Catching up with Canary at CES 2014

Watch this: Canary is the all in one device that helps you take your home security into your own hands

00:49

We saw an explosion of DIY home security kits in 2013, but 2014 could shape up to be the year of the all-in-one unit -- if Canary has their way.

Standing just 6 inches tall and weighing in at about 13 ounces -- about the size of a large coffee -- Canary is a little device that's big on tech. In addition to an HD night vision camera, Canary boasts motion detection, temperature and humidity sensors, and an integrated microphone and speaker, along with an accelerometer for good measure. Using the free Canary app, you'll be able to monitor all of it with just a few taps, including the ability to watch automatically recorded videos from times when something seemed amiss.

We'll be interested to see how Canary stacks up against some of the other all-in-one devices coming out in 2014, most notably Piper, which tested very well when we reviewed it recently, and has the added benefit of serving as a home automation hub for smart locks, external sensors and the like.

The makers of Canary intentionally didn't go in that direction, telling us that their goal was to design a device that was as simple and accessible as it was useful. They're betting that there's a significant number of consumers who want to keep tabs on the goings on at home, but who also find home automation networks off-puttingly elaborate. We'll see if the strategy pays off when Canary starts shipping in May, but judging by their initial Indiegogo campaign -- the most successful campaign in that site's history -- they might just be on to something.