iBaby Monitor M6 wireless monitor review
The Wise Baby
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On our way to visit my in-laws in Florida over the holiday, the camera to our Motorola Wireless Video Baby Monitor fell out of our luggage (fingers crossed United somehow locates it). We were spending two weeks on vacay so we desperately needed a monitor. We already own a Foscam IP camera (review coming), but it’s a PAIN to install. My husband has really been wanting a new wireless monitor, did some quick reading, and the iBaby Monitor M6
Installation:
Could not be any easier! The camera arrived at nap time and I was able to set it up within 5 minutes, and I am not tech savvy! I can do this in under a minute now. This is the antithesis to the Foscam as far as set up is concerned.
1) Included in the box is a camera, magnetic stand, and the power cord. You will need a usb cable for set up.
2) Download the iBaby app to your phone
3) Connect your phone to the Wifi network
4) Using your usb cable, connect the phone to the iBaby camera and installation happens automatically.
5) You will have to repeat steps 3 and 4 whenever you have to connect to a new Wifi network (i.e. when traveling)
Coverage
The iBaby Monitor M6 has the best visual coverage of any baby camera I have owned or seen at a friend’s house. It spans 360 degrees around and 110 degrees up and down. Everything is controlled from your phone screen. You can even zoom!!! All good news but there is one big downside for me. When Harrison was a baby, we had our Motorola monitor camera mounted to the wall near his crib so we could see him from above. That is impossible with the iBaby. The camera balances on a magnetic base and cannot be mounted. I am sure there is a way to place it on a shelf above the crib, but that would have been impossible for us. Our crib has a lucite front and now that Harrison is a toddler, this is not a problem, but a big point of contention for me for use with a future baby.
Connectivity
I tested this camera in two locations. On vacation, we had almost ZERO wifi connection. We could barely get the camera to work and I never had a clue if the image was frozen or working. We couldn’t rotate the camera over 3G and it felt like a big old bust of a camera. Once we got home, it was a whole different camera! It works great when I am home or out and I have had no problems with a connection. Bottom line, test the wifi connection in your nursery before making a purchase.
Alerts
There are so many ways to customize the way you receive alerts with the iBaby. You have the option of closing the app and keeping the sound on. Even if you turn your phone alerts off (so you don’t hear those late night texts) you can continue to listen to your baby. You can even turn the sound off and only get an alert when baby moves or cries!
Uses
I had a hard time understanding why someone would choose a wireless monitor over a traditional video or sound monitor. One consideration is what you would do when you have a sitter? You could invite them if they have an android or iphone, but then they have access even when they aren’t watching your baby, which I personally am not comfortable with. You can download the app to an iPad for your sitter to access if you have one. It doesn’t seem all that practical to me though.
That being said, the iBaby has really worked for our family. My husband travels every week and can check in on Harrison whenever he wants. They can even talk to each other from across state lines over the monitor. I think for any traveling and working parents this monitor is such an easy way to feel more connected!
The bottom line is that the iBaby has it’s limitations, it cannot be wall mounted (although the website says they are working on it!), you are relying on Wifi signals, and you may be limited when caretakers watch your babe. However, for our family, this monitor has worked great! I love not carrying a monitor around the house with the battery life of maybe ten minutes. It has also been nice to not have an extra monitor to keep charging bed side with blinking lights. Since we are almost always connected to our phones, it’s easy to check on Harrison without running back to the bedroom to check the monitor. The best part of the monitor is that it connects my husband when he is traveling, such a game changer! If you are considering a wifi monitor, I definitely suggest considering the iBaby!
