Gadgets
Review of the Ring Spotlight Cam Plus (Battery) in the UAE
The Ring Spotlight Cam Plus is an advanced smart home security camera that delivers very good home protection. This camera is specifically designed to provide you with top-notch video and audio recording capabilities, ensuring peace of mind. You can stay connected and receive instant notifications with the Ring Spotlight Cam Plus, through the Ring app, thus enabling you to monitor your home from any location, day or night.
The Ring Spotlight Cam Plus offers a range of power options, giving you the flexibility to choose what suits your needs best. Whether it’s battery-powered, wired (Plug-in), or solar-powered, this outdoor security camera ensures convenience and adaptability. The one reviewed here is a variant that comes with a rechargeable battery. The security camera also comes with built-in spotlights and a siren, in order to effectively deter potential intruders such as porch pirates and other security worries.
The Spotlight Cam Plus supports 1080p HD video recording, to capture crystal-clear video footage, allowing you to see every detail with precision. You also get two-way audio communication to speak to visitors or potential intruders through the built-in speaker and microphone. Ring has also included infrared night vision for enhanced visibility in low-light conditions. And when the security camera detects a motion, it sends notifications to your smartphone in real time.
The Ring Spotlight Cam Plus features a sturdy and intelligent design available in black or white. The company has positioned LED lights on either side of the camera and the sensors to give it a robust appearance. While the overall build may feel somewhat plasticky, the quality of the construction is pretty good.
On the camera’s rear, you will find a removable rubber cover for the USB-C socket. Although the cover can be easily lost, this socket allows for powered installations. It also provides the option to connect to Ring’s solar panel using an adapter, offering a low-maintenance solution to keep the battery charged.
At the base of the camera’s rounded square body, you’ll find vents through which the speaker, siren, and microphone operate. The camera is intended for mounting, and the entire base section can be rotated and removed. When detached, you gain access to the battery bay where one or two Ring batteries can be installed. These batteries feature MicroUSB sockets for charging and include built-in indicator lights.
Inside the box, you get the Ring Spotlight Cam Plus, a quick-release battery pack, a USB charging cable, a mounting bracket, and some screws for installation. The setup procedure is a breeze. First, download the Ring app onto your smartphone. Next, install the battery by rotating the base section and inserting the battery pack in place. Then follow the onscreen instructions on the Ring app to complete the setup.
Once the setup is done, you can go ahead and mount the security camera in a place that covers most of the blind spots. Despite its flexibility, the camera’s video quality is limited to 1080P. A strong Wi-Fi signal is necessary for optimal performance, as we experienced some dropped frames when testing the camera in an area with a weaker connection.
However, the issue resolved itself, and the accompanying app intelligently alerts users about poor connectivity. Apart from this, the video quality remains sharp enough to identify individuals at a distance of around 15 feet and accurately detects human movement from more than twice that distance.
The app offered impressive features, including the ‘Snapshot’ function, which captures still images every 14 or 60 minutes, creating a timelapse-like effect when scrolling through events. Moreover, the app provides comprehensive guidance on settings, offering clear explanations of how each choice affects battery life.
The overall design of the camera is well-thought-out, and despite a few quirks, it offers various options, including the ability to slide the back out and reposition the mounting point. While Ring has transitioned to USB-C for housing, it raises the question of why the batteries still use MicroUSB.
In addition, the $3.99 per month per device charge for Ring’s subscription service may be significant for some, since it allows for multiple users and easy event checking through the integrated “Snapshot” feature. However, it is an added expense considering the wide range of subscription-free alternatives available in the market.
Having said that however, the Ring Spotlight Cam Plus is a great security camera for your home as it accompanies lots of features and offers very good overall performance.
Price: AED 699 onwards
Ring Spotlight Cam Plus (Battery) AED 699 onwards
Summary
The Ring Spotlight Cam Plus features a sturdy and intelligent design available in black or white. The company has positioned LED lights on either side of the camera and the sensors to give it a robust appearance. While the overall build may feel somewhat plasticky, the quality of the construction is pretty good.
User Review
( votes)Artificial Intelligence
Acer Intros New Veriton NUC Series with AI Features
Acer announced the new Veriton NUC Series offering reliable performance and high efficiency. The Veriton NUC Series is adaptable to various applications, from small and medium-sized businesses to front desks, small offices, and digital signage. With its slim and compact design, the Acer Veriton NUC is smaller than a traditional desktop PC, making it especially useful in narrow workplaces where space is limited and easier to transport when needed. Thanks to the VESA mount support, it can be conveniently hidden behind a monitor, optimising the workspace.
Acer’s new Mini PC series integrates Intel Core Ultra processors, enabling AI-assisted functions to enhance productivity and creativity. Powered by advanced Intel ARC graphics with 8Xe cores, the new Veriton NUC Series is ideal for large workloads that require parallel throughput. This cutting-edge technology offers better graphic performance than traditional on-board GPUs. In addition, the new NUC supports 8K resolution displays, offering users natural and sharp original quality. With Intel AI Boost, the Neural Processing Unit (NPU) in the Acer Veriton NUC Series offers innovative AI features that maximise energy efficiency, delivering exciting new user experiences with Windows Studio Effects and next-generation collaboration, streaming and creation applications.
