Is the Allie 360 Camera right for you? Read the Allie 360 Camera review to know more about the pros and cons, functions and actual performance of the device.
With the Allie Home Camera, you can get a 360 live view of your living space. However, it has performance issues and carries a hefty price tag despite not having the full set of basic features that you expect from such a device.
The introduction of a wide variety of surveillance devices means that keeping a close eye on your home is now easier than ever. You can obtain live streaming videos of your home even when you are away.
However, a key issue with many cameras is that they offer a limited field of view. Thus, you need multiple devices to fully cover an area from all directions.
Our Review of the Allie 360 Camera
The Allie 360 camera resolves this issue by purveying a full 360-degree perspective so that you don’t have to install multiple cameras in one area.
Setting up the Allie 360 camera is a breeze for sure. You get a high definition live feed of the area covered in your home. Via this live feed, you can see everything, including the ceiling and floors.
However, it falls short on basic features despite its high cost. A much better option for you would be the cheaper and more feature-rich Icontrol Networks Piper.
Pros
- Gives 360 live feed and recorded clip of your room
- Daytime video quality is good
- Easy to set up
- Free cloud storage up to 1 year
Cons
- No email or push alerts
- Night vision not the best
- Does not integrate with other devices
- No motion detection
- Costly
Build and Design
The Allie 360 camera is a puck-shaped surveillance camera with a 2.9-inch thickness and a 3.2-inch diameter. There are 2 fisheye lenses of 12 MP on either side of the camera; each ultra-wide-angle lens covers 190 degrees. Together, they provide a video resolution of 4K, which is at par with most other similar products on the market.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset powers the device. Thanks to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, you can control the camera using the app via an iOS or Android phone.
For night vision, the camera has 10 IR LEDs. The night vision video is in black and white.
You can install the 360 on flat surfaces and even hang it from ceilings. Mounting tripod devices that come inside the package will prove to be helpful.
Inside the package, there is also the AC adapter together with a 10-foot long cord.
App
The app lets you connect with social media accounts so that you can upload and share surveillance clips with friends and family. This works very nicely when you catch your pet cat doing something really cute that you would love to share with the world.
Overall, the interface is user-friendly and self-explanatory that you can get accustomed in next to no time.
Cloud Storage
A major drawback is that you cannot store surveillance clips on the device itself. However, you do get access to cloud storage for one year. But after that, you will have to pay.
One caveat about cloud storage that you must note is that the video will be stored for 24 hours. If you want to store for longer, you will have to purchase a monthly plan. The 24-hour plan costs almost $7 per month, the 48-hour plan is under $10, and the 72-hour plan’s monthly cost is $12.95. You also have the flexibility of being able to create your own custom plan.
You can control the 360 camera using either the smartphone app or the web app.
Performance
Although the Allie 360 camera gives you great all-around visibility, it falls short in terms of key security features. The camera lacks sound and motion detectors. These are essential features of a surveillance camera, not optional. Also, there are no push notifications or email alerts. Once again, this greatly reduces the worth of the camera since a surveillance device is of little use if it does not alert you when needed.
Since it does not interact with other devices (such as light bulbs, smart switches and thermostats), the Allie 360 cannot be part of a smart home. The lack of IoT functionality and integration once again greatly reduces its worth.
However, the company website said at one point that they are working to embed IoT functionality in the Allie 360.
Installation
You can install the camera wirelessly with the help of a smartphone using Bluetooth. Alternately, you can connect the camera to your computer using the provided USB cable. The web-based startup wizard will execute, which will guide you through the rest of the process. Installation is quite simple and straightforward.
Here is the installation in a nutshell. Download the app, connect the camera and click on “Find New Allie.” The app takes just a few seconds to find the device, and you are done.
Image quality is decent when the lighting is adequate. Colors appear vibrant and have depth. There is little to no lag when the camera pans the room.
The same cannot be said, though, for night vision. It appears rather dark.
The Gyro feature lets you swipe the screen for panning the camera. This is a very convenient and user-friendly alternative to controlling the camera intuitively.
You can also shoot still photos from the live view. The picture quality of resultant photos is as good as the live feed with no drop in quality.
Our Final Thoughts
Although 360 videos and photo quality is fine, the 360 degrees home surveillance camera lacks necessary features like sound detection, motion detection, push notifications, email alerts and IoT integration abilities. At its high price tag, lack of functionality cannot be justified.
You may be better off buying the much cheaper yet functional Icontrol Networks Piper.
