Arlo Baby and Dedicate Touch Screen Monitor

[dsmythe]

My wife and I have an Arlo Pro system and are interested in the Arlo Baby. We also really like the dedicated touch screen so we could separate the Arlo Baby from our other Arlo's a little and because the live stream on the app times out after awhile and it would mean we don't have to dedicate our tablets or phones to streaming the baby's cam. We have a 9 week old, so we hope to get the Arlo Baby sooner versus later and noticed the version with the dedicated touchscreen monitor isn't on preorder and is said to arrive sometime in the summer. 

Questions: Is the current pre-order Arlo Baby model without the dedicated touchscreen able to function with the touchscreen monitor later? Will the monitor be sold separately as well so that we could pre-order an Arlo Baby now and then buy the touch screen monitor separately to go with it when it comes out or if we simply wanted a second dedicated monitor later?

[Thomaswgoodwin]

Un-freaking-believable!!

How about you all buy all of my Arlo cameras back if you can not get a direct connection mode established? Or how about you all provide a coupon for a competitors product that will provide a direct conection without WiFi? This ability has been promised, and is needed by my family when we travel to places without WiFi such as my in law's home. Most of us already have an iPad or other such devices. Being provided a small coupon for something that is a redundancy of a WiFi required connection is not an acceptable solution.

[F2W12]

No.

Just no.

I don't need another tablet. I don't want another tablet.

What I want is what was promised - a dedicated monitor that connects to the Arlo Baby that circumvents having to connect through wi-fi.  Wi-fi is imperfect and susceptible to any weak link in the process - Arlo hardware, phone/tablet hardware, ISP speed and reliability. What this tablet was to do is make the Arlo Baby reliable. And now you're telling me is that I have to rely on a safety device that cannot ensure that reliability.

I want a full refund of your product. Please contact me to set that up immediately.

[Brett37]

I do not accept a $30 coupon.  If that is the only solution, it should be for the full cost of the tablet.  I bought this with the promise of a direct connect monitor.  I do not want it on wifi.  

I want a full refund for the camera.  Please let me know how to do this.

Thanks.

[dsmythe]

Netgear, bummer. Thanks for the heads up. Sorry it didn't work out. I know we all (you and us) which is had. My Arlo Baby works so well over wifi and my iOS device, my wife and I weren't sure we needed the dedicated tablet after all. The Arlo Baby been thoroughly wonderful for us. I appreciate the offer of the coupon. 

[pobo123]

This is absolutely NOT an acceptable solution with the premise that this camera system was sold with a dedicated tablet coming.  I have already bought a tablet, i don't want another one.  I strongly suggest you offer full refunds to those that desire it.  Please post your reply to this immediately.

[Brett37]

I am in!

[rwinter]

I didn't actually buy this camera, but as a result of this announcement I can no longer sleep at night, I have lost my job, my wife left me, my dog died, I am now homeless and it has triggered the rapture which will result in my soul burning in hell for all eternity.

I demand compensation for my ongoing pain and suffering. Please contact my ASAP to organise this.

Regards

[Pmrodriguez]

Not very satisfied at the moment. Considering I am burning out my iPad Pro with constant monitoring and connection is lost at least twice a week through WiFi. I am really regretting this purchase. I have been waiting for at least a year if not more to be told sorry it’s not going to happen?

[tunguyen]

Hi @F2W12,

The Arlo display was design to use WiFi to communicate directly with the Arlo Baby camera (through WiFi Direct), so the limitations you stated in your post would still apply. As we worked on this WiFi Direct route, we found that these limitations could not be completely mitigated and the user experience, at the end of the day, would not be where we want to deliver to you. 

Unfortunately, we are not able to offer a full for the camera, but we hope that the alternative display solution will help.

Best,

Tu

[Pmrodriguez]

I’m sorry but your customer service is horrible. I wasn’t looking for a full refund. Nor do I have connectivity issues with anything else in my home other than the arlo. So it is not an issue with my WiFi. If this is your response to an expectation the consumers had to your products I don’t think I want to be associated with this brand any longer. I’ll just take it as a loss and move on to a brand more reliable and sensitive to their customers issues.

