First, it was Harmony Hub. Now, it’s Logi Circle. Logitech is quickly establishing itself in the smart home and we’re now taking notice. Logitech first entered the home automation realm with its Harmony Home Hub, which is similar to SmartThings in that you can connect multiple devices and control them from your smartphone or tablet. The hub works with a number of popular brands, including Nest, August, and Lutron.
Logitech then expanded its offering to include a unique remote, called Ultimate Home, that provides entertainment and home control. Using its touch screen, you can access your favorite channels, change channels and adjust volume with simple swipes, and get vibration feedback for no-look control. Today, Logitech offers several smart remotes, a smart keyboard, and, coming soon, a camera. They are the next big home automation company to look out for.
In early October, Logitech announced its latest home automation product, a home security camera called the Logi Circle, that is sizing up to be a unique offering on the market. At its basic level, Logi Circle isn’t that different than other smart security cameras. The focus is more on capturing candid moments than providing your home additional security. However, the Logi Circle also comes with a number of other cool features. It has live HD video streaming, includes night vision that works up to 15 feet, and has a Talk & Listen feature so you can communicate with people through the camera. Perhaps the most unique feature is the Day Brief, which is a 30-second recap of the day. Using its proprietary Scene Intuition technology, the camera picks out the most interesting moments of the day and combines it into a Day Brief.
Unlike a standard security camera, the Circle isn’t meant to be drilled into a wall and stored in one place. It is portable and relies on a rechargeable battery. One downside is, the video only lasts three hours, unless it’s on a power save mode, which bumps up the lifespan to 12 hours. I wouldn’t recommend this for a home security camera, but it could possibly be used for families that host a lot of get-togethers and never want to miss a moment, or for parents that want to be able to check on their kids if they are home alone. As the product is brand new, I’m sure new features will be added over this next year.
I’m not entirely sold on the Logi Circle, but this announcement has me excited to see Logitech’s expansion and growth in the home automation world. As they increase their offerings, Samsung’s SmartThings may find it has yet another competitor.
Photo by: s4squ4tch
