Arriving slightly later this year, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 range adds a bit more internal power and beefs up the tablets’ speakers, while a new tracker is set to launch next year.
This year’s range of premium Samsung tablets consists of two larger models: the 14.6-inch Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra and the 12.6-inch Galaxy Tab S12+. Last year’s tablets didn’t include the ‘Plus’ model, with Samsung opting to alternate between tablet sizes as the sidekick to the Ultra model.
Both tablets run on a MediaTek Dimensity 9500 processor with 12GB of memory (the 1TB Ultra model gets 16GB of memory). This year’s range gets a new quad-speaker array, providing a four-channel audio system, up from previous tablets’ two audio channels.
Image: Samsung.
Consistent with other mobile device launches, there’s a higher price tag with the latest models, likely due to the AI-driven global memory shortage. In Australia, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra starts at $2,299, $200 more expensive than last year’s Tab S11 Ultra launch price. For comparison, the Galaxy Tab S12+ starts at $1,999 locally, up from the Galaxy Tab S10+’s $1,799 price tag.
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S12 range launches in Australia on 22 October. Like the brand’s top-end phones, the tablets support seven years of OS and security updates.
A new Samsung tracker
Launching alongside Samsung’s new tablets is the Galaxy SmartTag 3, the brand’s latest tracking device. Compared to the second-gen tag, the latest version is 35 per cent smaller and 33 per cent lighter.
Arguably the biggest change is the SmartTag 3’s iOS support. Compatible with Android and iOS devices, Samsung’s new tracker works across different brands, potentially helping households not wedded to one ecosystem over another. Apple device owners can track the SmartTag 3’s whereabouts via Samsung’s SmartThings app.
Image: Samsung.
In addition to the smaller size and cross-OS support, Samsung claims the new tracker can help locate objects from farther away. Using a combination of Bluetooth 6 and ultra-wideband technology, the SmartTag 3 can precisely locate a position from up to 60 metres away using Compass View, Samsung says.
Australians keen to upgrade their Samsung trackers will need to wait, however. Korea gets the Galaxy SmartTag 3 next week, but an Australian launch isn’t due until 2027.
Do you know what happens when you don’t regularly mow a buffalo lawn? Buffalo grass is a lawn that grows by runners, and if you don’t mow it regularly, thatch can form as new runners grow over the old runners. This is exactly what had happened at my house. I then used a dethatching machine, which literally rakes out the thatch. Now the lawn doesn’t look so good, but it will recover soon, and thanks to the Worx Landroid Vision Cloud robot mower I recently tested, I shouldn’t have the thatch problem again.
Worx Landroid Vision Cloud features
Unlike a traditional lawnmower with a big steel blade, this Worx robot mower uses three tiny razor blades that cut small amounts off your grass often. In summer, you would run a robot mower three times a week, and the grass always looks great.
Gone are the days of pushing the smog-belching Victa around the garden every week or so. Regularly cutting your grass as it grows encourages it to grow sideways, giving you a thicker, lusher result as a side benefit. The tiny grass clippings fall back into your lawn, helping to feed and protect the roots.
Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR308EA. Image: Worx.
I specifically tested the Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR308EA model, which is a wireless robotic lawnmower designed to cut up to 800m² of multi-zone lawns. User-replaceable blades keep your lawn looking good short-term and long-term; the replaceable battery also extends its life compared to competing brands.
The Landroid Vision Cloud also includes a second two-blade cutting disk designed to cut right up to the edge of your lawn. The main cutting head has a cutting width of 18cm, which is small compared to traditional mowers but fine for a robot, since you don’t have to push it as it navigates and drives itself.
Cutting blades. Image: Angus Jones.
Mower height is adjustable for both the main cutting blade (3-6 cm) and the edge-cutting (5-7 cm) blade via manual controls. You should set the edge-cutting height slightly higher to help avoid ground contact.
