The Basics:

The Canary has a very appealing design. It looks like a big beer can with a glossy black plastic strip up the front of a metal cylinder that can either be purchased in silver, black, or white. We have a white one here, but whatever color you choose it should look fairly sophisticated, while also being quite understated. The all black one might be the least likely to grab your attention, while the white and silver units have a black band up the front which is where the camera and IR LEDs for night vision are located.



The below left image shows an angled view of the Canary from the front. If you look closely you can make out the location of the camera's lens, a sensor, and the microphone. On the top you will notice a ring of slots which is where air is expelled after being sampled by the environmental monitor. The below right image shows the back of the device in an angled view from above. Down low you can make out the three connections on the device - wired networking, audio jack for the secure setup, and a USB port for power.



The below left image takes a closer look at the top of the device with the ring of vents. The below right image shows the bottom of the device, where other slots are used to draw in the air. The greyish colored ring of plastic just inside the ring of vents may not look like much, but when in use it will light up to indicate the state of the device. Green and white are good colors, while red is a bad color - like the XBOX's red ring of death. Even when lit up green or white I'm not as pleased as I could be because I have not found a way to disable the lighting. With my other IP cameras, the status lighting can be disabled, which I feel is important in order to best conceal the device. The canary always casts a colorful glow on the surface where it sits, which can make it easy to locate in dark / dimly lit environments. I know where the camera is - I don't want anyone else to.



The final image in this section takes a look at the connections mentioned above. While there are three ports here, when in use you'll only need one or two of them. The device needs power (there is no battery inside), but you can choose to either connect wirelessly or wired. I tried both, and the performance was about the same on either, so I will gladly go wireless and have one less cable laying around.



As I mentioned on the previous page, the box with the camera and accessories in it surprised me because it was so heavy. It turns out that the camera itself makes up the bulk of this weight, and the thick metal shell that makes up most of the Canary's outer surface surely contributes to this. Weight isn't always the best indicator or quality, but it feels solid and well built, so I will say that the weight is a good thing.