08-16-2018, 07:31 AM
Hands-On: Ring’s iPhone-ready, self-running Spotlight Cam Solar
<div style="margin: 5px 5% 10px 5%;"><img src="http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/hands-on-rings-iphone-ready-self-running-spotlight-cam-solar.jpg" width="1" height="1" title="" alt="" /></div><div><p><!-- font size selector, BEGIN --> <span class="cfix"> </span> </p>
<p><span class="hands-on">Hands-On</span></p>
<p class="gray small byline"> By <a href="mailto:[email protected]">Roger Fingas</a> <br /><span class="gray">Wednesday, August 15, 2018, 04:41 pm PT (07:41 pm ET)</span> </p>
<p> <span><span class="article-leader">Amazon’s Ring is omnipresent in smarthome security, and the Spotlight Cam Solar is an attempt to further cement that position among picky iOS and Android users.<br /></span></p>
<div align="center">
<div class="article-img"><img src="http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/hands-on-rings-iphone-ready-self-running-spotlight-cam-solar.jpg" alt="Ring Spotlight Cam Solar" height="495" class="lazy" /><img src="http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/hands-on-rings-iphone-ready-self-running-spotlight-cam-solar-1.jpg" /></div>
<p><span class="minor2 small gray"></span></div>
<p>As it turns out, the Solar is essentially Ring’s existing <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ring-Spotlight-Battery-Security-Two-Way/dp/B0758L64L9/?tag=reality">Spotlight Cam Battery</a>, but bundled (at a discount) with a solar panel accessory that fixes the original’s main weakness: maintenance. </p>
<p>On its own the Battery needs to have its DSLR-style battery pack periodically recharged. This isn’t just an inconvenience — you may temporarily lose coverage unless you have a spare battery, and in any circumstance you’ll have to mount the camera in a reasonably accessible place, making it more vulnerable to tampering. Because <a href="https://shop.ring.com/collections/security-cams/products/spotlight-cam-solar">the Solar</a> recharges its battery pack independently, you can put it anywhere your initial installation allows, then forget about it.</p>
<div align="center">
<div class="article-img"><img src="http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/hands-on-rings-iphone-ready-self-running-spotlight-cam-solar.jpg" alt="Ring Spotlight Cam Solar" height="495" class="lazy" /><img src="http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/hands-on-rings-iphone-ready-self-running-spotlight-cam-solar-2.jpg" /></div>
<p><span class="minor2 small gray"></span></div>
<p>The installation process takes about an hour, but is relatively straightforward thanks to video-enhanced guidance provided on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1ySyLPlunY">Ring’s YouTube channel</a> and in an <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ring-always-home/id926252661?mt=8">official iPhone and iPad app</a>. The company supplies all of the necessary tools including bits and screwdrivers, though you might still want to bust out a power drill, especially if you’re working with anything tougher than wood.</p>
<p>The iOS app is, as it turns out, a highlight of the Ring package. It’s extremely well-organized, making it very easy to toggle settings and track alerts and power status. There’s even built-in access to Ring’s Neighbors platform, where individuals and police share footage of suspicious incidents. Some posts tend to be a little paranoid, but it’s at least good to be aware.</p>
<p>One thing we had to do right away was narrow the focus of the Solar’s motion zones. The camera has a wide field of view, and by default triggers push notifications for a good portion of that. Even with a narrower cone, detection seems sensitive — we would get notifications and scan footage only to discover that it had been set off by something like a distant bird.</p>
<div align="center">
<div class="article-img"><img src="http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/hands-on-rings-iphone-ready-self-running-spotlight-cam-solar.jpg" alt="Ring iPhone app" height="372" class="lazy" /><img src="https://photos5.appleinsider.com/gallery/27159-39998-ring-4-l.jpg" /></div>
<p><span class="minor2 small gray"></span></div>
<p>Saved footage (or the lack thereof) is one of several issues we’ll go into later, but right now we should note that the camera does <em>not</em> support Apple HomeKit. You’ll be relying primarily on first-party notifications, since there isn’t even a Web portal for viewing video. </p>
<p>The camera does of course support Amazon Alexa, meaning that if you have an <a href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/17/07/15/review-amazon-echo-show-is-good-enough">Echo Show</a> or <a href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/18/06/17/review-amazons-echo-spot-is-a-cool-device-but-needs-to-do-more-with-its-screen">Echo Spot</a>, you can ask Alexa to show you a live feed at any time. Just be warned that the camera’s namesake spotlight comes on if you watch at night, which could be annoying to neighbors.</p>
<p>Keep following <em>AppleInsider</em> for a full review later this month.</p>
