Travel Gear: Dropcam Wi-Fi camera keeps watch while you’re away

Even if you have a home alarm system, it can be comforting to actually see what’s happening inside or outside your home, whether you fret about thieves or pets. Here’s a Wi-Fi security camera that lets you do just that: Dropcam Echo.

The Echo monitors audio and video, with a horizontal field of view of 47 degrees. You can watch a live video feed on Dropcam’s website on your computer or use the company’s free iPhone or Android app.

The camera comes with a free basic subscription for a live feed, but to record and watch events later, you’ll need a monthly subscription. Prices for that service start at $8.95.

Cost: $279 for the Dropcam Echo, with audio and video feeds. (For $199, you can get the Dropcam Original, which records video only.)

Tested: I was skeptical about whether I’d use the iPhone app to check up on my cats. But my cat sitter doesn’t housesit, so it was comforting to watch David and Greta sleep, bathe and play while I was away.

The camera requires an electrical outlet, but it is easy to set up or move. My living room was too large to zero in on two cats, so I relocated the Dropcam Echo to my bedroom and focused it on the bed where they frequently nap.

On my recent trip to Alaska, I tried out the $8.95 per-month-service, which lets you store videos for seven days. When my cat sitter turned out the light and I couldn’t see my kitties at night, it was comforting to scroll through events that Dropcam had recorded during the day, and I was able to later save my favorite videos to my computer.

Info: Dropcam