Russell Ure; Piper nv Launch Interview

Today is the big launch day for Piper, as they unveiled their new flagship device the Piper nv. I had the chance to speak with Russell Ure, the founder of Blacksumac the company behind Piper, earlier today. We went in-depth in regards to the new Piper and why they upgrade the features we did, along with some other topics. You can see our full interview below and stay tuned for our full review of the Piper nv!

1.) When did the development of the Piper nv began, did the takeover by iControl Networks help with the design?

The development for Piper nv started soon after the launch of the original Piper in January 2014 as we gathered input from customers.

Since Piper’s creation, the design of the product has always been driven by the need to have a device that looks both non-threatening and comforting. We wanted to make sure any design decisions for Piper nv reflected a particular period of time in the development of the entire Piper ecosystem, and didn’t veer too far from the successful execution of the first Piper. While the designs of Piper and Piper nv are similar, significant changes were made to Piper’s front housing and internals to support night vision, and present a slightly different look. In particular, special plastics were formulated to magically conceal – yet completely transmit – Piper’s infra-red LEDs. We’re extremely proud of the innovations our team made in order to create Piper nv. We love how both Pipers look, and when placed side by side, one simultaneously sees the similarities and differences, which was our intent from the very start.

2.) Why did you choose to add the features that you did, like night vision support and the advanced resolution?

Night vision and the advanced camera resolution were features our customers directly shared with us. Adding night vision to Piper also helps to address a mass market use case for not only seeing live video in dark situations, but adding to the security aspect of the product. By enabling users to capture night vision clips when events occur at night, we are able to provide consumers with greater peace of mind.

We are committed to improving Piper’s technology and enhancing our customers’ experience as well as appealing to customers that are dipping their toes into the home automation and security device space. By offering two slightly different versions that offer the same excellent interacting and monitoring, we are able to do just that.

3.) In terms of the vision for the market, where do you see the Piper line going in the future?

We believe that the future of the smart, connected home will be guided by technology that not only anticipates what consumers need but is also controlled naturally. Consumers want to interact with their homes in a simple and seamless way and with our Piper family line, this is already a reality. The Piper family line will continue making the connected home more accessible to consumers than ever before and we can’t wait to show you what’s next.

4.) Do you think the new Piper nv and the original Piper can be used in unison for a full home setup?

Absolutely. The original Piper and Piper nv can be easily paired together at home for a complete and seamless home monitoring experience. As with the original Piper, users will be able to pair up to 5 Pipers on the same network for visibility over what matters most at home – day or night.

5.) By adding a faster processor, can we expect to see new features coming via software updates?

Unfortunately, we can’t say more at this point, but will have exciting new updates to share with our users in the coming months.