Real estate agents spend hundreds of millions of dollars each year on closing gifts for their clients. However, purchasing a closing gift can be a tricky proposition. The last things you want to do is inadvertently offend your client. That’s why I always recommend giving the gift of tech. I have been testing the Circle, Logitech’s connected home security camera. The Circle’s ease of use makes it an attractive closing gift for the real estate industry, particularly if it’s the clients first connected home device.
The Circle is available in black or white and the unboxing is actually quite enjoyable. The device features whimsical packaging and provides an Apple-esque onboarding experience. The device is also super-easy to set up and configure. In fact, the entire process took me about two minutes.
Here’s the setup process:
1: Download the Circle app from the App Store or Google Play
2: Connect the Circle to the charging ring
3: Connect the Circle to your home’s WiFi network
4: When the Circle connects to the cloud, create your free account
The Circle sports some cool features such as a pivoting camera head, night vision and two-way talk and listen. The combination of the camera and the app make the device more than a traditional security camera. It almost blurs the line between a security camera and a webcam. There is a social aspect to the product that feels acutely human. This may resonate with users who are dipping their toe in the connected home device space for the first time (less so for the experienced IoT aficionado or Maker).
The app features a user-friendly interface that launches directly into the live HD video stream. You can zoom in up to 8X. The settings and options are accessed by sliding the menu out from the left. From settings you can enable notifications, talk and listen and download video clips. Video clips are generated via the “Day Brief” feature and can be downloaded to your phone and shared. I get a kick out of watching the playback of my cat jumping around all day.
In terms of a robust security camera, the Circle does come up short compared to the competitors (Nest Cam, Canary and Piper NV) in the space. However, most of the Circle’s short comings (lack of 1080p, no web component and the inability to access video longer than 24 hours) could potentially be addressed with a firmware / software update. I was hoping for a web component and the ability to access the camera footage through a web browser.
Almost 2 billion connected home devices will be shipped by 2019 generating an estimated $490 billion in revenue. As I’ve written before, these devices are the next wave of real estate technology. There is a tremendous opportunity for real estate professionals to educate their clients and become an authority in this space. Priced at $199.99, the Circle is a fun closing gift for the inquisitive home buyer or seller.
[Disclosure: Logitech sent me the Circle for review.]