Shark Tank Startup Guard Llama Mobile Panic Tested

Author: 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.

** *** ****** ****** ** *****:

  • * ****** ***** ********** ******* *** ** *****
  • *********** / ****** ******** **** ******
  • *** ******* *** *********
  • **** ******* ** *****
  • *****-***** *** ******
  • ***** ***** **. ******* ***
  • ******* *******

Product ********

***** ******* * ****** '***** ******', ***** ********** ** *** *** or *** ***** * ******* ********** ******* **** ** **** dispatches *********** ***** ** *** ****. ***** ***** **** *** GPS ******** ** *** ****'* ***** *** ****** ** **** responders, *** *** ***** ***** *** ****** '**** *******' *********** including ******* ********, ******, ******, *** **** '*********' *********** ** clue ********** ** ** ***** ** * **********/******** ******** ** alert *** ****.

*** **** ******* ***** ** ** ******** ** *** ***, the ***, *** * ************* ** **** ******* **** *** button ** *******:


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

** ****** ***** ***** **** *** ****** ** ***** **** in ******* *********, **** ***** *** *****. ** *** **** runs, *** ****** ****** ** *******, **** *** '***** ***** Emergency *******' ********** ** * ****** ***** ** **** **** 5 *******, *** ********* ** * *******. ** ****, ***** police **** ******** ** ***** *****'* ******** ********* ** **** than *** ****** - *:** *******. ** ******** **** ******* time **** * ***** ****** ******** ******** ****** *** ** our **** ******, *** ** ********* ********** ** ******** * trial ***.

**** ***** ***** ***** **** *** '**** ****' *** ******** was **** ** ***** ** ****, *** **** ********* ** saying *** ****** ****** *** **** **** ** ******* ** typical:

"***** ***** ********* ** ****** *** *** *********** ******** ***** of ******* ********* **** ****** *** ******, ** ***'* **** definitive **** **********. *** **'* **** ** *** **** ** have *** ********* *** ********** ** ***** ** ******** *** police ** **** **** ** ******* ** **** *********."

** *** *******, **** *** * ******** ******. ** ********, Guard ***** *** *** **** ** **** *** ***** ** our *******, *** **** *** *** ****** *** *** ****** was ********.

Essentially ** ***

***** ***** ***** ******* ********* ** *** ******, *** **** majority ** *** ******** ** ***** ** * ********** ***, and *** *** **** ************* ** *** ******* ******* ** it. *** ****'* ***** **** ** ******* ****** *** ***** of ***' **** *** *** ****** ** ** **********.

*** *** ****** ** * ******, ****** ****** **** ** joined ** *** ****'* ********** *** ***, ***** *** ***** contains *** *** ****, ***** *****, *** **** *********** *********** to *** ********** *******.

** ***** ** ***** *****'* ***********, *** ******** *** *********** of *** ******* **** ******** *** ***** **** ******* *******. Buying ***** ***** ***** ** *** ****** *** *** *******, and ********** ******* ** ******** ** ****.

******, *** ** ***** *****'* ******** *** ********** *** *** app, *** *** *** ** *** *********** ******. *******, ***** Llama ****** *** ***** '*******' ** *** *** ** **** double-pressing *** ****** ** ****** *** **** ******* **** ********* a ***** *** ******** ** ***.

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

***** ***** ***** *** ******** ** ***** ******: *** ****, and *** **** ******** *** ******** *** ******.

** ***** ** *******, *** ***-**** ******* ***** ~$*/***** ** ~$30/ **** *** ****, ***** *** *** ******* **** ~$*.**/ month ** ~$***/ ****.

***** ***** **** ****** **** **** *****, ***** **** ***-******** user ******** *** ******* ** * ~$***/**** ****, ******** * volume ******** **** ********** ***** ** **% ** *** ****** user.

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:

*** **** ******* ******** ****-******** *********** **** ** ****** **** local ****** **** ** ***** ****** ** *******, ********* * photo.***** **** ******** *******, ** **** ******** ********* *******, ******* Information, *** '****** ** **********' ******* **** *** **** ** shared **** ******.

***** ***** ******** *** **** *********** *** ** **** *** used ** ***** ********** *******:

"******** ********* *** *** *** ** *** *********** **** * user ***** *** ** ***** *******. ** **** ********* ******* the ****'* *** *********** *** ******* *** *-*-* ****** ******* to ***** ******** ****** - *** ********** ****** ****-********* **** information *** *** ******** ******."

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

** ****** ***** ******, *** ***** ***** *** ******** * double *** ****** * ****** ****** ****** *****. *******, ****** five ******* ** ***** ****, *** '***** ***** ********* *******' calls *** **** ** *** *** * '****** ***'. ** set ** *** ****** *** ****** ******* *** ************* *****.

** *** ****, **** ****** ****** *** ****, *** * 'backup ******' ****** ** **** ********* ** *** *** ** the **** ** ******:

** *** **** **** *** '******' *** ****, *** ***** Llama ********** ****** ******** ** ******* ***** ***********.

Duress ***

*** ******* *** ***** ***** ******-** ** *** ******* ** 'duress ***', ***** ** * **** ********* ****** ** ********* code, *** ***/***** ****** ************ ** ** *******, *** ***** dispatches **********.

