***Disclosure: I received a complimentary sample to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***
When you have a baby, you can never be too careful when it comes to their safety and well-being. When you have 2 toddlers and a sneaky teen like me? Well, let's just say there are times I really do wish I had a pair of eyes on the back of my head and that walls could talk.
You see, my toddlers are partners in crime and always looking for creative ways to be mischievous. Or they're trying to kill each other. True story. My teenager is...well...a teen. He wants to pull the wool over our eyes whenever he can, because of course my husband and I hail from the Stone Age and couldn't ever possibly be on to his antics. (Thank God he's a really good kid, and the extent of our worries is that he might be slacking on his chores and hiding dirty dishes under his bed, or trying to watch TV at 2:00AM when he should be asleep!)
One of the things I have always relied on to help me keep my sanity and peace of mind is a baby monitor. When my teen was a baby, we had an old-school, static-filled audio monitor that was basically useless. It was really horrible, because every little crackle made me shoot out of bed, convinced that there was something terribly wrong with my little man.
Sophie and Xander came along a decade later, and boy, how things had changed by then! We had the luxury of video baby monitors, and this innovation kept us from rushing out of the warmth of our beds at every peep, since we could physically see our babies. A noise didn't mean the babies were choking to death or suffocating, and no intruders were trying to snag them in the middle of the night. And of course, I could clearly see that they were breathing. Yes, I am one of "those" Moms that will actually poke my babies to make them move if they're sleeping a bit too soundly. Don't judge...Admit it...Lots of you have done it too! Anyway, video monitors are amazing. They allowed us to stay relatively sane and well-rested, and for that we're very thankful. (Gotta love technology!)
You see, my toddlers are partners in crime and always looking for creative ways to be mischievous. Or they're trying to kill each other. True story. My teenager is...well...a teen. He wants to pull the wool over our eyes whenever he can, because of course my husband and I hail from the Stone Age and couldn't ever possibly be on to his antics. (Thank God he's a really good kid, and the extent of our worries is that he might be slacking on his chores and hiding dirty dishes under his bed, or trying to watch TV at 2:00AM when he should be asleep!)
One of the things I have always relied on to help me keep my sanity and peace of mind is a baby monitor. When my teen was a baby, we had an old-school, static-filled audio monitor that was basically useless. It was really horrible, because every little crackle made me shoot out of bed, convinced that there was something terribly wrong with my little man.
Sophie and Xander came along a decade later, and boy, how things had changed by then! We had the luxury of video baby monitors, and this innovation kept us from rushing out of the warmth of our beds at every peep, since we could physically see our babies. A noise didn't mean the babies were choking to death or suffocating, and no intruders were trying to snag them in the middle of the night. And of course, I could clearly see that they were breathing. Yes, I am one of "those" Moms that will actually poke my babies to make them move if they're sleeping a bit too soundly. Don't judge...Admit it...Lots of you have done it too! Anyway, video monitors are amazing. They allowed us to stay relatively sane and well-rested, and for that we're very thankful. (Gotta love technology!)
So when the folks at NextStepBabyMonitors contacted me about their latest product, the NextStepIP Pro, I was very enthusiastic. See, this monitor takes video surveillance to a whole new level. Not only can you see and hear your children, you can talk to them, use stealthy night vision, and you can also control the unit remotely...Yes. Remotely. From your computer or smart phone. How cool is that?!
If you haven't heard of NextStepBabyMonitors, trust me, you will. This company is taking the industry by storm, and they are known not only for their superior products, but also for excellence in customer service.
If you haven't heard of NextStepBabyMonitors, trust me, you will. This company is taking the industry by storm, and they are known not only for their superior products, but also for excellence in customer service.
About NextStep Baby Monitors :
NextStepBabyMonitors is a family owned and operated business based in Southern California, founded in 2004.
We've used our products with our own children and only carry systems we would use in our own home. We realize our customers have many shopping options including big box stores and online discounters, but what happens when you have a question or need extra help? NextStep is here for our customers with helpful assistance and a wealth of specialized knowledge. When it comes to your children don't compromise. We treat everyone who visits our site and buys our products with the highest degree of respect. All information submitted, including all personal
and credit card information, is kept strictly confidential. We never give out any of our customer's information to third parties.