This navigation uses satellite navigation (as you use in your car), with extra accuracy from the cloud, plus a built-in camera to identify grassed areas, navigate borders, and avoid obstacles. For the mower to work, you will need an outdoor power point, a clear view of the sky and Wi-Fi coverage out to your lawn.
If you have different sections of grass with access for your robot mower between them, you can set up multiple zones, and the mower will move between them. Larger areas often require the mower to recharge before it can finish the job.
Optional light (left) and the optional garage (right). Images: Angus Jones.
The WR308EA I tested also came with an optional light and garage. The light is user-installed and lets the mower run at night, ensuring it doesn’t hit anything. Because it’s so quiet, nighttime mowing is definitely an option. The garage protects the mower from rain and sun. It is not required, but it also hides the mower, making it less obvious in your garden.
Worx Landroid Vision Cloud specifications and price
2 years plus an extra year if registered within 30 days
Using the Worx Landroid Vision Cloud
Having tested quite a few robot lawnmowers, I’ve found that setting up the area to be mowed can be a chore in itself. Older robots required wires to be run in the ground, but now with GPS correction built into the mowers, the accuracy is centimetre-perfect.
Another feature that works exceptionally well, and isn’t widely available, is automatic mapping. I have normally found this a bit hit and miss, but the Worx system works the first time perfectly. This saves you from manually driving or controlling the mower around the perimeter of your lawn. This means installation is as simple as fixing the charging base to the ground, running the power cord, downloading an app, and following the on-screen instructions.
The app is fairly easy to use, and once you set everything up, you shouldn’t have to visit it much unless an issue occurs, and you will be notified. Here, you can set the cutting schedule and choose the cutting pattern. I did find some of the app’s terms confusing, like ‘Party mode’, which I had to Google. Contrary to its name, ‘Party Mode’ doesn’t send the mower into a dancing routine; instead, it suspends all operations while activated, ensuring the mower doesn’t operate during a party.
You can clean the mower with a low-pressure garden hose. Speaking of water, the mower can be programmed not to mow during rain, which, if done, does a poor job.
Edge cutting. Image: Angus Jones.
My garden is a challenge to mow. The buffalo grass is rough to drive on; my block slopes 1 in 10, and most edges are bush rocks that aren’t straight. Fortunately, the Landroid has never got stuck and does a great job. Not having to think about it is a big plus. Although the edge cutting does get reasonably close, even on a perfectly straight edge, a whipper snipper will still be required every few weeks to clean up the edge neatly.
Not every bit of grass on my block is accessible with the Landroid. I have a steep driveway that leads down to the nature strip, which no robot mower so far has negotiated, but I also worry about the mower working by itself next to the road where someone might steal it.
Who is the Worx Landroid Vision Cloud for?
The Worx mower is simple to set up and suits larger urban lawns with worry-free operation. A replaceable battery extends its useful life, meaning years of not having to push the mower around on a hot summer day. Your grass will always look good, and you won’t have to panic about getting the lawn done before your guests arrive.
I believe Australia is about to see a big boom in robotic lawnmowers starting this summer, and as one of the brands stocked by Bunnings, Worx is set to be one of the major competitors.
Worx Landroid Vision Cloud
When you have a robot lawnmower as good as the Worx Landroid Vision Cloud, you won't touch a smog-belching manual mower again.
Features
9
Value for money
9
Performance
9
Ease of use
9
Design
9
Positives
Easy setup
Quiet nighttime mowing with optional light
Close edge cutting with extra blades
Negatives
Can't navigate my steep driveway (although no robot mower has succeeded yet)
It’s no wonder virtual reality never took off: who wants to wear a bulky headset for any length of time? Smart glasses and extended reality glasses have already attracted more support from both the public and tech companies keen to make the next big thing. Somewhere in between is the Viture Pro 2, a set of XR specs that replicates the big-screen experience on your face.
