Ever hear the one about the canary in a coal mine? Miners used to take these beautiful birds down into the mines with them. Not only could they enjoy their song but they also served as a warning. When the canary stopped singing, it was an indication that levels of toxic gas were rising in the mine and gave warning to the miners to get out immediately. Unfortunately, the canary’s warning system was its own demise.
Not entirely unlike the canary in a coal mine scenario, the Canary Security System also serves as a potential warning in whatever space you plan to use it. Only I found a way to use it for much more than it was probably intended.
It’s a little tiny canister that sits inconspicuously on a flat surface and captures a high-definition, wide-angle view of all it surveys. In a nutshell, it’s a motion-sensor activated camera that’s connected to your home’s wifi and ultimately to your smart device. The result is that you can not only see what’s going on in your home when you’re not there, but you can also receive smart phone alerts when activity is detected.
Here’s where it gets a little fun. You don’t have to wish or want an unwanted visitor in your home to put it to the test. I was recently traveling for a conference and set up the device quickly before I left. Seriously. It’s a simple set up and I can show you how.
After I set it up, I played around with some of the settings, all done through the Canary app on my phone.
The motion sensor camera is designed for three modes: Armed – where all detected movement is recorded and mobile alerts sent, Disarmed – where movement is recorded without mobile alerts, and Privacy – where the device is off. And with the app, at any given time, I can click on “Watch Live” to see what the camera sees. Which is exactly what I did when I was in Atlanta attending a conference last week.
Honestly, I wasn’t spying on my husband and son. It was more the novelty of peeking in. But in talking to my husband, he found it to be a useful device as well. He watched my son sneaking into the kitchen to grab a fudge bar from the freezer. I watched my son sneak into the kitchen to grab two pieces of candy. And then we saw someone else sneak into the kitchen.
While I was in Atlanta, my husband texted me and said, “You have to watch the video stream from Thursday at 11:41am.”
Let me set the stage. We have two dogs and two cats. Up until a year or so ago, we had one dog and two cats and a mostly peaceful household. But since we introduced Layla, our Tibetan Terrier, to the mix, the cats have voluntarily quarantined themselves to the basement. They rarely come up because otherwise Layla will chase them right back down.
Poor kitties. Destined to spend their lives in the basement. Or so I thought. I watched the video that my husband suggested and saw that at some point during the day, my cat Beamer takes back the house. We can’t figure out where the dogs were but Beamer felt confident enough to put on a show just for the Canary.
You’ll see pretty quickly what I mean.
While pet watching and kid watching probably wasn’t the intent of the Canary, it’s certainly a fun side benefit. It gives me confidence now that when we leave on vacation and bring a pet sitter into the house that we can make sure all is well even when we’re not home.
Oh, and you can catch you husband grabbing an unauthorized snack as well.
Getting set up on your own Canary Security System
In addition to purchasing the Canary Security system, Best Buy has suggestions to make sure you get the most out of your system. Upgrade your router and boost your signal with the Netgear® Nighthawk™ DST Router and DST Adapter with Geek Squad included – new and exclusively at Best Buy.
Every time you put another device on your wireless router, you’re putting strain on your signal and may experience slow wifi, dropped calls, or experience “dead zones” – which could be improved upon with an “AC” router, Wi-Fi extenders and expert help. The Netgear AC1900 comes with one DST, or “Dead Spot Terminator,” adapter – to eliminate your Wi-Fi dead zones.
Even better, if you’re not a techie, Best Buy makes it easy to set up the new high performance wifi router and extender with Geek Squad Set Up and Support via phone & web, for one full year. You’ll get support via phone or web and get help 24/7 instead of scheduling an appointment.
It’s as simple as…
- Purchase a Canary Indoor Wireless High-Definition All-In-One Home Security System (approx. $249.99).
- Upgrade your router to the Netgear Nighthawk DST Router and DST Adapter (approx. $299.99).
- Contact the GeekSquad day or night to get your wifi set up.
- Watch my video to get the Canary up and running in a matter of minutes!
Tell me… how would you use the Canary to give you peace of mind?
The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.