We were recently asked to review the newest Summer Infant baby monitor, The Liv Cam. Bronwyn and Georgia tried it on their recent trip to South Africa and were very impressed, see how they got on…
Before we set off on our holiday we got daddy to set up the monitor and link it to our phone and iPad – the set up was easy. Simply download the free Liv Cam app (iOS or Android) and follow the prompts. You pair the camera with your device by putting in the password found on the bottom of the camera. You don’t need a wifi connection or mobile coverage to be able to use the monitor which makes it perfect for travelling.
Jump forward to night 1 of our holiday. We had just travelled 11 hours overnight and neither Georgia or myself had had a particularly good nights sleep – one of the first things I set up was the Liv Cam as i knew that way I could relax in the living room and know what Georgia was up to when I put her down. I plugged it in (don’t forget an adapter if you’re going abroad!) and hooked it onto the end of the travel cot – it was that simple. I connected it to my iPad and we were good to go. I used it in 3 different places whilst on holiday – the clarity is brilliant, day or night.
There are also some nifty features like having a 1 minute video replay function as well as remote zoom and the option to record and share photos and videos.
The camera has a range of 76m and the battery when fully charged lasts 3-4 hours. Perfect when on the go. I kept it plugged in and clipped to Georgia’s cot whilst away so that it was ready to go and charged when she napped or went to bed. Its small and light making it perfect for travelling.
The only issue I found was if you didn’t have a 2nd device, you would have to disconnect from the wifi network on your mobile/tablet to be able to connect to the camera’s wifi – meaning you wouldn’t be able to use your phone (on the wifi) at the same time as using the monitor – its easily fixed by using a tablet / 2nd phone.
At around £100 for a video monitor, it is mid-range, price wise. I would definitely recommend this product. The monitor is available from Argos and is currently on sale at £79.99 (Normal price (£99.99). (at time of writing)
We will be running a competiton to win your very own Liv Cam this week – Keep an eye on the Holiday Tots Facebook page for more details.
We tested out the Joie Pact Lite on our recent trip to the airport, here’s how we got on:
We have also tested the Pact Lite on a friend’s baby who is younger (16 weeks). This stroller is suitable from birth due to the lie flat reclining seat so perhaps it’s better for smaller babies as she seemed very comfortable in it.