Webcams are not really new – we've seen webcam and specially designed camera rigged to stream live on the web longer that we can remember - but almost all streaming internet camera solutions require some serious networking and tech savvy to get their and running. Dropcam everything what's changing with their internet - connect cameras which not only video stream live to the web and your smartphone (Android and iPhone), but also include DVR functionality hassles so you can look beyond the stream. This week, Dropcam announced their new app Android, allowing users Android to verify their Dropcam workflows and event alerts from their phone (as long as it runs Android 2.2 Froyo OS) — and we took it for a spin.
Dropcam made a name for themselves, as the easiest, no installation required streaming internet camera on the market today. But we did not just Word for her company. We decided to see just how easy and practical to go from selling retail packaging of streaming web cam full functionality, including the ability to watch and hear the flow of a phone, check on notifications event, and even watch pre-recorded video. The video demo below should explain everything.
You'll notice in the video, is that the hardest part of the installation process has been connecting the camera to a router via an ethernet cable. It is a single process and requires only that you connect the Dropcam router to establish an internet connection - you do not develop around the router or your computer. Once connected, you just fire your browser of choice and knock up to dropcam.com/start. Dropcam automatically detect the camera and ask a few questions (confirmation code, the name of camera, choice WiFi network), and that's it.
Once you have setup the Dropcam, you can divide the ethernet cable. Just connect the camera to an electrical outlet and allow to automatically connect you to your WiFi network. Thence Dropcam provide streaming, recording video (DVR) and request alerts / audio in the cloud. Query and alerts audio are triggered when there is a significant change in the scene. Thus, if it is dead quiet or there is no movement, Dropcam will do its thing until there is a movement or sound, how the camera you will send a notification. You can then watch the event that triggered the alert notification.
You can view your stream online via the website, where you can also receive options configure the camera (turn audio on / off, motion, alert settings etc.), display the DVR recordings, view event notification alert clips, and even share your stream with others. Or again, seeing as how the Dropcam Android application is now, you can just fire your smartphone and watch streams, event notification of video clips and recorded DVR on the go.
The only real disadvantage of the new app Android Dropcam is current inability to flow of gingerbread 2.3 Android OS devices. We said this has to do with how gingerbread manages Adobe AIR, and that the problem will be solved post haste.
Overall, we are seriously impressed by the plug-n-play ease of the camera and simple iPhone and Android applications. Considering the camera may choose audio and moving changes and can even record the stream to the cloud-based DVR, we believe that pricetag $200 is reasonable.
Find more info at dropcam.com