Why Is the NextStep IP Pro Unique?
As you can probably tell, this is not your mother's baby monitor. Not by a long-shot. The NextStepIP Pro is like something straight out of The Jetsons. It has so many amazing and easy to use features. It's almost like having your very own Mary Poppins, right in a camera. Of course, it doesn't sing to the kids...Unless YOU sing to them through it! (Yes, you can really do that! I have tried it, just to annoy my teen when his friends were over!)
Here are some of the awesome capabilities of this state of the art baby monitor:
-Pan/Tilt Capability
-Secure Direct Connect
-Upgraded Audio
-Talk Back Capability
-Motion Alert
-Night Vision
-IR Cut
-Deluxe Wall Mount
-Support for setup of Apps & Router
-Premium Lifetime Support
-No Additional Fees
-Two Year Warranty
To get a better idea of just how awesome this monitor is, check out this brief video. Prepare to be wowed!
Here are some of the awesome capabilities of this state of the art baby monitor:
-Pan/Tilt Capability
-Secure Direct Connect
-Upgraded Audio
-Talk Back Capability
-Motion Alert
-Night Vision
-IR Cut
-Deluxe Wall Mount
-Support for setup of Apps & Router
-Premium Lifetime Support
-No Additional Fees
-Two Year Warranty
To get a better idea of just how awesome this monitor is, check out this brief video. Prepare to be wowed!
Our Review of the NextStep IP Pro :
Our NextStepIP Pro actually arrived within a day or so of order confirmation. I was in Hollywood at the Iron Man 3 premiere, and my husband knows better than to open any of my packages, so he didn't set it up until I got home and he got the go-ahead.
We downloaded the necessary apps to our iPhone and iPod Touch, and we set the camera up in our family room. Here's where the hiccup happened. We couldn't get the camera to connect to our router. My husband tried and tried, with no success.
Remember I said the folks at NextStepBabyMonitors are known for going above and beyond for their customers? Well, we put that to the test. My husband called them for installation support, and was on the phone trouble-shooting for about an hour. The service rep was a true tech-genius, and was even able to remotely access our unit and try to do it all for us. It took a while to pinpoint the problem, but we finally figured out that the router our cable company gave us is a faulty piece of rubbish. So, we went and bought a new one. Voila! Problem solved!
Once our unit was set up, my husband had lots of fun playing around with it. He zoomed in and out, adjusted the audio, used the night vision settings, and even spooked the kids by talking to them through it. Using the LiveCams Pro app, which is available at the Apple App Store, you can even take photos and video, turn audio on and off, and move the camera, all from your computer, phone, or tablet. Talk about convenience!
The image quality is very, very good. You can see what's happening in real time, and it's not grainy like the surveillance videos you often see on shows like America's Most Wanted, so you'll ALWAYS be 100% sure who is doing what...even without a suspect line-up! The audio is crisp and clear as well.
Here is a shot shown online. Here, Xander is watching TV. You can also hook the camera directly up to a compatible television and let the kids see themselves. This can be entertaining, especially with little ones! Or, hook it up to the TV and easily flip channels to check on the kids after they've gone to bed.
We downloaded the necessary apps to our iPhone and iPod Touch, and we set the camera up in our family room. Here's where the hiccup happened. We couldn't get the camera to connect to our router. My husband tried and tried, with no success.
Remember I said the folks at NextStepBabyMonitors are known for going above and beyond for their customers? Well, we put that to the test. My husband called them for installation support, and was on the phone trouble-shooting for about an hour. The service rep was a true tech-genius, and was even able to remotely access our unit and try to do it all for us. It took a while to pinpoint the problem, but we finally figured out that the router our cable company gave us is a faulty piece of rubbish. So, we went and bought a new one. Voila! Problem solved!
Once our unit was set up, my husband had lots of fun playing around with it. He zoomed in and out, adjusted the audio, used the night vision settings, and even spooked the kids by talking to them through it. Using the LiveCams Pro app, which is available at the Apple App Store, you can even take photos and video, turn audio on and off, and move the camera, all from your computer, phone, or tablet. Talk about convenience!
