If you’re looking for an indoor camera to help you keep an eye on your home, family and pets while you’re away, there are a ton of security cameras on the market. Trying to find one that fits your specific needs, budget and circumstances can be a bit overwhelming though, so we’re taking a deeper look at one of the top options on the market, the Tend Indoor 2 camera.
Tend Insights was founded in 2008 by Herman Yau and Song Yao. In January 2019, it was acquired by The Chamberlain Group, whose headquarters is in San Francisco. The brand offers a selection of smart home security cameras, and were among the first to offer facial recognition technology as a basic feature in their entry-level cameras.
As the name implies, the Tend Indoor 2 is the company’s second version of this indoor camera. (It was formerly called the Lynx Indoor 2.) It still offers facial recognition technology, but they seem to have worked out some of the reported kinks of the original camera. The camera retails for $59.99 or $169.99 for a package of three.
The Tend Indoor 2 is one of our picks for the best nanny cams
If you’re looking for the latest and greatest camera with all the bells and whistles, or for a complete home security system, this isn’t your camera. If, however, you’re looking for a reasonably priced, easy-to-use indoor camera to beef up your home’s security a bit or keep an eye on your pet when you’re not home, then this camera is worth a look.
One note of caution, however: You may have trouble purchasing this camera. The Tend Insights web page lists all its cameras as “sold out.” While they’re available on Amazon from some resellers, the prices are higher than the $59.99 listed on the Tend site.
Pros
- Facial recognition technology: You can upload photos of your family members and then get alerts about who is coming and going and/or when the camera detects an unfamiliar face.
- Free cloud storage service: With this camera, you can view up to seven days’ worth of recorded events, which are stored in the cloud. If you want to save footage longer, you can purchase a paid subscription plan.
- User-friendly: Using Bluetooth, this camera is easy to set up and get running within just a few minutes. The app is intuitive and simple to navigate as well.
Cons
- Facial recognition not available in all states: If you live in Illinois, Washington or Texas, the feature isn’t available to you.
- Spotty app service: While the app generally gets good ratings, the most frequent complaints are from customers who have trouble viewing footage of events. They say service can be glitchy, and some report a long lag time.
Tend Indoor 2 Features
- Facial recognition technology: Software helps the camera recognize the faces of those you know and alert you to their presence and/or alert you when an unrecognized face is detected.
- Free cloud storage: Tend Insights offers seven days of free cloud storage. If you want to be able to view your recordings for longer, the Premier plan costs $9.99 per month and provides 30 days of cloud storage for up to 10 cameras.
- HD video streaming: Clear images can be viewed via the app with 1080p resolution.
- User-friendly: The camera is easy to set up with Bluetooth, and the app is intuitive, making daily use simple. The camera is wired, which means there are no batteries to worry about, but it also means your camera has to be placed near an electrical outlet, or you may need an extension cord. The camera can be mounted or set on a flat surface.
- Two-way audio: With a built-in microphone and speaker, you can communicate with those near the camera via the app.
- Motion detection: When the camera senses motion, you’ll immediately receive an alert via the Tend app.
- Night vision: Whether it’s dark or light, you’ll be able see images clearly.
- Equipment: The camera measures 3.02 x 1.96 x 1.96 inches. It comes with an AC power adapter and a micro-USB cable.
- Security plan offerings: Tend Insights does not offer professional home security monitoring. Users must self-monitor the cameras.
Bottom line on the Tend Indoor 2
If you’re looking for a straightforward, easy-to-use indoor camera, then the Tend Indoor 2 is worth consideration. It doesn’t offer all the bells and whistles that some cameras do, such as the ability to create motion zones or store your recordings on an SD card or anywhere other than the cloud, but for basic, indoor monitoring, it gets the job done. Finding the camera, however, may be your biggest challenge as it’s sold out on many sites. Whether more of these cameras will hit the market in the future isn’t clear.
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This article has been reviewed and approved by Officer Banta.
Officer Banta is the official SecurityNerd home security and safety expert. A member of the Biloxi Police Department for over 24 years, Officer Banta reviews all articles before lending his stamp of approval. Click here for more information on Officer Banta and the rest of our team.
