Video Review: Nest Cam Indoor

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While technically not a “baby monitor,” the Nest Cam has your kid covered while still integrating with those other Nest products that make sure you don’t burn to death in your bed. It’s actually a high-def, wide-angle security camera with night vision that streams over Wi-Fi to a smartphone app. Which means you can watch Junior sleep from your favorite restaurant, rather than just the next room over. (Editors note: We don’t recommend leaving a sleeping child unattended, no matter how good the steak tips). Naturally, as there are some tradeoffs with traditional baby monitors, reviewers had plenty to say.

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Pros:

• Baby Gear Lab gives the Nest Cam a “top pick” because it has “impressive reliability”, “excellent video” (1080p with a 130-degree field of vision), “and enough features and device compatibility to keep baby under watch for hours.”
• You can use it as a baby monitor from anywhere in the world — be it from the neighbor’s deck or a Parisian bar — just as long as you can score a good WiFi connection and/or a data signal on your tablet.
• Gizmodo points out some upgrades from its predecessor (Dropcam) that make it simpler to install, like “a redesigned body … with a magnet that will make it far easier to hang around the house.” CNET agrees, noting that the new magnetic base and 360-degree rotating stand allow you to get that optimal angle much more easily.

Cons:

• Remember, Nest Cam not a traditional baby monitor, so don’t expect it to function like one (no flashing red LEDs to let you know sleep training isn’t working). You’ll also need a decent Internet connection, and a better streaming plan. BGL says it “requires a minimum upload speed of 0.5 Mbps. Even with a connection close to this speed we still had success using this monitor with only a couple of seconds delay. The distance from a WiFi router is the main thing that can impact performance and result in loss of connection.” Hope your baby likes his new teether from Netgear.
• Along those same lines, because Nest Cam streams over the internet rather than directly to a monitor, the camera only works if there’s a WiFi connection. As Reviewed.com Smart Home points out, “the idea that my baby monitor will just stop working if my WiFi cuts out is a serious concern.”
• Nest Cam can’t stream audio unless you’re actually watching the live feed, ReviewedSH also notes. So if you shut your iPhone screen off, or try to send a text, you won’t be able to enjoy the adorable sound of your baby babbling themselves to sleep. As a result, many users also plug in a traditional audio monitor alongside the Nest Cam.

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