The Canary catches criminals using video, motion, temperature and air quality
This high-flying home security system will put your mind at ease
Hey! That doesn’t look like a small passerine bird local to South Africa at all!
It’s not. This is Canary, a home security system which brings the “sings like a…” idiom up to speed with modern times. At 152.4mm tall and weighing 396g, it’s still small, so you got that one right.
Why not just get a burglar alarm?
An alarm doesn’t let you observe your home live with HD video recorded through a 147-degree wide angle lens, does it? You’ll be able to keep track on your phone using an app, which also notifies you when it senses strange activity.
So it’s got a camera? Like other Home Security systems? Colour me unimpressed
The Canary also monitors temperature, humidity and air quality for changes when you’re gone. Whether there’s a trespasser, or you’re trying to catch a loved one nicking the last doughnut, they won’t be able to evade your taking them to task with pixel-perfect evidence.
And what do you do if you see something suspicious? Have a tantrum in the middle of M&S?
If there’s trouble, you’ll be notified by the Canary app, and then you’ll have a choice. Let off a siren scaring the bejeezus out of the hapless intruder, or contact the police. Either way, they’ll wish they tried next door, and you’ll feel at ease.
Sounds a bit Big Brother if you ask me. Why so paranoid?
Canary’s being billed as the home security system for everyone, and it’s not all doom, gloom and raided rooms. You can also use it to keep an eye on your kids, for example – particularly if they usually try to stab each other’s eyes out with a fork when you’re not there. Also, the Canary raised over US$10 million in an Indiegogo campaign, so it’s clearly in demand.
Well if you say so. I’ll need somewhere to live outside some idiot writer’s imagination first, but where do I buy a Canary afterwards?
Official release in the UK will be on 27 September, but you can pre-order one now at Amazon for £159.
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Joe Baker
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