I’ve tried my fair share of smart tech over the years, and it’s safe to say we’re finally getting into some exciting times in the field of gizmos and gadgets that help connect our home, whether for entertainment or security.
This weekend I received a lovely package from Arlo, America’s #1 internet-connected camera brand. Inside was their new flagship product, the Arlo Ultra 4K Home Security 1 Camera System. In the package was the glorious new Arlo Ultra Hub, which serves as a base-station for managing all of the wire-free Arlo cameras, the camera itself with battery and magnetic mount, a magnetic charging cable for the camera, and an ethernet cable and power cable for the hub. I had heard that the Arlo Ultra system was easy to set up but I still set aside a few hours on Sunday in case of unexpected hiccups during the installation process.
It took all of 30 minutes to be completely installed (with mobile notifications and all) so I ended up with a few much-needed spare hours to enjoy with the family this weekend.
From the onset, the quality of the product was distinct. The heavy-duty internal magnets that stick the camera to the mount is impressive on its own, and the Arlo software’s attention to detail made the setup and monitoring experience shockingly simple. As I snapped the battery into the camera for the first time, I immediately got a push notification to my phone saying that the system had detected a person and had saved the video of it:
The Arlo Ultra features a 180 degree field of view, 4K HDR video and includes 1-year of Arlo Smart Premier service for up to 10 cameras with rolling 30-day cloud recordings for all devices. The Alro Ultra Hub also has the ability to store all recordings locally via SD card. I opted to place my camera overlooking our driveway. Our main door for visitors and packages is off of this area and is clearly in view as well. The camera features a revolutionary full-color night vision, spotlight, and alarm for added security and the audio recording and noise cancelling is shockingly excellent. When packages arrive I can clearly hear the beeps of the driver’s handheld tracking computer. Best of all, I didn’t have to run a single wire to the camera, and the built in battery lasts for months on a single charge.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the system is the software. The 4K camera will auto-zoom and track people, animals, vehicles and more, and the notifications I receive clearly identify what type of activity is taking place in front of our home. The system was integrated into our Google Home devices and Amazon Alexa devices (yes, we have both) in a single tap so our smart screens can show the entire front of our home with a voice command.
Since additional Arlo wire-free cameras (even from previous generations) can be added instantly to the system, next on my list is to add an additional camera for the rear of our house.
If you’re looking for a way to quickly add state-of-the-art home security to your home or business, definitely check out the new Arlo Ultra camera systems (available in 1, 2, 3 or 4 camera bundles) online or in-store at Best Buy or Amazon.