As simple as it gets, the Viture Pro 2 can display content from your phone, computer, and most handheld gaming devices via a USB-C cable. Eschewing the AI-infused smart features of many other wearables, these glasses only want to give you a big picture as close to your eyes as possible. And at $499, you won’t find many cheaper XR glasses in Australia.
Finding the sweet spot is the tricky part, however. When you find the perfect fit, the Viture Pro 2’s inner screens look spectacular. This isn’t as simple as it seems, though, and mileage may depend on the shape of your face.
My screen’s bigger than yours
My dad has an ongoing joke that he always has the biggest screen in the house. When I upgraded from a 55-inch to a 65-inch TV some time ago, he held his phone centimetres from his face and proclaimed that his screen was bigger, all the while chuckling like Ernie from Sesame Street.
As well-worn as the joke has gotten over the years, my dad has a point. When you factor in viewing distance, a 6.7-inch phone screen nearly touching your eyeballs will look bigger than a 65-inch TV.
In a similar vein, the Viture Pro 2 glasses house relatively tiny Micro-OLED displays that, by virtue of sitting millimetres from your eyes, look huge. It might take a bit of effort to get the best-looking picture, but the lightweight build sure beats holding your phone up to your face for ages at a time.
Image: Chris Button.
Viture claims the display produces the equivalent of a 146-inch screen. I have no way of verifying this claim, but 146 inches seems generous. It’s certainly a big screen, though, and a pretty one at that. You get the equivalent of 1920 x 1080 per eye, which is plenty sharp enough for most content.
Battery life isn’t a concern, either. The Viture Pro 2 doesn’t have a built-in battery, instead drawing power via whichever USB-C device it’s connected to. It’s somewhat restrictive, having a cable draped down the back of your head. At least it’s a physical reminder not to suddenly walk away, lest the connected device goes flying.
Viture Pro 2 specifications and price
Display technology
Sony Micro-OLED 1920 x 1080 per eye 120Hz Up to 1,600 nits of brightness Colours: 108% sRGB
Field of view
50 degrees
Size
63g
Dioptre adjustment
0 to -5.00D per eye
Included accessories
Lens shade Nose pads USB-C cable Glasses case and cloth
Weighing a svelte 63 grams, there’s not much to the Viture Pro 2. Slightly thicker and bulkier than display-less smart glasses, like Meta’s wearables, they’re not quite like wearing a pair of sunnies. Although, much to the delight of my partner, the Viture Pro 2 doesn’t have a built-in camera, avoiding the dreaded ‘pervert glasses’ connotations.
Compared to my regular set of dumb sunglasses, Viture’s AR specs have noticeably chunkier temples, while the top of the frames (the part that houses the Micro-OLED displays) protrudes slightly. Because of this, the glasses don’t sit completely flush against my face. There’s more of a gap between the lenses and my eyes, which I notice when wearing them. They also make me look a bit goofy with them on, but this could be less about the glasses and more about my appearance.
Image: Chris Button.
Fortunately, the Viture Pro 2 accommodates a reasonable degree of customisation. Included with the glasses are three sets of different-sized nose pads. Two of the pads use small flexible prongs with rubber tips on the end, designed to sit on the bridge of your nose. These two nose pads also let you adjust how high they sit, with three different height settings for each. When you find the right combination, these glasses are pretty comfy.
For my use, the third nose pad option proved to work the best. It also happened to be the smallest, closing the gap between the displays and my eyes more than any other option.
The Viture Pro 2 (left) and my regular sunnies (right). Images: Chris Button.
You can also adjust each temple independently to one of three angles. Raising or lowering the temple snaps it into a different angle, either higher or lower. It’s supposed to help the glasses fit more naturally depending on the position of your ears, the shape of your nose, and so on. Initially, I was worried about snapping one of the temples off entirely, but they’re reasonably sturdy, given the plastic design.