<p></span> </p>
</div>
<div style="margin: 5px 5% 10px 5%;"><img src="http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/hands-on-rings-iphone-ready-self-running-spotlight-cam-solar.jpg" width="1" height="1" title="" alt="" /></div><div><p><!-- font size selector, BEGIN --> <span class="cfix"> </span> </p>
<p><span class="hands-on">Hands-On</span></p>
<p class="gray small byline"> By <a href="mailto:[email protected]">Roger Fingas</a> <br /><span class="gray">Wednesday, August 15, 2018, 04:41 pm PT (07:41 pm ET)</span> </p>
<p> <span><span class="article-leader">Amazon’s Ring is omnipresent in smarthome security, and the Spotlight Cam Solar is an attempt to further cement that position among picky iOS and Android users.<br /></span></p>
<div align="center">
<div class="article-img"><img src="http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/hands-on-rings-iphone-ready-self-running-spotlight-cam-solar.jpg" alt="Ring Spotlight Cam Solar" height="495" class="lazy" /><img src="http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/hands-on-rings-iphone-ready-self-running-spotlight-cam-solar-1.jpg" /></div>
<p><span class="minor2 small gray"></span></div>
<p>As it turns out, the Solar is essentially Ring’s existing <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ring-Spotlight-Battery-Security-Two-Way/dp/B0758L64L9/?tag=reality">Spotlight Cam Battery</a>, but bundled (at a discount) with a solar panel accessory that fixes the original’s main weakness: maintenance. </p>
<p>On its own the Battery needs to have its DSLR-style battery pack periodically recharged. This isn’t just an inconvenience — you may temporarily lose coverage unless you have a spare battery, and in any circumstance you’ll have to mount the camera in a reasonably accessible place, making it more vulnerable to tampering. Because <a href="https://shop.ring.com/collections/security-cams/products/spotlight-cam-solar">the Solar</a> recharges its battery pack independently, you can put it anywhere your initial installation allows, then forget about it.</p>
<div align="center">
<div class="article-img"><img src="http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/hands-on-rings-iphone-ready-self-running-spotlight-cam-solar.jpg" alt="Ring Spotlight Cam Solar" height="495" class="lazy" /><img src="http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/hands-on-rings-iphone-ready-self-running-spotlight-cam-solar-2.jpg" /></div>
<p><span class="minor2 small gray"></span></div>
<p>The installation process takes about an hour, but is relatively straightforward thanks to video-enhanced guidance provided on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1ySyLPlunY">Ring’s YouTube channel</a> and in an <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ring-always-home/id926252661?mt=8">official iPhone and iPad app</a>. The company supplies all of the necessary tools including bits and screwdrivers, though you might still want to bust out a power drill, especially if you’re working with anything tougher than wood.</p>
<p>The iOS app is, as it turns out, a highlight of the Ring package. It’s extremely well-organized, making it very easy to toggle settings and track alerts and power status. There’s even built-in access to Ring’s Neighbors platform, where individuals and police share footage of suspicious incidents. Some posts tend to be a little paranoid, but it’s at least good to be aware.</p>
<p>One thing we had to do right away was narrow the focus of the Solar’s motion zones. The camera has a wide field of view, and by default triggers push notifications for a good portion of that. Even with a narrower cone, detection seems sensitive — we would get notifications and scan footage only to discover that it had been set off by something like a distant bird.</p>
<div align="center">
<div class="article-img"><img src="http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/hands-on-rings-iphone-ready-self-running-spotlight-cam-solar.jpg" alt="Ring iPhone app" height="372" class="lazy" /><img src="https://photos5.appleinsider.com/gallery/27159-39998-ring-4-l.jpg" /></div>
<p><span class="minor2 small gray"></span></div>
<p>Saved footage (or the lack thereof) is one of several issues we’ll go into later, but right now we should note that the camera does <em>not</em> support Apple HomeKit. You’ll be relying primarily on first-party notifications, since there isn’t even a Web portal for viewing video. </p>
<p>The camera does of course support Amazon Alexa, meaning that if you have an <a href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/17/07/15/review-amazon-echo-show-is-good-enough">Echo Show</a> or <a href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/18/06/17/review-amazons-echo-spot-is-a-cool-device-but-needs-to-do-more-with-its-screen">Echo Spot</a>, you can ask Alexa to show you a live feed at any time. Just be warned that the camera’s namesake spotlight comes on if you watch at night, which could be annoying to neighbors.</p>
<p>Keep following <em>AppleInsider</em> for a full review later this month.</p>
<p></span> </p>
</div>