Shark Tank Startup Guard Llama Mobile Panic Tested

By: Brian Rhodes, Published on May 16, 2017

A Shark Tank TV show appearance has attracted big attention for Guard Llama, a security startup touting a 'panic button' paired with mobile app that claims "911 help, 3X faster."

We bought one and tested it to see if the startup delivers on the concept and claims it touts.

** *** ****** ****** we *****:

  • * ****** ***** ********** showing *** ** *****
  • *********** / ****** ******** time ******
  • *** ******* *** *********
  • **** ******* ** *****
  • *****-***** *** ******
  • ***** ***** **. ******* 911
  • ******* *******

Product ********

***** ******* * ****** '***** button', ***** ********** ** the *** ** *** calls * ******* ********** station **** ** **** dispatches *********** ***** ** the ****. ***** ***** uses *** *** ******** of *** ****'* ***** and ****** ** **** responders, *** *** ***** Llama *** ****** '**** profile' *********** ********* ******* pictures, ******, ******, *** even '*********' *********** ** clue ********** ** ** where ** * **********/******** building ** ***** *** made.

*** **** ******* ***** is ** ******** ** the ***, *** ***, and * ************* ** what ******* **** *** button ** *******:


****** ***********

** ****** ***** ***** over *** ****** ** three **** ** ******* locations, **** ***** *** urban.  ** *** **** runs, *** ****** ****** as *******, **** *** 'Guard ***** ********* *******' responding ** * ****** press ** **** **** 5 *******, *** ********* in * *******. ** turn, ***** ****** **** notified ** ***** *****'* dispatch ********* ** **** than *** ****** - 0:43 *******.  ** ******** this ******* **** **** a ***** ****** ******** operator ****** *** ** our **** ******, *** we ********* ********** ** schedule * ***** ***. 

**** ***** ***** ***** what *** '**** ****' for ******** *** **** an ***** ** ****, and **** ********* ** saying *** ****** ****** but **** **** ** seconds ** *******: 

"***** ***** ********* ** unique *** *** *********** exchange ***** ** ******* providers **** ****** *** market, ** ***'* **** definitive **** **********. *** it's **** ** *** that ** **** *** resources *** ********** ** place ** ******** *** police ** **** **** 60 ******* ** **** scenarios."

** *** *******, **** was * ******** ******. In ********, ***** ***** did *** **** ** drop *** ***** ** our *******, *** **** the *** ****** *** app ****** *** ********.

Essentially ** ***

***** ***** ***** ******* attention ** *** ******, the **** ******** ** the ******** ** ***** in * ********** ***, and *** *** **** functionality ** *** ******* depends ** **. *** user's ***** **** ** carried ****** *** ***** of ***' **** *** the ****** ** ** responsive.

*** *** ****** ** a ******, ****** ****** that ** ****** ** the ****'* ********** *** BLE, ***** *** ***** contains *** *** ****, phone *****, *** **** information *********** ** *** monitoring *******.

** ***** ** ***** Llama's ***********, *** ******** and *********** ** *** service **** ******** *** phone **** ******* *******. Buying ***** ***** ***** is *** ****** *** the *******, *** ********** service ** ******** ** well.

******, *** ** ***** Llama's ******** *** ********** via *** ***, *** the *** ** *** necessarily ******. *******, ***** Llama ****** *** ***** 'benefit' ** *** *** is **** ******-******** *** button ** ****** *** less ******* **** ********* a ***** *** ******** an ***.

Product *** ******* ****

***** ***** ***** *** versions ** ***** ******: App ****, *** *** that ******** *** ******** fob ******.

** ***** ** *******, the ***-**** ******* ***** ~$3/month ** ~$**/ **** per ****, ***** *** fob ******* **** ~$*.**/ month ** ~$***/ ****.

***** ***** **** ****** bulk **** *****, ***** four ***-******** **** ******** are ******* ** * ~$300/year ****, ******** * volume ******** **** ********** plans ** **% ** the ****** ****.

What ******* ** *****For our test, Guard Llama ships a fob and instructions to download a smartphone app for either iPhone or Android devices.  Once we opened the app, we registered our mobile phone number, paired the fob button using BLE, and built a user profile:

*** **** ******* ******** user-specific *********** **** ** shared **** ***** ****** when ** ***** ****** is *******, ********* * photo. ***** **** ******** *******, we **** ******** ********* Contact, ******* ***********, *** 'Orders ** **********' ******* that *** **** ** shared **** ******.

***** ***** ******** *** this *********** *** ** seen *** **** ** their ********** *******:

"******** ********* *** *** all ** *** *********** that * **** ***** out ** ***** *******. We **** ********* ******* the ****'* *** *********** and ******* *** *-*-* center ******* ** ***** location ****** - *** monitoring ****** ****-********* **** information *** *** ******** agents."

False ***** ****** ***

** ****** ***** ******, the ***** ***** *** requires * ****** *** behind * ****** ****** button *****.  *******, ****** five ******* ** ***** sent, *** '***** ***** Emergency *******' ***** *** user ** *** *** a '****** ***'.  ** set ** *** ****** PIN ****** ******* *** configuration *****.

