home security monitoring services
4GHz Wi Fi radio,
adding another layer of connectivity with SimpliSafe's
monitoring service. The Wi Fi is a boon for those living in rural areas who wouldn't be able to use the monitoring service because of patchy cellular coverage. If you're concerned about IoT threats, you don't have to connect SimpliSafe to your Wi Fi network, the monitoring works just fine without it, though you won't receive firmware updates. Inside the base, there's a siren, a backup battery the company claims will last up to 24 hours, and a SIM card for cellular communication. The entry sensors are also redesigned, and are much smaller about half the length they were before, squarer, and modern looking. They're powered by inexpensive, user replaceable CR2032 coin cells that should last an average of five years, and the system will warn you when they need to be replaced. Installation requires no wiring or drilling; I simply pulled off the battery activation strips, peeled the backing on the 3M Command like strips, and adhered each component after naming and pairing it with the system more on that below. Components are easy to move around without damaging your walls, and you can take the system with you to your next home, which is a welcome feature. The keypad, also available in black or white and powered by four standard AA batteries, sees the biggest design improvement, with a 2. 5 inch LCD replacing a tiny monochrome screen. Nicely sized, round backlit rubber buttons replace the tiny oval ones on the old keypad.
You’d be scared too if a disembodied voice came screaming out at you to get out of their house!On a more negative note, the camera’s night vision wasn’t quite as clear as I’d like it to be. While the box said you’d be able to see for 15 feet, things got blurry for me at 10. However, I am quite pleased with the camera’s two way audio and smart platform integrations, which include Amazon Alexa, Fire TV, Apple HomeKit, and Google Assistant. It’s hard to find a camera that integrates with Apple HomeKit, as its one of the less popular smart home automations, so I like that the Circle 2 really gives you options here. Of course, you’ll be able to watch your livestream or cloud storage footage on your Fire TV in addition to vocally commanding the Logitech Circle 2. Truly, home security has never been more convenient!While the Logitech Circle 2 includes 24 hours of free cloud storage plus unlimited streaming and downloads, I would recommend going with a membership, not only for the additional cloud storage but also for the person detection only available with the premium package.