I don’t need prescription glasses, but the built-in dioptre dials still proved handy. On top of the frames, two dials — one for each eye — let you adjust the dioptre settings between 0 and -5.00D, providing some built-in adjustment to sharpen up the image. For those who need a stronger adjustment, Viture sells a separate attachment that lets you add your own prescription lenses.
Image: Chris Button.
Under the glasses’ left temple are buttons for quickly adjusting brightness and volume, among other settings. A rocker button, similar to what you’d find on a phone, increases and decreases your chosen setting, with a smaller button toggling between each setting. With this smaller button, various combinations of double-presses and holds cycle between different options, including colour settings, interpupillary distance (IPD) adjustments, and even a 3D mode.
It’s a well-considered layout on a reasonably comfortable pair of glasses that makes using the Viture Pro 2 as plug-and-play as possible.
Getting started with the Viture Pro 2
Like most display technology I test, the Viture Pro 2 saw its fair share of sports and video games. In most instances, using these glasses was as simple as plugging in a USB-C cable. With minimal friction, phones, laptops, and gaming devices simply treated the Viture Pro 2 as an external display. From there, it’s easy to get lost in whatever you’re watching. Several times when testing these specs, my partner walked in on me wearing them, seemingly staring vacantly into space. To be fair, me staring blankly at nothing isn’t an uncommon sight for her.
Watching an AFL stream on Kayo Sports was like viewing it on a personal projector. It was big, vibrant, and pleasingly crisp. If anything, these glasses are too bright. In a dim room, I squinted at even the lowest brightness setting. During the early stages of trying the glasses, I couldn’t quite see the whole picture without slightly cutting off the top or bottom.
Viture’s built-in speakers also took me by surprise. Footy commentary came through clearly, even on top of the crowd noise, with more volume and fullness than I was expecting. You won’t encounter skull-rattling bass through these speakers, but you don’t miss out on the low-end entirely, which is a fair compromise for the portable form factor.
Image: Chris Button.
Even on lower volumes, though, there was noticeable audio bleed. My partner could clearly hear the broadcast when I was in the same room, so headphones are essential to avoid disturbing others. Do not be one of those pricks on public transport who plays their phone audio for everyone else to hear.
I also noticed a slight hissing sound whenever the built-in speakers played a brief sound followed by silence, like when navigating a game console’s menu. However, this wasn’t noticeable when playing anything with consistent audio.
Unlike Viture’s higher-end glasses, the Pro 2 doesn’t support head-tracking or the ability to fix visuals in place. Whenever you move, the image moves with you, so any twitch or jostle is momentarily jarring. Meanwhile, the $1,199 Viture Beast XR glasses can track movement, letting you lock virtual screens in position, akin to a mini Apple Vision Pro experience.
The closest the Viture Pro 2 gets to this level of ‘spatial computing’ is when paired with the SpaceWalker companion app. Available on mobile and desktop, it enables a pseudo-multi-display environment that you can swipe between via a digital trackpad or virtual laser pointer controls. It’s a neat novelty, but not one I found particularly useful with these glasses.
Almost, but not quite
Once the initial novelty of the Viture Pro 2’s impressive display wore off, I was left with a lingering annoyance. When I couldn’t quite see the top or bottom of an image when trying the glasses for the first time, I assumed I’d eventually find the right combination of settings and adjustments.
Unfortunately, this never came to pass. Despite countless hours of tinkering and troubleshooting, I could never get the entire image to my liking. It was good, but not perfect.
At best, I’d estimate that I could see roughly 90 per cent of the image in full detail. Anything within this 90 per cent looked fantastic. I can’t speak highly enough of Sony’s Micro-OLED technology. Every colour looked rich and deep, accurately portraying the source material in the best light.
Image: Chris Button.
As for the remaining 10 per cent, the way my eyes lined up with the built-in displays meant that the top of the frames would slightly cut off a tiny part of the image. When I attempted to compensate, I’d lose a small bottom part of the image.
