I usually don’t like to post Kickstarters unless I’ve seen the product firsthand but I also love dash cams. What was I to do? Luckily VAVA was able to supply a demo unit so I can report that this $99 dash cam is real, works, and could let you make some clever Russian-style road videos or record conditions before an accident.
Most of the dash cams I’ve seen so far have been priced at or above $100. The VAVA, which is basically a USB-powered puck that attaches magnetically to a suction mount, is $99 and can be twisted on the fly to film the inside of the car as well as the road ahead. The kit includes a small wireless button that lets you take snapshots on the fly and your drive is recorded on a microSD and available for download via Wi-Fi.
Installation was fairly simple. The cable can be run up and around the visors and then down along the door frame so it can be plugged into an included USB adapter or always charging battery pack. To view video in real time you can connect to the VAVA’s built-in wireless access point. The app is still a work in progress but seems to work fine currently. The company aims to ship in June and they’ve already surpassed their goal of $25,000.
The camera can shoot 1080p video with the 2.1 megapixel sensor and can even shoot video in the dark. It has a “crash” mode that tags video taken during an accident and it passively records whenever the car is on. An included battery pack lets it stay for a few minutes after the car is turned off.
The VAVA is quite simple to set up and use. For $99 you probably can’t go wrong with this unit especially if you just want some passive recording on the go or want to keep track of everyone getting in or out of your car. Because it works both forward facing and rear facing you can have a bit of fun with the VAVA, recording a wacky moose attacking your truck in the outback and then grab a video of the family singing Sweet Child O’ Mine. It could happen.
