[CES 2014] I’m not sure why, but the “baby monitor” function seems to be getting a boost at CES. I have seen a couple of new twists on this otherwise well-known “need”, but I have to admit that I didn’t see it coming when D-Link told me that they were integrating a temperature sensor in their D-Link DCS-825L WiFi Baby Camera. If you just look at the specifications, this is really the main difference between this product and other home surveillance competitors like Samsung. However, a closer inspection reveals important user-interface details like the Lullabies playback which makes the 825L truly dedicated to baby surveillance and dare I say, communications.First of all, the mydlink Baby App was not designed for the typical IP Camera enthusiast (that I am), and I think that it looks much friendlier to people who just need this only to monitor a baby. This is very different from the “surveillance/security” mindset that is usually behind this technology. As you can see in the screenshot, there are clear notification icons related to Motion or Sound along with the temperature of the room. Everything is pretty much in one screen and immediately visible to the user. There is no “hold and press” or other user interface elements which could be confusing to the novice.
The industrial design reminds me of those old Logitech webcams, but it’s pretty cute and can be wall-mounted if you want to. It’s possible to record video on a local MicroSD card of course the camera is connected via WiFi. You will need electricity to power this, and I really like the fact that many modern IP camera, including this one, now use a micro USB port for that purpose. This means that if the power supply dies, you don’t have to buy the exact same one. Other functions include 2-way talk and night vision. The camera resolution is 720p, which is not bad, but IP cameras are moving to 1080p, so an upgrade would be nice at some point.
Filed in . Read more about Baby Monitor, CES, CES 2014 and DLink.