(credit: Valentina Palladino)
Most Wi-Fi security cameras follow a simple formula: sleek pieces of hardware, motion and sound detection features, a mobile app where a live stream can be watched, and a subscription platform that lets you choose the footage you want to keep. Netatmo, a company that launched in 2011 with a connected "weather station," follows a slightly different formula with its Welcome camera. Its two main features are facial recognition—which is eerily sensitive, to say the least—and lack of subscription tiers, making all of your home's footage free for you to access at any time. Those features come with some caveats, but the Welcome cam is a home security device that isn't a cookie-cutter copy of the competition.
A device worthy of a spot on your mantel
Netatmo's Welcome resembles a slimmer, golden Canary cam. It's a half-foot tall cylinder made of brushed aluminum with a base made of white plastic, a strip of black in the middle, and the camera lens at the top. On the back of Welcome are ports for Ethernet, microUSB for power, and an SD card for storage. It's a beautiful device that's not meant to hide amidst cluttered bookshelves, and it's slightly more unassuming than the Canary camera thanks to its smaller size. Not to mention, it looks nearly identical to Netatmo's in-home-or-office Weather Station, so clearly the company didn't want to mess with an already decent design.
| SPECS AT A GLANCE: NETATMO WELCOME | |
|---|---|
| CAMERA RESOLUTION | Up to 1080p |
| FIELD OF VIEW | 130 degrees |
| INTERNET | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n (2.4GHz), connected Ethernet |
| LIVE STREAMING | Yes |
| NIGHT VISION | Yes |
| MOTION/SOUND DETECTION | Motion detection only |
| MOBILE APP | Android and iOS |
| SUBSCRIPTION | none—storage up to 32GB using microSD card (8GB card included) |
| PRICE | $199 |
Setting up the Welcome wasn't too difficult, but I did experience a minor hiccup. After plugging the camera into power using the microUSB cable and power adapter provided, you download the Netatmo Welcome app for Android or iOS and create an account. Then you'll be prompted to turn the device upside down and wait for a blue light to glow near the camera lens. I was confused but followed the instructions—sure enough, in a minute or two a blue light appeared.
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