We're a big fan of Netatmo here at IoT Tech, and we've praised their products in the past for being simplistic in their design yet offering useful features beyond their rivals. The latest accessory for their excellent Welcome security camera, the Netatmo Tag, continues the brand's increasing reputation. 

Each Netatmo Tag is a motion sensor – something offered by a variety of smart home device manufacturers – but we know with Netatmo it's better not to look at what they do first, but at what they do unique. 

What's in the box? 

Before we get into what the Netatmo Tag can do, we better talk about what you're getting inside the box for your hard-earned cash. Each pack contains three of the Tags – which are small, white, unassuming, weather-proof, rectangular-shaped devices – along with six AA batteries (two for each), replacement sticky pads, a small metal tool for opening each Tag's battery compartment, and basic manual to get you started. 

Unlike similar products from other manufacturers which require an external magnet to detect whether something has been opened, Netatmo's motion sensors are self-contained which is a much cleaner approach and makes set-up easier as you just place one unit on the point which moves the most of whatever you're wanting to keep track of. 

Setup and features 

You can't use the Netatmo Tag without their Welcome security camera – which acts like a hub for your smart home. If you set-up the Welcome yourself then it's a similar process for setting up the Tags. 

In the Welcome app, you can add Tags in the settings. You'll be prompted to turn your Welcome cam upside down until you see a pulsing blue light on the camera which indicates the unit is now in pairing mode. At this point, you can pop your batteries in your Netatmo Tag and the devices will pair automatically. It's worth noting that during set-up the Welcome cam and Netatmo Tag must be close together as they use Bluetooth for pairing; but after which you can place the Tags up to 80m (260ft) from the camera. 

Once paired, you can place Tags wherever you wish to monitor. The app will ask you where you've placed your Tag to ensure it's able to detect movement optimally and display the correct information within the Welcome app. 

Your placement options are; 

• Door 

• Garage 

• Gate 

• Mailbox 

• Window 

• Furniture 

• Other 

This flexibility in regards to where you can place the Netatmo Tag stands out from competitors who usually restrict users to selecting a door or window. After your Tag is placed where you wish; a simple tap on 'calibrate' for the corresponding Tag in the Welcome app will have it automatically set-up ready to go. 

Notifications and customisation 

Another stand-out feature of the Netatmo Tag – and our favourite – is that it detects vibrations to help prevent intrusions before they occur. As mentioned earlier, competitors often use an external magnet which doesn't send an alert until that connection is disrupted which means an intrusion has occurred. By detecting vibrations which could mean something is being forced, there's a chance to catch a potential intruder before anything has been forced open. 

We had our concerns about the vibration feature before we tried it, and voicing them to Netatmo they assured me I had nothing to worry about. The concern was that heavy wind and rain would set the sensor off, but so far that's not been the case in our tests and we've only received appropriate warnings on giving our door a small push whilst locked. If you are finding yourself having too many false readings, you're able to customise the sensitivity in the app settings for each individual Tag. 

Netatmo always provides deep customisation in each of their products but most work out the box just fine in our experience. In the app, you can also change the sensitivity which relates to open and close detection if you're not getting the correct reading. In the 'Tags' section of the app you can see the current status of each tag, and in the Welcome timeline you can see what's happening around your home on a minute-by-minute basis.

When it comes to notifications, they're both timely and can also be personalised to your individual needs. You can opt to always have notifications, only when nobody is home, or never. There is also the option to receive a notification if something has been left open for a preset amount of time. 

Conclusion 

You'll often hear people say Apple thinks of innovative ways to make things 'just work', but we're increasingly handing that crown to Netatmo. The company even arguably has the same level of incredible design as those over in Cupertino. We continue to be impressed with Netatmo's smart home products, and we're excited for what's next. 

Our full video review of the Netatmo Tags is available below: 

Netatmo Tags can be purchased in packs of three for £89.99 from the company's website. 

What are your thoughts on Netatmo's unique smart home motion sensors? Let us know in the comments. 

Interested in hearing industry leaders discuss subjects like this and sharing their IoT use-cases? Attend the IoT Tech Expo World Series events with upcoming shows in Silicon Valley, London and Amsterdam to learn more.