Thanks to its wide range of ports, the Acer Veriton NUC makes multi-tasking even easier. Equipped with HDMI, Display and Type-C ports, Acer’s new NUCs support the connection of all necessary peripherals and offer a seamless user experience. The integrated full-function USB Type-C port with DisplayPort Alt mode allows Acer’s new Mini PCs to connect directly to a display or monitor, while USB 3.2 Gen 2 supports speeds of up to 10 Gbps. Additionally, the new Veriton NUC Series supports the multi-screen configuration, allowing up to three displays to be connected simultaneously. This functionality is particularly appreciated in certain sectors where comparing different images or graphs is essential, such as in the medical, financial or engineering fields.
The new Veriton NUC Series integrates the Wi-Fi 6E module that supports speeds of up to 9.6 Gbps, nearly 3 times faster than the 3.5 Gbps speed of Wi-Fi 5, improving performance and reliability. High-speed file sharing, smooth 4K streaming, ultra-responsive surfing and gaming, great work from home and remote learning experiences become a reality with Acer’s innovative new NUC series. In addition, Wi-fi 6E also supports WPA3 encryption, improving security and protection against possible hacker attacks.
Users can enjoy uninterrupted and secure connections without worrying about network traffic overload. The availability of Dual LAN ports guarantees greater stability, security, and efficiency for wired connectivity. The other LAN port can act as a backup, ensuring a stable and uninterrupted Internet connection. It can also enable the configuration of an internal and external network, increasing security and helping balance the network traffic between two ports to prevent overloading.
Gadgets
Corsair Introduces K70 PRO TKL
CORSAIR has unveiled the K70 PRO TKL, a tenkeyless keyboard that redefines the standards of gaming performance. Powered by CORSAIR’s innovative MGX Hyperdrive magnetic switches and featuring cutting-edge technologies like Rapid Trigger and FlashTap, the K70 PRO TKL is designed to dominate the competitive gaming scene.
The K70 PRO TKL introduces CORSAIR’s MGX Hyperdrive magnetic switches, which utilize Hall-effect sensors for lightning-fast activation. Combined with Rapid Trigger, these switches accelerate actions by registering and resetting keypresses instantly, surpassing the capabilities of traditional mechanical switches. The customisable actuation distance, ranging from 0.1mm to 4.0mm, allows gamers to tailor the keyboard to their specific preferences.
The K70 PRO TKL also offers FlashTap, a revolutionary SOCD system that enables esports-grade character movement. By prioritizing the first or last keypress, FlashTap significantly enhances in-game movement, particularly for rapid-strafing and move-mirroring techniques.
The wired-only K70 PRO TKL boasts 8,000Hz hyper-polling, ensuring ultra-fast keystroke registration. CORSAIR’s AXON hyper-processing technology further minimizes input lag and delay, giving gamers a decisive edge in critical moments.
The K70 PRO TKL delivers a premium gaming experience with its pre-lubricated MGX Hyperdrive switches, which offer a consistent and wobble-free keystroke. The keyboard’s sound-dampening foam reduces unwanted noise, creating a quieter and more immersive gaming environment.
Gadgets
ASUS Celebrates One-Year Anniversary of NUC Portfolio
ASUS has announced that it has made significant achievements and launched groundbreaking AI innovations following its official takeover of the NUC portfolio from Intel in October 2023. In October 2023, ASUS undertook the significant task of taking over Intel’s NUC portfolio and continuing the 10-year legacy of NUCs, which have been deployed to millions of customers worldwide. This marked the first time that ASUS has been involved in such a large-scale industry transition. Over the past year, ASUS seamlessly and successfully transitioned customers from the legacy Intel NUC portfolio to the ASUS NUC portfolio.
ASUS NUCs are now synonymous with top-tier performance, exceptional quality, and reliability. These attributes ensure that ASUS NUCs stand out in the market, offering an alternative to traditional desktops in a compact, mini-sized package, providing users with superior computing solutions that are both innovative and dependable. Whether for professional workloads, gaming, or AI applications, ASUS NUCs deliver the power and stability required for even the most demanding tasks and ensure that users thrive in this new AI era.
“As we celebrate our first anniversary of the successful takeover of the NUC portfolio from Intel, we remain committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation and delivering cutting-edge technology to our customers,” said Jackie Hsu, Senior Vice President and Co-Head of the Open Platform Business Group and AIoT Business Group. “The introduction of the world’s first AI mini PC and a seamless transition for existing NUC users underscore our dedication to maintaining our leadership position in the industry.”
ASUS continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in the computing industry with the introduction of the AI NUC – the world’s first AI mini PC powered by an Intel Core Ultra processor (Series 2) with Microsoft Copilot+. These AI-enabled NUCs feature the latest NPU, GPU, and CPU architectures, enabling customers to design for the future of AI. ASUS NUC 14 Pro AI, which was recently unveiled at IFA 2024, allows users to experience the next level of AI performance, unlocking new possibilities for advanced computing tasks. This compact powerhouse offers a mini PC alternative to laptop AI PCs, providing more flexible options for AI-driven computing.
In addition, the ROG NUC/NUC 14 Performance is a new expansion of the ASUS AI NUC offering. The ROG NUC and NUC 14 Performance mark significant strides in ultra-small form factor computing. These devices are tailored for both gamers and versatile commercial use, integrating high-performance components into compact designs.