Netatmo brings Alexa onboard, launches new security system at IFA
Now you can control your Netatmo cams with a voice command and make it part of a security setup with sensors and a siren.
The Netatmo Welcome was one of the first facial recognition cameras on the market, and while it wasn't perfect, it showed the concept could work. Netatmo's Indoor Camera is mostly the same as the Welcome, but it can now act as the center of the company's Smart Alarm System. Even better, you'll be able to control it with your voice with Amazon's assistant Alexa .
Netatmo announced a new Alexa skill on Friday at the IFA tech conference here in Berlin. The skill applies to Netatmo's indoor and outdoor cameras. With a voice command, you'll be able to see the live feed of the camera on Amazon Echo devices with a screen, such as the Amazon Echo Show . You can also turn the floodlight on the outdoor cam on or off.
All three parts of the Smart Alarm System -- the Cam, Siren and sensors -- have been announced before, but IFA marks the official launch of the Siren. You can set up rules with the cam, siren and sensor to automatically arm and disarm the system with geofencing or as the camera recognizes you. You can also customize the siren so it only sounds when it specifically sees a strange face.
The Netatmo Indoor Camera offers the free facial recognition software of the Welcome of old. It took a while for the original Welcome to recognize me in my tests, but it was pretty accurate after it fully learned my face. A single camera will sync with up to eight sensors and a single siren. The camera acts as the base station for the accessories, so you won't be able to use the extras without it.
The Netatmo Indoor Cam is $200 (about £160 or AU$290 converted), a three-pack of sensors is $100 and the siren is $80. For some reason, the company isn't yet offering a bundle of all three. While a siren and sensors aren't earth-shattering in terms of smart home security options, if the facial recognition software has improved, the Netatmo Cam could be a helpful addition to your Amazon-based smart home.
