Samsung’s Galaxy S5 – available now through most major wireless carriers – is an awesome phone in many ways. But did you know that it can also double as a baby monitor? Samsung’s newest flagship phone features a “baby crying detector” that’s capable of setting off a vibrating alarm to let you know to check on your newborn – as long as you also own a Galaxy Gear smartwatch that’s paired with your phone. The detector will work best if it’s about one meter away from the baby with as little background noise as possible. The feature can be found in the accessibility menu of the Galaxy S5, and uses the smartphone’s microphones to listen for a baby’s cry before sending a vibration to your Galaxy Gear. Samsung wants new parents to remember that a smartphone is no replacement for “human caregiving.” But if you’re willing to leave your phone and your newborn in a different room and don’t want to shell out the cash for a dedicated baby monitor, Samsung’s smartphone and smartwatch can do the trick.
About Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with AI strategy, implementation and governance, as well as technology, media and marketing. Named one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices in Technology, he is a bestselling author, covers tech and business for Fox 5’s Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN, and writes the popular daily business blog Think About This. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.