Logitech is well known for its range of
keyboards, mouse and other accessories. The firm also has a home camera range
dubbed Circle. The product line includes the Circle and Circle 2 cameras. Right
now, a new product known as Logitech Circle View camera has been unveiled.
In terms of the specs, the Circle View is
almost similar to its predecessor, the Circle 2. However, the design is quite
different as the View’s camera housing has been completely redesigned. Also,
the new model relies solely on Apple’s smart home system to function.
The Circle View is capable of recording
1080p videos and has a wide 180-degree field of view. The camera can capture
infrared footage at night up to 15 feet away. The camera only supports WiFi
2.4GHz. As regards working with Apple’s HomeKit smart home system, the camera
is capable of streaming videos, send alerts about animals, people, and
vehicles, and store recordings in iCloud if you are on a plan with enough
storage. There’s no Android support but we could see that happen in the near
future.
The major hardware change is in the design
as it features a regular camera housing unlike the Circle 2 which uses a
modular design. The camera housing has a sleek, black design and metal base.
The camera also has an IP64 weatherproof rating making it suitable for use
outdoors. The power cable is integrated and there’s no battery option, but it
connects via USB so you might be able to sub in a power bank if you want to use
it somewhere without a plug.
Perhaps, the feature that might interest
buyers the most is the inclusion of a pair of nice privacy features to the
camera. The first one is the ability to tilt the camera downwards to face its
base so that you can easily block it from seeing anything. The second is a
hardware button on the back that lets you shut off the camera and microphone so
nothing is being monitored.
Logitech Circle View will be sold by
Logitech and Apple later this month. It comes with a US$ 160 price tag.