I also noticed slight blurring and chromatic aberration towards the edges of the displays. No matter what I tried, I couldn’t get complete perfection.
Viture advertises “edge-to-edge sharpness” stemming from its latest technology. This unfortunately wasn’t the case for me, but multiple overseas reviews from earlier in the year reported no such issues.
I believe that it’s impossible for one pair of glasses to account for every face shape, eye distance, and any other element of human variation. Maybe my schnozz is too big to get a proper fit? Are my ears weirdly shaped, preventing the glasses from sitting at the right angle? Spiralling with these thoughts only frustrated me more, rather than conceding I wasn’t going to have the same experience as others.
Learning to have fun with imperfection
Every device is a collection of design choices. Compromises are a natural part of this process. No single gadget can be everything to everyone. In my case, I wouldn’t use the Viture Pro 2 as a productivity device. Trying to read paragraphs of text and accounting for slight blurriness would quickly give me a headache.
Paired with something that didn’t require such singular attention, though, I enjoyed Viture’s glasses a lot more.
I spent hours reclined in a comfy chair, the Viture Pro 2 connected to my Steam Deck, enjoying my virtual farm in Fields of Mistria. Between my Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch 2, I spend a lot of handheld gaming time either craning my neck looking down or holding my hands up for extended periods. Both leave me feeling stiff and sore afterwards.
Most devices only need a single USB-C cable to connect. Image: Chris Button.
But the Viture Pro 2 lets me kick back and nestle into the comfiest position imaginable. Head on a cushion, eyes looking straight ahead at the ceiling, and hands relaxed in my lap holding the game console — it’s bloody nice, I tell ya.
Despite Fields of Mistria being a UI-heavy game, its bright and colourful visuals made the slightly blurry edges easier to ignore. When my partner wanted the TV, I could retreat into my glasses oasis and still enjoy a big screen experience.
For the Switch 2, this was slightly more complex, only through Nintendo’s doing. Unlike a Steam Deck or a phone, which can output to an external display via a compatible USB-C cable, Nintendo’s handheld relies on a proprietary dock.
Viture’s workaround is the $179 Mobile Dock Mini, which doubles as a video passthrough device and a power bank. That latter element means it can’t be used on flights, sadly. However, it lets you pair the Viture Pro 2 with the Nintendo Switch 2. It’s just a bummer that Nintendo’s restrictions necessitate an extra accessory.
Once set up, though, Viture’s specs are a treat for gaming.
Who is the Viture Pro 2 for?
The Viture Pro 2 is almost a great pair of XR glasses. It does almost everything right: a light and comfortable design, plug-and-play simplicity, and gorgeous-looking Micro-OLED displays.
But the promises of edge-to-edge clarity aren’t a guarantee. It takes a lot of trial and error to get the best results, and even then, I still encountered slightly blurry edges across most types of content.
When you find that sweet spot of clarity, though, paired with a good game, the Viture Pro 2 is a joy to use.
Viture Pro 2
The Viture Pro 2 almost reaches the summit of XR glasses excellence. Its Micro-OLED screens look fantastic, if you can get the right angle.
Performance
7.5
Features
7.5
Ease of use
8
Design
7.5
Value for money
7
Positives
Beautiful Micro-OLED displays
Lightweight and easy to wear for hours
Negatives
Tricky to get perfect clarity with sharp edges
Audible hiss from the built-in speakers in quiet environments
If you think it’s clunky having to swap between work headphones and your everyday headphones, Logitech might have the answer. Logitech has just announced an interesting new headset named the Zone Vibe Pro, and it looks to address the modern hybrid workplace. It comes in two versions: the Zone Vibe Pro and the Zone Vibe Pro for Business.
The way I look at this new headset is that it’s your daily driver. You wear it throughout the day for your enjoyment as well as any lifestyle activities. Custom-built 40mm drivers and Adaptive Noise Cancellation block out surrounding noise, while AI-powered noise-reduction microphones isolate your voice on calls, all in a sleek, boomless design.