[Thomaswgoodwin]

Over an hour on the phone. Took me over 54 minutes to even speak with a manager. For the rest of that time, we discussed how this solution is not universal, and how a discount on a product that many people do not want, as well as does not fix the issue with direct connectivity. I was repeatedly told, "Netgear does not do refunds." I was also told that this "Level 2" was the top tier for issues such as this. There is a "Level 3" but that only applies to technichal issues with products. I let him know that I was very likely to buy Nest cameras before the Arlo Baby was released. I know how 3 Arlo Pro 2, one Arlo Q, and one Arlo Baby, that are unresturnable to the retailer. The only acceptable fix here would be the following:

1.  Refund the cameras

2.  Offer a replacement that has direct connectivity.

3.  Offer a compensation that is not limited to a specific device that solves no issues.

The supervisor said he would relay the information. God only knows how long untill I hear something back. I know there is about a zero chance that Netgear refunds me for all of my cameras. The more likely, unfortunate solution, would be to offer compensation that is not restricted to some tablet that I have no need for. I have a need for a high quality direct connect baby monitor. I suggest that all of the frustrated people voice their dissatisfaction. This is false advertisement, and it has rendered many of us with entire systems that now no longer work as advertised. All the while, they have been developing new devices that integrate with Apple Home Kit.

[BigJim378]

As a long time Netgear reseller and user, this is very disappointing. I have no need for another tablet as my family already own 3 of them, so your solution of a $30 coupon is not a fair solution.  The stand alone tablet was the deciding factor for me when making my purchase.  I would also like to see a gift card to be used on Amazon instead of a coupon.  I also will not be recommend your products anymore, and will no longer be purchasing any Netgear items.  I feel as if this whole tablet/Arlo Baby has been mismanaged from day one. 

[BigJim378]

I am happy to see that you are monitoring these replies and editing them to your liking....yet another reason I will not be recommending any Netgear products to any of my customers any more.

[pobo123]

Netgear Moderator,

you can continue to modify my posts, removing the reference that if a full refund is not offered to me as a customer, i am prepared to file a class action suite for the class affected on the basis of false advertising, misleading claims, and fraud.  I will continue to post this to this forum (and to others that you can't delete).  As i mentioned, you have 10 days to provide a formal response from 3-14-2018.  This is a bad look for you, and modifying posts that your users are making is even worse.  You are just digging yourself a bigger hole.  Remember your own forum design, each time a post is put here, it emails EVERYONE that post.  Good luck keeping up with your pissed off customers respsonses.

[F2W12]

@tunguyen

What?

The Arlo Baby Display is designed for an uninterrupted baby monitoring experience, so you can use your smartphone for other tasks. With this large 7" touchscreen display, the Arlo Baby camera can also be used offline, without the need for an internet connection, just like a traditional baby monitor. Take the Arlo Baby camera and display anywhere you want and still enjoy many of the available smart features even when a WiFi connection is not available.

... and from a post here on the forums by JamesC and ChristineT

In its Direct Connect mode, the display will allow for live streaming of video from the Arlo Baby camera without the need for an Internet connection. Cloud features such as remote live streaming and Library access will not be available from the tablet in Direct Connect mode. The display can also connect to the cloud via WiFi, just like a regular smart tablet. When connected to WiFi, the tablet will have all the cloud features as you would expect from the Arlo mobile app, and allow you to access all devices on your Arlo account.

Again, I demand a full refund. Or at least a refund of the proposed cost of the new defunct tablet. 

[Thomaswgoodwin]

@tunguyenThis is categorically flase. As @F2W12 has already posted, the adverstisements clearly stated that an internet connection would not be needed. Wether that was some word play to say no internet connection was needed while WiFi would have been, or a complete oversight by yourself, no internet connection was promised to be a capability of the device.

[Pmrodriguez]

Thank you for posting this. To be told it wouldn’t have helped my connectivity issues was a slap in the face.

[Thomaswgoodwin]

Just a reminder of that since they seemed to have forgot a very obvious problem. You can not silence the thoughts of a class action suit by editing your members posts, such as you did @BigJim378. The deleted portion is highlighted.

