THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Now you can feel really secure

Now you can feel really secure

Motorola ramps up home safety with the Focus 85, an easy-to-use camera and phone set-up that is also ideal for monitoring elderly relatives and children

EASY TO set up and fun to use with its remote-controlled panning, tilting and zooming, the Motorola Focus 85 wi-fi home-security video camera ought to let you rest easier and safer.
Unlike the Focus 66 I tested a while back, the Focus 85 has this rotation capability that can be controlled through an app on your smartphone or tablet computer.
And you have two-way communication as well, with a built-in microphone and speaker, so you can bark at intruders – or gently greet friends coming to visit – using it like a walkie-talkie. This is also great for checking in on any elderly relatives you might have living with you.
The camera sends real-time alerts to your phone or tablet when it detects motion, sound or changes in temperature. The video feed is 720p HD, with infrared night vision also on offer, all via your wi-fi network, so it’s really easy to set up. 
You don’t need a technician to install the device. You just place it on a desk or any other spot in your house and plug it in using the provided power cable. The rest takes about five minutes.
First you have to download and install the Hubble for Motorola Monitor app, which is available for both Android and iOS phones and tablets. Next you use the app to register for a free account and to add the Focus 85 to your account. You press and hold the “pair” button on the camera for three seconds and your phone app will add it to your account.
The app then guides you in linking the camera to your wi-fi router – just select your router name and enter the wi-fi connection password. And you’re all done. If you want to monitor several rooms, you can add more Focus 85 cameras to your account. Feeds from the camera can be watched from several devices simultaneously using the same account.
The speaker and microphone are up front. On the app, select the walkie-talkie style function and simply press the talk button once to speak and again to listen. The app also has the tabs for panning and tilting the camera and zooming in on the subject in view.
And, if you’re using the camera to monitor your sleeping baby, there’s a tab offering five different soothing melodies to keep the little one calm.
Tap for video/photo recording mode and choose between still photos or video. The clips are stored on your phone’s internal memory or its memory card.
The cam can be monitored from your personal computer or notebook computer as well, with the feeds recorded onto your hard disk. For this, go to www.HubbleConnected.com/motorola/login and enter your user name and password. There you can meanwhile change the settings for your camera and account by following the menu instruction steps.
The camera has a temperature sensor at the back that will report the current temperature where it’s placed. Choose the Fahrenheit or Celsius display. 
You can set up the camera to alert you if the temperature drops below or rises above a certain point. There are a light sensor and infrared LEDS for night use as well.
It takes about 10 seconds for the feed from the camera to get to your phone display or PC monitor because it first goes through the Hubble server. Of course the assumption is that your computer or phone is constantly connected to the Internet.
In my test I found that setting up the camera was a breeze and the quality of the video feed – including the night vision – was quite distinct, with voice communication loud and clear. The camera quickly sent alerts to my phone and briefly recorded “events” like sound, movement and shifts in temperature. The Motorola’s Focus 85 sells for Bt4,900 at J-Mart, Powerbuy, Power Mall, iStudio by SPVi, www.Lazada.co.th and other leading stores.
 
Key Specs
 
- Resolution: 720p
- Wi-fi: 802.11 b/g/n
- Image sensor: Colour CMOS 1M Pixels
- Lens: f = 2.3 mm, F = 2.4
- IR LED: Seven pieces
- Power adapter: Ten Pao International; Input: 100-240Vac, 50/60Hz, 300mA; Output: 5Vdc, 1000mA
 
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
- Windows system: 7 or 8 (Java browser plug-in needed)
- Mac OS version: 10.7 or above
- Internet Explorer version: 9 or above
- Firefox version: 18.0 or above
- Chrome version: 24 or above
- Safari version: 6 or above
- Java version: 7 or above
- Android System version: 4.2 or above
- iPhone/iPad iOS version: 7.0 or above
 
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