But the real benefit is the seamless integration when transitioning to your work life. The headset eliminates the need to change to a dedicated work device, as it is built with IT in mind. The Zone Vibe Pro for Business is certified for Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Google Meet, meaning reliability during those important work calls. As an added bonus, IT administrators can use Logitech Sync software to monitor and update the Business version and deploy firmware settings across the organisation. That is a huge benefit for large organisations.
Image: Logitech.
So, what makes this work-centric headset also an everyday set of headphones? Comfort and styling are the main factors. The Zone Vibe Pro has a sleek monochrome aesthetic that makes it feel like it was created for designers. There are three colour options: Graphite, Off-White and Lilac, which all look great as they have a somewhat muted look to them.
Logitech says the redesigned soft headstrap distributes pressure more evenly for all-day comfort, so you can take advantage of the long battery life of up to 30 hours of listening or 18 hours of call time with ANC on. Logitech claims its headset gets up to an hour of call time from a five-minute USB-C charge.
Colour options: Graphite, Off-White and Lilac. Images: Logitech.What’s included with the Logitech Zone Vibe Pro for Business. Images: Logitech.
Retailing for $489.95, the Zone Vibe Pro is available on the Logitech website starting today. The Zone Vibe Pro for Business is priced at $489.95 with a Zone USB-C Receiver, or $469.95 for the Native Bluetooth Edition.
Amazon has helped solve one problem in my backyard with its eero Outdoor 7 Wi-Fi mesh router. This means any device that needs internet access can now work in my back garden. Ring, Amazon’s security camera arm, may have solved another with the Ring Outdoor Camera Plus Solar.
Now that I have Wi-Fi, I can mount a security camera anywhere I want, but it also has to be powered, and I don’t want to have to remove batteries to recharge them. So, this Ring camera seems like the most logical solution.
Ring Outdoor Camera Plus Solar features
The Ring Outdoor Camera Plus Solar is a weather-proof, integrated, Wi-Fi, wire-free security camera system with 2K resolution that is set-and-forget. By “set and forget”, I mean that it goes on protecting and alerting you of incidents without having to worry about a battery running out.
The one caveat is that the solar panel must get two to three hours of direct sunlight a day. For those of us in Australia, depending on where you mount the panel (like a southern wall), you might not reach that sunlight requirement.
Box contents. Image: Angus Jones.
In the box, you will find everything you need to get it operational, including screws and pole-mounting hardware. A little Lego assembly is required. You can mount the camera on a wall, pole, or ceiling, and mount the solar panel up to 2m away separately if needed. For pole mounting, the camera comes with two different-size stainless steel bands, which you can even join to create a larger circumference. Other brands either don’t natively support pole mounting or only provide a synthetic strap.
The camera used in this setup is actually one I have reviewed before. It uses a Ring Outdoor Camera Plus combined with a solar panel and a bracket, all in one package.
The camera supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi bands, but as always, wireless cameras need good Wi-Fi reception to work.
This camera does not have a light, but it supports colour night vision. Its 2K resolution camera has a 140-degree field of view, so it can see slightly off to the sides.
The camera has a built-in microphone and speaker, allowing two-way communication and the ability to sound a siren.
Live view. Image: Angus Jones.
The included solar panel supplies 4W and is larger than some other brand panels, giving the camera the best chance to charge in the sun. If the solar panel cannot keep up with the power, the camera has a removable battery you can charge via USB or, if you buy a second battery, swap out. The bracket lets you adjust the angle to maximise solar connection, and I mounted mine upside down to maximise the sun where I placed it.
