Ecobee has updated its SmartCamera home security camera with a few new features that make it easier to use as a baby monitor. The new Baby Monitor mode, which is enabled during setup of the camera, adjusts the camera’s settings to dim the LED lights on the front, makes it harder to accidentally enable the camera’s Siren alarm, and, perhaps most importantly, adds an audio-only streaming option that lets you continue to listen for disruptions even if you switch to a different app or lock your phone.
Using a home security camera as a baby monitor is hardly a new idea, but this is the first one to my knowledge that actually makes it easier to do so. While traditional video monitors provide an always-on feed to a dedicated screen, home…