The Dropcam Pro has been unleashed and this is the new flagship model of the Dropcam lineup. The older Dropcam HD is now just the Dropcam and will cost $149.99. The new Dropcam Pro will come in at $199.99 with many new features. The Pro variant features a much better lens that incorporates a six-element, all-glass lens. This is paired with a larger image sensor and will give 2x sharper video during the day and 7x better performance in low-light or night conditions. The field of view is now 130 degrees, this is 20% wider than the original Dropcam. This way you can capture the entire room and zoom in one what you want to see. Speaking of zooming you can now pinch to zoom and you can zoom up to 8x. One of my favorite features of the original Dropcam was the two-way talking feature, with the Pro variant this feature gets a big upgrade. You get a clearer microphone and a louder speaker, so it is basically a win-win. Faster WiFi means you stream and connection is stronger, the Pro comes loaded with 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi network support inside. Bluetooth LE will let the Dropcam Pro integrate with other smart devices in your home, this is a first step for this feature but the future is looking very bright. With Activity Recognition you can have the Dropcam Pro alert you when someone sits on a certain chair or when a certain movement is detected. This will be a very nice feature to have, but it is currently in beta. This feature will be built-in to the Dropcam Cloud Recording system. With the Dropcam Pro is brings the best of the first Dropcam and makes it better with a new camera, microphone, speaker, features, and much more!
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Press Release
Introducing the Dropcam Pro
Dropcam Continues Leadership in the Home Video Monitoring Market with the Introduction of Dropcam Pro
Completely Re-engineered Camera Includes Bluetooth LE, Making it the Ideal Hub for the Emerging Connected HomeSAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 10, 2013.
Dropcam, Inc., makers of the leading Wi-Fi video monitoring camera and cloud service, today launched Dropcam Pro, again redefining home video monitoring and do-it-yourself security. Dropcam Pro, the company’s next-generation product, delivers unmatched video performance, premium audio quality, better wireless connectivity, fast mobile setup and more. Dropcam Pro also incorporates Bluetooth low energy (BLE) for connecting to sensors and other devices in the home, positioning it as an ideal hub for the connected home.
Dropcam Pro and Dropcam (formerly Dropcam HD), are the only Wi-Fi video monitoring solutions that offer truly simple and fast setup with intelligent monitoring features to drop in on the places and people you care about from anywhere in the world. In addition to the great features Dropcam customers have come to appreciate, Dropcam Pro sets a new benchmark in home video monitoring with the following key advancements:
Stunning video quality. Dropcam Pro incorporates a six-element, all-glass lens, a first in the home monitoring category, and a larger image sensor to provide 2x sharper video during the day and 7x better performance in low-light conditions and at night. Wider field of view. Dropcam Pro supports an amazing 130-degree field of view – 20% wider than the prior-generation Dropcam. Zoom. Dropcam now offers pinch-to-zoom with an enhance feature that supports up to 8x zoom for Dropcam Pro and 4x zoom for Dropcam. Better audio. Dropcam Pro has a new microphone with double the sampling rate and a new speaker for sound that’s louder and clearer. Mobile setup. Get up and running without a computer. You can now set up Dropcam Pro directly from your iOS device (iPhone 4S or later, iPad 3rd generation or later, and iPad mini). Dual band Wi-Fi. Dropcam Pro supports both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi networks for improved wireless connectivity. Activity Recognition (beta). Using advanced computer vision and machine learning technology, Dropcam Cloud Recording can now recognize motion patterns in your video stream and group together like activities. Customers can name these activities and customize alerts for them. Bluetooth LE. Dropcam Pro integrates a low power Bluetooth LE radio that is used for mobile setup and allows Dropcam to integrate with additional devices. “At its core, Dropcam is a software and services company. That means Dropcam gets better over time with hassle-free automatic updates to the camera, cloud service, and apps,” said Greg Duffy, Dropcam CEO and co-founder. “With features like zoom and enhance, Dropcam Pro is an amazing camera today, and it will be even better tomorrow as we shape it into the ideal hub for consumers to see, sense, and control other devices in their home.”
Dropcam utilizes bank-level security to encrypt all video streams so customers can rest assured that no one but them can access their video. Dropcam Pro and Dropcam include full 720p streaming, motion and sound activity alerts, night vision, two-way talk, and pinch-to-zoom. With the optional Cloud Video Recording service, customers can access stored footage for the past seven or thirty days.
Pricing & Availability
Dropcam Pro retails for $199 while Dropcam (formerly Dropcam HD) continues at $149. Both cameras are available today at Amazon.com and Dropcam.com with other retailers coming soon.
Live video monitoring is always free. Optional Cloud Video Recording (CVR) plans are $9.95/month for seven days of continuous recording, $29.95/month for thirty days. Discounts are available for annual subscriptions and multiple cameras.
