iSmartAlarm
Is This Your Business?3.0
Author: Kaitlyn Short
iSmartAlarm is a multi-piece home security system that's affordable for the average homeowner. It equips the user with all the necessary tools to keep them aware of who comes in and out of their home or business space. The packages include a camera, motion detector, contact sensors, and other pieces of equipment to monitor and control one's home security.
Top Ranked Companies
The Good
- Wireless Communication
- Affordable
- Contact Sensors
Wireless Communication
The iSmartAlarm pieces are all wireless and communicate effortlessly with each other. Communication between the system and the partnered Smartphone app is also simple and gives a good deal of control over the system from wherever you may be. The packages also come with a series of "remote tags" with large buttons that make control over the system easier for younger users. The system's alerts are useful for certain events, like when the motion detectors or contact sensors are triggered while you're away.
Affordable
Considering all of the pieces of equipment that come in a given package, the system is relatively cheap. Whether you choose either the $200 system or the $350 system, most families can stand to make the investment after a few months of saving. The only difference between the packages is the actual camera, but the fact that you can still afford a bundle of motion and contact sensors for only $200 makes it a good deal.
Contact Sensors
The contact sensors are fairly unique to this system. They come as separate pieces and can be easily placed on doors and windows. They send alerts and notifications when they are opened while your system is set to "away." The motion detector is also a great tool to have, as well as the CubeOne that controls it all and emits a built-in alarm when triggered. All the pieces together equate to an effective home monitoring system.
The Bad
- High-Quality Images
- Cloud Storage
- Experience
High-Quality Images
The camera, though ticketed at an additional $150 alone, is not reliable to provide a high-quality image. The camera itself is fairly flimsy with a plastic lens. It can't shoot in HD and only has a 90-degree field of view. The images themselves cannot be blown up without sacrificing a good deal of image quality, so pinpointing fine details can be tricky with this camera.
Cloud Storage
The company doesn't offer much cloud storage for stills and video clips. While most companies offer up to a series of days worth of storage, iSmartAlarm only enables you to upload ten second clips at a limited quantity. Though the storage service is free, it isn't very helpful when you'd like to survey a period where no known "events" (triggered detections) occurred.
Experience
The company itself is almost brand new and hasn't had much experience on the market. They were funded originally via Kickstarter and, while they certainly have piqued the public's interest so far, they haven't earned their trust yet. It will still take some time to see whether or not the product or the company itself holds up in the competitive home security market.
The Bottom Line
The iSmartAlarm packages are great for those who want more coverage and more surveillance options around their home. The variety of tools really helps with covering one's bases and getting coverage in more places. The alerts are as much help as you'll get in the way of knowing when a potential break-in has occurred; beyond that, the camera quality may hinder your ability to identify the intruder, and the built-in alarm won't alert anyone except for the intruder himself. For the price, it's a great bundle of home security tools, and an easy way to stay connected to your home while you're away.