[tunguyen]

Hi @Thomaswgoodwin, @F2W12,

Our design for the display aimed to create the direct connection between the display and camera using WiFi Direct, and would not require an internet connection. WiFi Direct connection is subject to interference from the surrounding environment, and although we applied mechanisms to overcome some of the limitations, others remained. 

Best,

Tu

[Thomaswgoodwin]

Which means I could have taken a spare netgear router to my in-laws rural home and set up a private network without internet, correct? @tunguyen

[Brett37]

You cannot just edit a post you do not like.  As @pobo123 said, we all get emails with the original post.  I am including the post you deleted about the class action below.  I am joining in if/when it happens unless you refund all of us our original purchase price of the Arlo Baby.  You mislead us for almost a year with false advertising.  I even had to buy a different baby monitor with dedicated display since my Arlo Baby always disconnected and I could not trust it anymore.

"Hi Brett37,

pobo123 (Tutor) posted a new reply in Arlo Baby on 2018-03-14 01:36 PM :

This is absolutely NOT an acceptable solution with the premise that this camera system was sold with a dedicated tablet coming.  I have already bought a tablet, i don't want another one.  I strongly suggest you offer full refunds to those that desire it.  If Netgear chooses not to go down this path, I am prepared to file a class action lawsuit against Netgear for false advertising, misleading claims, and fraud.  Please post your reply to this immediately.  If no reply is received within 10 working days from 3-14-2018, i will proceed with legal action on behalf of the class that has been affected.   "

[mwittkopp89]

WIFI direct would have been similar to how Panasonic Camcorders or GoPros transmit their images to cell phones, am i correct? 

So I assume that this WIFI direct capability still exists in our cameras and is just disabled.  Why not enabled it for people to stream directly to cell phone, tablet or other wifi device and they would just have to deal with the limitations.  AKA, If I know that when I connect to my ARLO baby via WIFI direct and I am limited to 30 feet (or w/e the limit) I think that is a better option then not allowing it at all.  This would not require a internet connect.  If its the same as the GoPro or panasonic video camera, they do not require a wifi data connection to work.  

Just a thought. 

[tunguyen]

Hi @mwittkopp89,

Yes, what you described is similar to what would have been put in place for Arlo Baby and the display monitor. As you probably already know, when you connect your smart phone to a WiFi Direct network, you lose your internet connection. Your phone at this point only connects to the master device (the camera in this case). This solution is ok if you only need temporary connection with a device to transfer files for example, but not feasible as a solution for video monitoring. This was why we needed a dedicated device to make the solution possible.

Best,

Tu

[F2W12]

@tunguyen

Please tell me how a dedicated monitor would suffer the same limitations that I explicitly outlined.

Phone/tablet hardware/software issues should be minimal because it would be with a Arlo tablet with Netgear support, without the proprietary UI and hardware from Apple and other manufacturers you would have had to navigate and ensure compatibility. Plus, I would hope the dedicated monitor would have been less complex, both hardware and software-wise than say, an iPad.

Also, ISP issues would be nil since WI-FI P2P, which is what WI-FI direct is, is essentially a WI-FI connection directly between devices. It cuts out the ISP and any router or other external hardware completely.

What I find so hilarious is you said that based on the limitations, you couldn’t provide a suitable tablet experience. Why didn’t you explore that before promising it to consumers, and marketing the Arlo Baby with this feature that was an absolute selling point to most of us? And it’s equally hilarious that you actually believe that by not delivering on your promise and trying to offer a measly coupon to the consumers that all probably already own tablets (Who on here doesn’t already own a tablet? Seriously?) and doesn’t actually solve any problem is somehow compensation for dealing with all of the technical missteps you’ve made, and is somehow an actual “solution” for this huge tablet cluster. Look at this thread! This is more traffic than your boards have received probably ever. We’re NOT satisfied with this “solution.”

Again, I demand a refund.

PS, I have a number of conversations and transcripts (chats, calls, etc.) saved that contain numerous promises related to the release of this tablet. I’m sure they will help to establish the narrative in the inevitable action that’s to follow..

[Thomaswgoodwin]

How ironic.... My AT&T internet is down tonight and I can now not monitor my three week old because my camera will not connect and there is no direct connect method. FANTASTIC!! Bring on that class action lawsuit. The class will be huge!!