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Swann sends home camera footage to the wrong person
Following a similar snafu in which Alexa sent a recording from one user to another, Swann Security could be in hot water after someone saw footage from a stranger's camera in their own app. The person who received the motion-triggered video was actually a BBC journalist who owns a similar camera.
Swann Bolt HD action camera shoots 1080p video, 12MP stills with laser targeting
We're starting to wonder where introducing lasers doesn't make everything better. Case in point: Swann's just-shipping Bolt HD action camera. While the 1080p video, microSD storage and 135-degree lens will be familiar from the Freestyle HD we saw in 2011, there's now a laser pointer to make sure the camera is on target when it isn't an option to peek through the detachable LCD. A sleeker look and an upgrade to 12-megapixel still photos also give us reason to upgrade. It's not a uniform move upwards from the Freestyle HD, however -- the Bolt HD can only submerge to 32 feet versus the 65 of its ancestor. As long as your scuba dives don't run that deep, however, the lower $200 price for the new camera might prove tempting.
Swann Platinum-HD security system packs four 1080p cameras, 2TB DVR for $1,600
We don't follow the surveillance space as closely as we do, say, smartphones or tablets, but this four-camera HD system from Swann Security does in fact seem to be the first 1080p-capable consumer product of its kind, so we're here to bring you the news. "Coming soon" to Fry's Electronics and BestBuy.com, the complete rig nets you four 1080p cameras with 30 fps recording, complete with infrared for night shooting and power-over-Ethernet connectivity, letting you get each cam online with a simple CAT5E cable. 1080p may seem like overkill for home or small business use, but the cops will certainly thank you when they're able to feed a high-res frame grab to the evening news, rather than the fuzzy perp shot we've grown accustomed to. The Platinum-HD DVR includes a 2TB hard drive for up to 45 days of continuous footage (at lower resolutions, we presume) and smartphone streaming through the SwannView app. The quad-cam package will set you back $1,600 whenever it does hit stores -- in the meantime, find a few more details in the PR after the break.
SwannSmart ADS-450 WiFi Network Camera: Review and giveaway
As part of our coverage of home automation and security devices that work with Mac OS X and iOS devices, there have been quite a few Wi-Fi cameras that we've looked at. The latest is from security device manufacturer Swann, and it's the ADS-450 Wi-Fi Network Camera (US$129.99). This device uses a Wi-Fi connection to beam VGA-quality (640 x 480) color video at up to 30 frames per second to a cloud storage service, where you can monitor your home or office from your Mac, PC, and iOS or Android tablet or smartphone. Design Like most similar products that have been reviewed on TUAW, the ADS-450 can be mounted on flat surfaces, attached to a wall, or hung from a ceiling. It provides audio as well, so you can use it to spy on employees or your kids. The camera is a lightweight white plastic device that weighs in at 2.6 ounces, and it features power and Ethernet ports on the back as well as a ball joint for adjusting the camera angle. Full mounting hardware is included in the box. The front of the camera has the typical wide-angle lens surrounded by IR lighting for night viewing. The camera is actually quite attractive as these things go, with a silver tint bezel around the front of the case that's approximately 3.75" high x 2.5" wide. And like all of these security cameras, it also comes with a power pack with a long cable, since you may want to mount the camera at a distance away from the plug. Functionality Small manuals printed in both English and Spanish are included for setup and troubleshooting. Swann should be commended for the manual -- it's one of the most well-written I've seen for any product of this type. I was concerned that the setup might require an Ethernet connection due to the port on the back of the ADS-450, but that is not the case. Instead, you power on the camera and set it to a local Wi-Fi configuration mode by flipping a switch. On an iPhone or iPad, you connect to the camera's network by selecting it from the Wi-Fi settings. Once your device is connected, you launch the free SwannSmart app and you're asked if you wish to set up the camera. The gallery below shows the simple process that's used to set up the camera. %Gallery-175094% After that's done, you sign into the free Swann account and can view your cameras at any time. If you wish to record