As part of our Quick Check tests, we have repeatedly looked at gadgets and solutions in the past that were rather in the low-price segment and thus also suggested rather small security budgets. As expected, we often found what we were looking for when it came to identifying sometimes serious security vulnerabilities. In the future, we plan to test more in this area again, so that we do not lose sight of the supposedly “darker” side of the Internet of Things in contrast to the high-security products examined in our certification tests and thus retain a more representative impression of the over ..read more

Under the Eufy brand, the Chinese technology company Anker has marketed not only vacuum cleaners and robot vacuums, but also smart surveillance cameras for some time now. We took a closer look at the eufyCam 2C and evaluated whether the solution designed for high data protection can keep its promises. Technical data The eufyCam 2C set consists of a base station (Homebase 2) and two cameras. Eufy advertises 180 days of battery life, 1080p FullHD resolution and IP67 weatherproof cameras. Unlike many other surveillance solutions, there are no monthly fees with Eufy. All video recordings from the ..read more

With a maximum light output of 3000 lumens, the Arlo Pro 3 floodlight camera shines brighter than a car – at least that’s how it’s advertised on the Arlo website. We took a closer look at the battery-powered camera from a security perspective and put it through its paces. In the dark season, there are many reasons why homeowners place a surveillance camera in their garden. A camera like the Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight comes in handy here, illuminating the garden as bright as day when motion is detected or when needed. © ArloTechnical data With a 13,000mAh battery and 650 grams, the surveillance came ..read more

IP cameras are still one of the best selling gadgets for the home. Accordingly, the range of products for this segment continues to be virtually endless. It is therefore hardly surprising that large discounters are constantly adding solutions to their range. The HiKam S6 WLAN IP camera is a typical example of such a product, which in this case is sold in large quantities and at low prices by the discount giant ALDI. The fact that these products are often of a high standard in terms of feature list and quality is no longer a rarity, but whether they are also convincing in terms of security is s ..read more

The Arlo system of the manufacturer Netgear, in different versions and with various components was already considered by us in earlier quick checks. We take the video intercom comparison test as an opportunity to briefly test the Arlo Doorbell in combination with the corresponding Chime and the Arlo Ultra cameras. In the past test iterations, the system has always performed well. The following report will clarify whether this is also the case for the current version. Application The mobile applications (Android v2.7.11_25630; iOS v2.8) leave a solid, if not perfect impression. The large number ..read more

As the only German manufacturer in the AV-TEST comparison test on the subject of video intercoms, we admittedly had quite high expectations of the “IP Video Station” by DoorBird. On the feature side, the product is in no way inferior to the other candidates in the test. In the article, however, we already briefly reported why there are some points with regard to IT-security and data privacy that avoid a high overall rating. In the following, the identified problems and the resulting consequences will be discussed in more detail.   Application The mobile Android and iOS applications (Android v4 ..read more

In the course of the video intercom comparison test, we of course also looked at one of the Far Eastern models sold in Germany, in this case the Somikon Wifi HD video doorbell which is distributed in Germany by Pearl. As by far the cheapest product in the comparison test, we admittedly had no great expectations. In fact, the device had to take some criticism in the test – the relatively large number of minor problems, especially regarding data privacy, prevent a good rating here. Application Customers look out in vain for an associated mobile application under the name Somikon. However, the in ..read more

In addition to HD video streaming with night vision and HDR, the Nest Hello video doorbell from Google also offers face recognition and notifications on Google Assistant devices. In the security test, it was checked exactly what it is: a spyhole or a trustworthy companion in everyday life? The Nest Hello door camera is connected to the lines of the former doorbell, so it is one of the few smart doorbells that still uses the internal bell. Battery changes as with other manufacturers are therefore not necessary. If no compatible bell transformer or similar is available, it can also be connected ..read more

The Ring Doorbell 2 from Amazon is powered by an exchangeable battery, but also supports various bell transformers and an optional solar charger. Infrared night vision and adjustable motion alarms are among its features along with the 1080p live stream. Setup The enclosed manual explains step by step how to install the video doorbell. The app then guides you through setting up the camera and WiFi. After a subsequent firmware update, the camera is ready for use. Setup of the Ring Doorbell 2When registering a Ring account, the password must only be six characters long, there are no further requi ..read more