.  Bottom line: it’ll either be broken, tossed in a closet, or replaced by another fad within 12 months.  Mark my words.

5. The second you connect said frame to your computer you become a Communist.  It’s no secret that these things are crammed full with malware.  You might think that you’re sharing pictures of your Mee-Maw’s 70th birthday party, but you’ve really just put your entire family on the FBI’s “no-fly” list.  Say ‘cheese,’ comrade.