When my son was born I used the typical monitor. You plugged the base into their room, and kept the receiver with you. It moved from the kitchen, to the living room, to my bedroom throughout the day depending on where I was when he was sleeping. Granted I could always hear him no matter where in the house I was if he were to start crying, but as a new mom you’re always listening for those tiny rustling sounds to give you some sort of indication of how they are sleeping, if they are rolling, breathing well, or if that odd little rattling sound is just the baby snoring which of course he would have inherited from his daddy.
What an awakening in technology it is to be able to SEE your baby, not just hear them. When the girls were born I used the same monitor that I used for my son. It still worked really well so I didn’t feel the need to change anything. Granted they are just over two now, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to review the NextStepIP System from NextStepBabyMonitors. For one, I’d be able to see them if they were pulling crazy stunts like trying to escape over the top of their crib, and I also though it would be awesome if my husband would be able to peek in from time to time while he is deployed.
So what is the NextStepIP System? Before my son was born I would have told you this was pure magic, but now I’ll definitely say it’s technological genius. You get a high-end internet camera that you can view and control from your PC or Mac, as well as your iPhone or Andriod device. You can view the feed in real time, and pan/tilt in real time as well. You can view the camera from anywhere, whether it’s your house or on the other side of the world as long as your computer or device is online via 3G/4G/WiFi.
What makes NextStepIP System stand apart, though, is their set up. They send you the camera, which I have the 2012 Foscam Professional IP Camera, as well as a full setup manual that not only better describes how to set up the camera itself than the instructions the manufacturer publishes, but it also tells you which apps to use and how to set those up as well. You get the complete set up from installation to accessing it through the web. And when I say step-by-step I’m not joking. I love messing with techy gear, but I was really nervous when I first got this camera. After reading through the instructions I was completely confident that I could handle this. I did have a little hiccup with understanding which IP address was used to access it through my computer and which IP I used to access the camera through the app on my mobile devices, but in less than 10 minutes customer service had completely set me up through their remote desktop assistance. Now I can see my kids anytime, anywhere. Date night? Yep, I get to check in on them. (and check in on the sitter)My husband has the ability to see his kids get tucked in at night, or maybe watch them play during the day. Instead of going 10 months or so and only seeing his kids through pictures, he will be able to see life happening in real time. I can’t say enough how in love I am with this camera and the NextStepIP System.
Here are some shots that I took so you can see what I see through the camera on my computer, my iPhone, and my Andriod tablet.
Now that you see how cool this camera and the NextStepIP System is, how would you like to win one?
All you have to do to enter, and this is mandatory, is leave a comment below. You can tell me anything! Where would you use this camera? What option do you find most appealing? Maybe you have a question you’d like to ask, that works as an entry as well. Just make sure you leave an email where I can contact you, should you be the winner. PLEASE KNOW that I will be verifying EACH ENTRY. If you have not completed the mandatory entry, you will be disqualified.
There are also some BONUS entries and you’ll find those in the rafflecopter widget below.
Good luck to all who enter!! Should you choose to purchase a camera for yourself, or decide it would make a great gift just head over to NextStepBabyMonitors to get yours now.
NextStepBabyMonitors provided me a NextStepIP System. The opinions written in this review are mine alone.
Hi there, thanks so much for the informative review!! I am completely in love with all the features this monitoring system offers…pan & tilt, two way audio, etc. Thanks to both NextStep and you for introducing this system to me!
Now, my little guy will always be safely in view…be it from home, work, or our on the town! LOVE IT!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you found it helpful. I love having it.
Thanks for this review. I was looking for a baby monitor with 2-way audio, no video, for Mom, maybe wired via AC power, maybe monitoring 2-3 rooms from 2 rooms, but this might be the ticket: nextstepip, +camera, +android app*2.
you’re welcome. Glad it was helpful.
This looks great!! Very excited about trying one of these out. Thanks for the review!
Have you been able to use it from an iPhone outside the house? Wondering how well it would work when we are away from home and not on a fast internet connection. Thanks.
Yes I have!! It worked great, and I didn’t have any problems at all.
How long is the power cord approximately on the unit? Do you have yours sitting somewhere or are you able to mount the unit on the wall in a corner?
Great questions! I do have mine sitting in the bedroom window of my daughters’ room. However, should I choose to mount it I do have the hardware to do so.
I’m not sure on the length of the cord, but I’m going to guess about 3 or 4 feet? Once I find my measuring tape I’ll let you know for sure.
I would use it when I am away from the house (like with the baby sitter or while at work) and also to let grandma sneek a peek on her now and again. She lives two hours away and always wants to see the baby.
Now that we are in a new house (much bigger than the apartment we moved from) I could use one of these to keep an eye on my toddler when he’s playing in his room or when I’m in the kitchen and can’t see him around the corners! Love it.
Oh my word, this is so cool! My kids are still young and mischievous, so I would use it with them, but having hubby be able to peek in on them/us while he is deployed would be a major bonus!!