Ring Outdoor Camera Plus Solar specifications and price
Resolution
2K
Field of view
160 degrees (diagonal)
Networking
Wi-Fi 6 (2.4GHz & 5GHz)
Dimensions
Camera: 6.7 cm x 6.7 cm x 12.8 cm including stand Solar Panel: 20.5 cm x 16.9 cm x 1.2 cm
To get the most out of your Ring camera, you will need a Ring Protect subscription, which starts at $4.95 for a single camera, $14.95 for multiple cameras, and $29.95 a month for more advanced AI features (like text-based search for footage).
Ring sends captured video directly to the cloud, where it is encrypted. If a thief thinks stealing your camera will steal the recorded images, they are wrong. With a Ring Protect subscription, recordings are stored for 180 days, but you can download them anytime and store them separately.
I test and change my security cameras at home often, and setting up a Ring camera is always a pleasure. I have said it before, but setting up Amazon products is simple, and the setup always works as it should, which is more than I can say for other brands. Ring’s app is also a pleasure to use, which is my favourite app from any brand, even though some of the features require a subscription.
I must admit I like a light on a security camera, and this camera doesn’t have one, which I feel is a letdown, as a solar panel should support a small light. However, the night vision view is excellent, although at night you will only get a monochrome view. Ring advertises “colour in low-light”, but the camera reverts to black-and-white footage in complete darkness, which is still enough to see what’s happening.
Night vision. Image: Angus Jones.
When reviewing footage on the app, you will find that a triggered recording plays back at normal speed. Since the Ring cameras are always recording, you get a high-speed time-lapse until a trigger or the image goes live. This is a great feature that’s inherent to Ring, while others make a fuss about it and require you to set it up separately.
Custom alerts and motion triggers
The more cameras you have, the more triggers and events you will likely receive. Ring has a neat feature called ‘Unusual Event Alerts’. Essentially, the camera’s smarts learn over time what is normal around your home and what is not.
For example, my son arrives home from work around 5 pm every day and parks in the driveway. The system learns this and does not send me an alert. However, if a courier drove into the driveway at that same time, I would get an alert.
Because the cameras capture footage and store it in the cloud for 180 days, finding a particular alert can be difficult. If you have the top Ring Protect plan, you can search for specific footage using phrases. For example, searching ‘parcel delivery’ shows you any footage containing deliveries.
Motion settings. Image: Angus Jones.
On the subject of motion triggers, you can also set the Ring camera to record a trigger without sending you an alert. You can enable this during the well-explained setup process, which is a nice touch to ensure the camera works as you want from the start rather than having to go into settings later.
You can also reduce alerts by selecting the area to monitor (during setup or after). In my case, I use this camera to watch my caravan. However, it has a cover that the wind blows and sets off the camera. This is easily fixed by excluding that part of the image from a trigger. You can also set sensitivity and schedules for how often the device checks for motion to reduce false alerts.
A feature I like from Ring is the ability to link cameras so they work together. A trigger from one camera can also start another camera recording, so you get the full picture.
If you have cameras you would rather did not record footage when you are home, you can also choose which cameras operate when you are home and when you are away. Think of this like the old burglar alarm you would activate when you leave the house. If only insurance companies in Australia would recognise security cameras like they recognise burglar alarms.
Ring app. Image: Angus Jones.
Beyond having app connection to your cameras, if you use Amazon Echo products, especially the Show screens, you have full access to the vision and the recordings, which is pretty neat.
Who is the Ring Outdoor Camera Plus Solar for?
If you want a trouble-free security camera system that is super easy to set up and monitor, then Ring is the brand you should consider. Do note that to get full functionality, you will need a subscription.
Taking this even further, the Ring Outdoor Camera Plus Solar is a solution that, in the right conditions, will be self-sufficient, drawing power from the sun, so you won’t need to recharge batteries periodically. With a few screws and a few taps in an app, it’s all ready to go.
Amazon is a big brand with quality products that integrate well together, something few other brands do as well today.
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Ring Outdoor Camera Plus Solar
Self-sufficient, and easy to set up and use, the Ring Outdoor Camera Plus Solar further streamlines outdoor security.