the video that you're viewing or take a still photo, there are buttons at the bottom of the screen for those functions. By default the camera is set to 320 x 240 resolution. When I attempted to change the resolution to 640 x 480, I was unable to connect until I turned down the "quality" of the image and shut off audio. After that point, it worked fine at the higher resolution. Many of these security cameras have some sort of way to notify you if motion is detected in the field of view of the camera, and the ADS-450 is no different. The camera uses a proprietary subscription SwannSmart service ($59 per year) to do the motion detection off site and send out your notifications. If you have more than one camera, you can switch between them easily in the SwannSmart app. The company thoughtfully provided four test cameras to watch, so I enjoyed seeing cats at play at the Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority. As mentioned, you can also monitor your cameras from Mac or PC; that's done through the SwannSmart.com website. Conclusion Having reviewed a ton of these network cameras, I have to say that this is one of the better units I've tested. Setup is fast and easy, the device can be connected via Ethernet or Wi-Fi, the mount is flexible enough for wall, desktop, or ceiling attachment, and the app works well for viewing the video. Like most of the IR-equipped cameras, the color quality isn't the best -- the only exception I've seen so far is Logitech's pricy Alert camera, which is really the Ferrari of network cameras. Other than that, the hardware and software are well done. Pros Reasonably priced, and the monitoring service is also quite inexpensive in comparison to that provided by other companies Easy setup Good mounting options Can be connected via Wi-Fi or Ethernet Excellent user manual Free app is nicely implemented Cons Color quality is a little off (this is true of many IR-equipped cameras) Had issues connecting to camera at highest resolution and picture quality Who is it for? Anyone who would like to monitor one or more wireless cameras over an iOS app or on a PC Giveaway Our policy here at TUAW is to always give away or return test equipment, and that means that a TUAW reader out there is going to pick up this Swann ADS-450 Wi-Fi camera for free. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before January 10, 2013 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected and will receive a Swann SwannSmart ADS-450 Wi-Fi Network Camera valued at $129.99 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Swann TrueBlue 4000 series D1 DVRs pack up to 8 cameras, 1TB of storage for home security
Home security may not have reached all-seeing aerial eye proportions, but Swann's TrueBlue 4000 series of D1 DVR systems can place up to eight digital peepers throughout your island fortress or humble abode. With a resolution of 480 x 704 pixels, the cameras offer "DVD-quality" video and feature night vision with up to 65 feet of visibility. Those hankering to remotely keep tabs on their homestead can load up the free SwannView app for Android, BlackBerry, iOS, Windows Mobile 6 and Symbian to watch live video on mobile devices. Footage can also be viewed on monitors using HDMI or VGA connections and can be backed up through USB, eSATA or over a network. The maximum one terabyte of storage space nets continuous recording for up to 30 days -- or longer if the device's motion detection settings are flipped on. A 500GB base model with a quartet of cams rings up at $549.99, while the more expensive $649.99 and $749.99 models each pack 1TB hard drives and eight channel support. However, only the priciest of the trio comes packaged with the octet of cameras. Head past the break for the full PR and a glimpse of the rig in action.
Swann's MP3 DJ Doorbell has only one question for you...
"When ya gonna ring it? When ya gonna ring it? Dah. Dah. Daaah."
Swann's new RC camera-choppers make stalking easy and fun
Swann's releasing three new iDevice controlled helicopters for all the personal espionage / office hijinks you can cope with. The $70 iFly Micro Lightning will annoy colleagues on your floor while the similarly priced Sky Eye includes a camera that will shoot stills and video to its 512MB onboard memory before uploading the results to YouTube or Facebook. For the serious stalker / commercial spy, the Black Swann includes expandable microSD storage (yup, up to 32GB). The latter two devices have a range of 110 feet and all three will fly for eight minutes on a single charge. You'll be able to pick 'em up from Fry's and other good retailers soon, just try to remember not to get fired or arrested for treason, okay?
