Neos have just released their SmartCam home security camera and are looking to shake up the market with a very competitive price point. Neos are the new kids on the block in this market but with the SmartCam retailing at £19.99 they are sure to gain traction pretty quickly, especially given that the SmartCam is pretty darn good. Now you can stay in touch with what’s going at home no matter how far away you may be.
Out of the box the camera is very small and discreet, you can literally fit it in the palm of your hand. It has an adjustable stand making it easy to point where ever you want it and also comes with a sticky backed magnet attachment meaning that you can attach to the ceiling or higher up areas, bare in mind though that the camera needs to be near a power supply. On the back of the camera there is power cable slot, a small speaker, a slot for an SD card to allow continuous recording and just 1 setup button. It looks nice and clean and keeps things simple.
Set up was very simple, you need to get the Neos app to run the setup but you’ll be needing this to view what the camera sees anyway. Once you’ve put in your WiFi details your phone / tablet will generate a QR code which you scan with the camera and that’s all there is to it. There are voice prompts from the camera to let you know when things are done or if there is an issue. From start to finish set up took about 60 seconds.
The app itself is fairly intuitive and the main page lists all of the cameras on your network. Yes you can run multiple cameras in your home from the single app. From the app you can view live footage and hear sound from around the camera. You can also broadcast your voice live back to the camera and there is an option to record any live feed straight to your device. If for some reason your camera is taken by someone invading your home then the footage will still be available via the cloud. I managed a two way conversation with my 5 year old while I was at work, I know that isn’t what the camera is made for but it was a decent test of the capabilities and it held up well. The app also allows you to arm / disarm your cameras either manually or remotely via location services.
The images the camera produces are also pretty impressive. The SmartCam has a wide field of view and has great picture quality. This diminished somewhat when trying to zoom in on the app but you could still make out faces. There was also a ‘fish eye’ element to the recordings as you get to edge of the field of vision but certainly not enough to spoil the images. The night vision was also nice and clear, allowing you to see up to around five meters.
Overall the Neos SmartCam is a feature rich device delivering high quality home protection at an incredible price point. I really can’t find anything negative to say about it other than for an even more flexible solution a rechargeable battery version could be released so that you are not tied to power outlets in the home. For anyone looking to boost their security at home or anywhere else for that matter the Neos SmartCam should be on your list.
Key features
- 1080p Full HD: Captures sharp images to see every detail
- Night vision: Enhanced night vision to see in the dark
- Motion detection: Senses movement and sends alerts straight to the smartphone
- Live stream: See through the camera lens in real time, anytime via the app
- Auto-arming: Automatically switches on and off as you arrive or leave the home
- Noise detection: Built-in motion sensor, with push notifications and sound sensitivity controls in the app
- 2-way audio: Hear what is happening in real time and respond accordingly
- 8x digital zoom: Pinch and zoom to see more in live view and playback
- Cloud recording: Automatically records motion, storing 12 seconds of video on the cloud
- Flexible design: Simple installation and setup, with a 3-axis movement to point the camera in the best position
- SD card enabled: SD card compatible to continuously record video even without Wi-Fi
- Download clips: Save video clips on the phone and share with family and friends
If you would like to pre-order a SmartCam you can do so by following the link below. The first batch of orders will be shipped from 28th January.