The image quality is very, very good. You can see what's happening in real time, and it's not grainy like the surveillance videos you often see on shows like America's Most Wanted, so you'll ALWAYS be 100% sure who is doing what...even without a suspect line-up! The audio is crisp and clear as well.
Here is a shot shown online. Here, Xander is watching TV. You can also hook the camera directly up to a compatible television and let the kids see themselves. This can be entertaining, especially with little ones! Or, hook it up to the TV and easily flip channels to check on the kids after they've gone to bed.
The thing I love the most is the fact that wherever there is wifi access, you can check what's going on in your home using the LiveCams Pro app. I have an iPhone 4, and this app installed very quickly and was quite easy to navigate.
Here you'll see my children thinking we can't see them. We had a sitter over, who was apparently in the kitchen at the time getting sippy cups, and my husband and I were on a much needed date. As you can see, my children had pretty much trashed the room, Kyle was laying on the couch, Sophie was asleep on the other end, and Xander was standing on his little table. (Eeeek!) I loved being able to talk through the monitor to tell my little Monkey to get down NOW!
Overall, I have to say, this thing rocks my socks...Seriously. This is by far the most advanced and easy to use monitor I have ever used. It has so many great functions! I feel so much more secure knowing that the NextStepIP Pro is my second pair of eyes and ears and helps keep my kids safe.
If you don't have children, this could easily be used to catch naughty pets in the act, or even for home surveillance. We have actually set it up while we were out to make sure that some kooky relatives weren't showing up on our property while we were away. It worked like a charm, and we had peace of mind knowing that no matter where we were, we knew what was happening on the home front.
And of course, I love the stellar customer service the folks at NextStepBabyMonitors provides. They were there for us every step of the way, and even when they were stumped about our installation troubles, they remained on the line until it was fixed. Not many companies are that dedicated to their customers!
I would definitely recommend the NextStepIP Pro to anyone who has kids, pets, or just wants the added security of a mobile surveillance system. This product is fantastic, and makes the competitors look prehistoric. Let's just say it's the Lamborghini of baby monitors!
If you don't have children, this could easily be used to catch naughty pets in the act, or even for home surveillance. We have actually set it up while we were out to make sure that some kooky relatives weren't showing up on our property while we were away. It worked like a charm, and we had peace of mind knowing that no matter where we were, we knew what was happening on the home front.
And of course, I love the stellar customer service the folks at NextStepBabyMonitors provides. They were there for us every step of the way, and even when they were stumped about our installation troubles, they remained on the line until it was fixed. Not many companies are that dedicated to their customers!
I would definitely recommend the NextStepIP Pro to anyone who has kids, pets, or just wants the added security of a mobile surveillance system. This product is fantastic, and makes the competitors look prehistoric. Let's just say it's the Lamborghini of baby monitors!
How to Connect :
You can check out the awesomeness that is NextStepBabyMonitors on their website.
You can also connect with them on Facebook, on twitter, and on Pinterest to stay on top of their latest products and promotions!
You can also connect with them on Facebook, on twitter, and on Pinterest to stay on top of their latest products and promotions!
Enter to WIN !
I am thrilled to announce that one lucky reader will receive a NextStepIP Pro Baby Monitor of their own! (Color based on availability.) This is a $199.99 value!
How cool is that?!
Simply enter using the easy Rafflecopter form below!
This giveaway is open to US residents 18+ until 11:59PM June 15, 2013. No PO Boxes. Winners will be drawn using Rafflecopter's Random Number Generator. All entries will be verified, so play fair! I will notify winner via e-mail and they will have 48 hours to reply before I am forced to redraw winners. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. This contest is not affiliated with Facebook in any way. Thanks for entering, and Good Luck!
How cool is that?!
Simply enter using the easy Rafflecopter form below!
This giveaway is open to US residents 18+ until 11:59PM June 15, 2013. No PO Boxes. Winners will be drawn using Rafflecopter's Random Number Generator. All entries will be verified, so play fair! I will notify winner via e-mail and they will have 48 hours to reply before I am forced to redraw winners. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. This contest is not affiliated with Facebook in any way. Thanks for entering, and Good Luck!
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