Swann releases Freestyle HD, begs you to capture 1080p underwater via LCD viewer
Looking to step your game up when capturing surfing footage from atop your longboard? Swann is aiming to lend a helping hand with its newfangled Freestyle HD wearable video camera. This offering is the company's first that sports a detachable 1.5-inch LCD viewer for taking a peek at your 1080p video capture in real-time -- which you can capture at up to 30 fps. You'll also be able to snap eight megapixel JPEGs should you so choose with 3x digital zoom at your disposal. Waterproof at depths up to 65 feet, the Freestyle HD can be helmet-mounted, attached to your favorite fixed-gear or the roof of your rally car via the three included mounting brackets. The camera will connect directly to an HDTV for viewing, or you can hop over to a PC via a microSD card or USB transfer. You can expect 2.5-hour battery life and a $279 price tag to boot -- too bad that flight to the southern hemisphere isn't nearly as affordable.%Gallery-138657%
Swann DVR4-2600 kit is 4 cameras and 500GB worth of remotely-accessible home security overkill
We've seen IP cams before, inexpensive ones like the DCS-930L from D-Link that get the job done with no frills, rather fancier ones like the Logitech Alert system that offer a premium feel -- at a premium cost. But nothing quite like this. It's the Swann DVR4-2600, a system that comes with four separate cameras, each offering a "high resolution" VGA that are about 10 years past a time when VGA could reasonably be called "high resolution." They do, at least, offer 65 feet worth of night vision and all-weather functionality. There's also a 500GB DVR included that can be connected directly to a TV or accessed remotely from a plethora of mobile apps covering everything from Android and iOS to Windows Mobile 6 and Symbian. You can get e-mails whenever your prisoners guests move and, the pièce de résistance, the kit includes four theft deterrent stickers. If those don't keep the crooks away, maybe the rottweiler* will. Full details in the PR below. %Gallery-116998% *Rottweiler not included.
Swann's shockproof, waterproof Sportscam straps on your cranium, captures momentous occasions
It's been a hot minute since we've seen any new tools from the security-minded folks at Swann, but it's hitting back with a new head-mounted camera at CES. The Sportscam is a familiar device -- similar to Contour and Go Pro units we've toyed with in the past -- but rather than seeking optimal image quality at a premium price, this guy sticks to the basics. The VGA camera can only log clips at a resolution of 640 x 480, so HD junkies best look elsewhere. But it's still encased in a rugged plastic shell, one that's both shockproof and waterproof, and it's capable of holding up to five hours of footage on a single 16GB microSD card. There's a rechargeable Li-ion battery that'll last 2.5 hours, and it ships with a variety of mounting options (though we'd suggest around your head, obviously). As we alluded to earlier, this one's a lower-end product, and that $99 price may entice those who would otherwise never consider such a thing. The full release is after the break, and it'll start shipping in the US of A next month.
Swann's MovieStick begs to be used for nefarious ends
With all the layoffs we've been seeing lately, it looks like an increasing number of tech professionals will be going mercenary in order to pay the bills. Of course, Engadget does not condone industrial espionage in any way, shape or form -- but if you do happen to find yourself "in the cold," as Le Carré used to say, you might consider Swann's MovieStick. This thing is small enough to fit inside a packet of gum, includes a lithium-ion battery (rechargeable via USB) and can store up to 2.5 hours of video on a 2GB MicroSD card (not included). There is no word yet on release date, video quality or battery life, but we're sure that this $119.99 (retail) beauty is just the trick for all those patented industrial processes you plan on stealing. But don't steal them. For realz.
Swann's Micro DVR brings surveillance "to the masses"
Some might call it a digital camera, but Swann's Micro DVR does have certain qualities that recommend it to our inner spy. All the basics are covered: there's a color camera, LCD screen and 128MB of memory, but the Micro DVR can handle a 24 hour shift with its 24 hour Li-Ion battery and ability to use external USB memory sticks to supplement its paltry amount of included storage. You can also run the unit off of its AC adapter for seriously long-term stakeouts, and the camera's AVIs and JPEGs can be easily transported to your PC with the included software. Sadly, this Micro DVR is not for budget espionage, demanding a hefty $899, but there's a price that must be paid for fugly spy gear of questionable usefulness.
