Simplicam review: the Dropcam killer has arrived

Nate Swanner

As go home security cameras, so goes the Dropcam. The very cool, Google-owned company put everyone on notice with their snazzy camera, meant for home security, but good for a variety of use cases. A new challenger, Simplicam, wants to unseat them from their throne atop the consumer security cam heap. Offering a bit more technical savvy than the Dropcam, Simplicam may end up the home security camera you should be considering instead of others it competes with. Is Simplicam as good as advertised, though? We put it through its pacesto find out.

From the second you get the Simplicam box in your hand, you know theyre not messing around. Cleverly designed and smartly packaged, Simplicam takes a very streamlined approach to getting you up and running. Layer upon layer of camera, cords, and mounting bracket give you all you need, and walk you through setup as you unbox.

The Simplicam itself is a vicious kidney shot to others in the market. The frame is made of solid aluminum, and has an articulating swivel. There is a well placed cord cutout at the bottom, too, so if you want to set Simplicam on a shelf, the (flat!) cord slips into the background neatly, virtually undetectable.

The shape of Simplicam is equal parts visual pleasure and solid security. The round camera assembly slips straight out a the sqaure-ish frame, and makes Simplicam a handsome addition just about anywhere you want to place it. All metal, you dont have that feeling Simplicam needs to be handled with too much care, either. Beautiful and solid, Simplicams hardware already sets it above much of the competition. The included wall mount, though plastic, is sturdy and reliable, with brackets that grip the Simplicam tight.

The Simplicam (Called Closeli in the App Store and Google Play, as thats who makes Simplicam) app is brilliant, and walks you right through setup from the start. With the push of a few buttons, your Simplicam is linked to your WiFi, set up and ready to go.

The included host of features is impressive, and only get better with a subscription (more on that in a minute). The app interface also makes having and monitoring multiple cams a breeze, as theyre all right there on the first screen. I can also happily report the Closeli app is available on the iPad as well as the iPhone, and the web portal mimics the mobile app perfectly.

Aside from being easy to use, Closeli also offers a host of granular controls. Choose when to get notifications, and what type youd like to see (someone instead of something, for instance). Turn the camera or notifications off at certain points of the day, or access the microphone feature to create a kind of intercom system. Yeah, you can now scold the children or dogs from anywhere.

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Simplicam review: the Dropcam killer has arrived