Arlo Essential Indoor Camera
Arlo’s latest security camera, the indoor-only Arlo Essential Indoor Camera comes with a privacy shield that can automatically block the lens when you’re home!
To keep the costs down Arlo opted for 1080p over 4K. The Arlo Essential Indoor Camera connects directly to Wi-Fi and boasts a 130-degree field of view. It packs all the Arlo features we love:
- Black-and-white night vision
- Motion detection
- Two-way voice chat
- Siren
- Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT support.
The big selling point is its privacy shield, which makes the camera’s lens turn opaque when the camera is disarmed. While being used, the shield prevents video recording and motion detection. Once armed or activated via the app, the shield goes down and security resumes. The lens physically changes to a white-grey colour, so you know it’s working.
While the privacy shield is engaged, the camera won’t record video or detect motion, similar to how Arlo’s other security cams behave while they’re disarmed. Once the Essential Indoor Camera is armed or if you start a live stream using the camera, the lens will become transparent again and recording will resume.
I’m not sure how the privacy lens works, but it appears to be something on the lens that physically changes. This is different to a shutter coming down.
As with other Arlo cameras, if you want the smart features you will have to pay. The Arlo Smart plan offers a bevvy of features that people will get the most use out of.
Overall, the Arlo Essential Indoor Camera is the cheapest offering from Arlo I have seen. It gives you all the features you like plus a couple of new ones.
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