** *** ****, **** prompt ****** *** ****, but * '****** ******' button ** **** ********* in *** *** ** the **** ** ******:

** *** **** **** not '******' *** ****, the ***** ***** ********** center ******** ** ******* local ***********.  

Duress ***

*** ******* *** ***** Llama ******-** ** *** process ** '****** ***', where ** * **** purposely ****** ** ********* code, *** ***/***** ****** acknowledges ** ** *******, but ***** ********** **********.

**** ****** ******* ** trigger *** ***** ** they *** ******* **** a ***** ****** **** threat ******* ** ***** has **** ****.  *** user **** *** **** it **** **** **** have ******** *** *****, only ** ******** *** dispatch *******.

No ***-******* *** *****

* *** ********* ******* with ***** ***** ** the *** **** *** report ** ******** *** battery, *** ** * user ***** *** ** aware *** *** *** no ***** *** ***** otherwise ****** ** ***** work ******** ****** ******* it ** * ******** basis.

*** ******* *** *** has ******* * ***-******* alert ** ************* * big *****, ******* * user *** ******* ** emergency **** **** *** fob, **** ** **** it *** **** ** the ***** ******** ****.  The ****'* ***** *** would ***** ****, *** the ***** ***** ******** to **** ** ***** might **** **** *** be **********, **** ******* a **** *** *** have.

****, *** ******** ******* is *** ***** ***********, and *** *** **** be ********. **** ***** ***** Llama ***** ****, *** company ****:

"*** ****** *** * minimum *-* **** ******* life. ** *** ****** stops ******* ** *** time, ** **** ******* it *********** ** ** cost."

*** ***** ** ** quick/easy *** *** *** lack ** ******* *****. Guard ***** **** ** a ******** ******** ** needed, ******:

"*** **** *********** ****** will **** ******* * feature **** ****** ***** to *** *** ******* status ** ***** *******."

***** ***** **. ******* 911

*** **** ***** ***** Llama's *** ***** ** is ********* ****** ** call ********* ******** **** dialing *-*-*.  ** *** test ******, * **** are ****** ** **** 911 (****, *****, '*********', 9, *, *, ****). It **** ***** * ****** presses '****** ***' ** activate ***** *****.

**** *****, ***** ****** method ******** ***** *********** to **** ** ** operator, ******* ******** **.  Like ***** *****, *-*-* operators ******** ******** **** if ** *********** ** verbally ******. *******, ***** Llama ****** * ****** exchange ** '********' *******, like ******** *** **** descriptions ***** *** *********** prepopulated **** *** ***.  This *** *** ******** seconds *** * ******** call *** ***** ********** officers **** ******* **** descriptions ** ***** ** distress.

*********

*** *** ** ********* for *** *** ******* devices, *** *** *** is ********** **** ******** equipped **** ***.

******* *******

***** *** ******** ***** panic ****** **** ****, but ** ***** ****** ****** in *** ******* ******.  With *** ********* **** of * ** **** appearance ****** **, ***** Llama ****** ** ** an ***** ************** ***** among *********. ***** *** company is ***** *  *******, ******* performance ** ************ ***** and ******* ** *** enough **** **** ****** will ******** ****** *** product ** ********** *** phone ***** **** ******* purchase.

Competitor *********

***** ***** ***** *** buzz *** ** *** TV **** **********, **** are *** *** **** providers ** ***/***** ***** emergency ****** **** *******. Examples ************** *** *******-***********. *************, ***** ***** differs ** ******** ******** alert ********** **** ***** dispatch, ***** ***** '***' based ******** **** **** defined ***** ******* ***** or ******* ***** ******** staff.  **** ***** *****, those ******** **** **** a *** *******, ** are **** **** ** users ***** *****, *** may **** ********* ** setup, *******, *** ***** local **** *******.
 
***** ***** *****'****** ****' ********* **** Life ************* **** ****** *** ~$15/month, *** ** ******** users ** ******** *** speak **** ********* ** provide **** ******* *** location ***********. ***** ***** stores **** *********** ** the *** *** ************* sends ** ** ** dispatchers ******* ******* *** user ** ***** **** an ******** ** **** location *******.

Comments (5)

John Honovich

IPVM | 05/16/17 12:52pm

Rhodes is doing a series of test of startup / new entrants security products. For example, 2 weeks ago he tested Xandem, today's test of Guard Llama, and he is finishing up a test on Aura.

What other newer security companies or startups would like us / Brian to test?

Undisclosed Distributor #1

05/17/17 02:30am

Nice product, but is this for US operation only?

I take it the device can not yet operate outside the United States.

Is their plans to make a global solution? 

 

Avatar

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed Distributor #1 | 05/17/17 02:41am

The product is for US, with 'long term' expansion plans to other areas of the globe but no firm dates.

Undisclosed Manufacturer #2

05/17/17 12:18pm

Do they do their monitoring in house? or is there a central behind this?

 

Avatar

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #2 | 05/17/17 02:25pm

They are subcontracting all the monitoring to one station (they are mum on who it is), but it is proprietary so operators have access to the info in the app.

From an end-user point of view, there are no central station choices, just buying service from Guard Llama.

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