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Kidde is a well-known company in the fire safety world, but not so much in the CCTV area. However, they hope to change that with eh RemoteLync WIFi camera.
I should first point out that there does not appear to be anywhere actively selling this in the UK, and the US-based Kidde shop does not ship to the UK. If you are based in the US, though, you can buy the RemoteLync for $154 which converts to about £123.
The RemoteLync has a 640×480 VGA resolution which is arguably poor compared to a lot of competing brands out there, and it doesn’t do live streaming either. It does, however, have a built-in rechargeable battery, which Kidde claims will last three months. So, you don’t have to deal with a messy cable like the Arlo.
Instead of live streaming, what the camera does do is monitor for movement, alert you when it is detected and film then uploads it to the Kidde servers where you can then view and download it. The combination of relatively low resolution and it, not live recording will help significantly with the claimed 3-month battery life.
It offers a similar function to the much more expensive Netgear Arlo Q.
The device itself is a large ball with a magnetic base and mount that uses double sided tape allowing you to mount the camera virtually anywhere. The ball shape and magnetic mound work really well, you can position it at any angle you want with little effort.
Setup is very similar to the Arlo W, you download the App and follow the guide which includes pressing the sync button on the camera. It is very easy to do.
When setting up you can arm the camera manually via the app, or you can use geo-location on your phone to arm it when you are away. During my testing, the geo-location functionality worked well.
You can opt to receive motion alerts via email or push notification and access video of an event directly from its alert. To see an entire timeline of recordings, just tap the camera image at the centre of the app’s home screen.
When you go to view a video, you can decide to give an all clear or not. Or you can select emergency call; this will 999(911) by default, or you can select someone from your contacts.
Even though the video resolution is lower than competing products, I found the overall quality to be excellent. It was more than good enough for its purpose.
Both the app and upload service is a bit more basic than Netgear. According to the information, I can find the Kidde will only store video for 12 hours, though my camera went back several days, I think you get auto-enrolled into a free trial of 30 days’ storage for 30 days. This is not a major concern for me as you can download the video when you view it. I guess 48 hours would be nice though, to give you that extra buffer.
What I did miss though were the all the extra settings, in particular, the customisable motion detection zone. With the Arlo Q I was able to set this to reduce false alerts significantly. The RemoteLync does have a pet mode which is supposed to help, but I feel like it is just not as good.
Overall, this is a good camera, and if it were available in the UK for £123, it wouldn’t be a bad buy. The problem is that it faces stiff competition. Arlo being the main one, the Arlo Q is £130 but requires plugging in, the normal Arlo is £180 but requires batteries then there are other big name brands such as Nest and Samsung. Quickly looking at the specs of each, no device stands out from another, you either have to pay more or put up with wires. So the end result is to choose whichever fits your needs in terms of features and price.
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.