**** ****** ******* ** ******* *** ***** ** **** *** dealing **** * ***** ****** **** ****** ******* ** ***** has **** ****. *** **** **** *** **** ** **** like **** **** ******** *** *****, **** ** ******** *** dispatch *******.

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

* *** ********* ******* **** ***** ***** ** *** *** does *** ****** ** ******** *** *******, *** ** * user ***** *** ** ***** *** *** *** ** ***** and ***** ********* ****** ** ***** **** ******** ****** ******* it ** * ******** *****.

*** ******* *** *** *** ******* * ***-******* ***** ** fundamentally * *** *****, ******* * **** *** ******* ** emergency **** **** *** ***, **** ** **** ** *** work ** *** ***** ******** ****. *** ****'* ***** *** would ***** ****, *** *** ***** ***** ******** ** **** an ***** ***** **** **** *** ** **********, **** ******* a **** *** *** ****.

****, *** ******** ******* ** *** ***** ***********, *** *** fob **** ** ********. **** ***** ***** ***** ***** ****, the ******* ****:

"*** ****** *** * ******* *-* **** ******* ****. ** the ****** ***** ******* ** *** ****, ** **** ******* it *********** ** ** ****."

*** ***** ** ** *****/**** *** *** *** **** ** battery *****. ***** ***** **** ** * ******** ******** ** needed, ******:

"*** **** *********** ****** **** **** ******* * ******* **** allows ***** ** *** *** ******* ****** ** ***** *******."

***** ***** **. ******* ***

*** **** ***** ***** *****'* *** ***** ** ** ********* faster ** **** ********* ******** **** ******* *-*-*. ** *** test ******, * **** *** ****** ** **** *** (****, Swipe, '*********', *, *, *, ****). ** **** ***** * button ******* '****** ***' ** ******** ***** *****.

**** *****, ***** ****** ****** ******** ***** *********** ** **** to ** ********, ******* ******** **. **** ***** *****, *-*-* operators ******** ******** **** ** ** *********** ** ******** ******. However, ***** ***** ****** * ****** ******** ** '********' *******, like ******** *** **** ************ ***** *** *********** ************ **** the ***. **** *** *** ******** ******* *** * ******** call *** ***** ********** ******** **** ******* **** ************ ** users ** ********.

*********

*** *** ** ********* *** *** *** ******* *******, *** the *** ** ********** **** ******** ******** **** ***.

Company *******

***** *** ******** ***** ***** ****** **** ****, *** ** clear ****** ****** ** *** ******* ******. **** *** ********* buzz ** * ** **** ********** ****** **, ***** ***** stands ** ** ** ***** ************** ***** ***** *********. ***** the ******* ** ***** * *******, ******* *********** ** ************ solid *** ******* ** *** ****** **** **** ****** **** consider ****** *** ******* ** ********** *** ***** ***** **** already ********.

Competitor *********

***** ***** ***** *** **** *** ** *** ** **** appearance, **** *** *** *** **** ********* ** ***/***** ***** emergency ****** **** *******. ******** ***************** *******-***********. *************, ***** ***** ******* ** ******** ******** ***** ********** with ***** ********, ***** ***** '***' ***** ******** **** **** defined ***** ******* ***** ** ******* ***** ******** *****. **** Guard *****, ***** ******** **** **** * *** *******, ** are **** **** ** ***** ***** *****, *** *** **** thousands ** *****, *******, *** ***** ***** **** *******.
***** ***** *****'****** ****' ********* **** **** ************* **** ****** *** ~$**/*****, *** ** ******** ***** ** interact *** ***** **** ********* ** ******* **** ******* *** location ***********. ***** ***** ****** **** *********** ** *** *** and ************* ***** ** ** ** *********** ******* ******* *** user ** ***** **** ** ******** ** **** ******** *******.

Comments (5)

John Honovich

IPVM | 05/16/17 09:52pm

****** ** ***** * ****** ** **** ** ******* / new ******** ******** ********. *** *******, * ***** *** ******** ******, *****'* **** ** ***** *****, *** ** ** ********* up * **** ******.

**** ***** ***** ******** ********* ** ******** ***** **** ** / ***** ** ****?

Undisclosed Distributor #1

05/17/17 11:30am

**** *******, *** ** **** *** ** ********* ****?

* **** ** *** ****** *** *** *** ******* ******* the ****** ******.

** ***** ***** ** **** * ****** ********?

Thumbnail pp 5

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed Distributor #1 | 05/16/17 07:41pm

*** ******* ** *** **, **** '**** ****' ********* ***** to ***** ***** ** *** ***** *** ** **** *****.

Undisclosed Manufacturer #2

05/17/17 12:18pm

** **** ** ***** ********** ** *****? ** ** ***** a ******* ****** ****?

Thumbnail pp 5

Brian Rhodes

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

**** *** ************** *** *** ********** ** *** ******* (**** are *** ** *** ** **), *** ** ** *********** so ********* **** ****** ** *** **** ** *** ***.

**** ** ***-**** ***** ** ****, ***** *** ** ******* station *******, **** ****** ******* **** ***** *****.

Login to read this IPVM report.
Why do I need to log in?
IPVM conducts unique testing and research funded by member's payments enabling us to offer the most independent, accurate and in-depth information.

Related Reports

IBM / Genetec Surveillance System Investigated Over Philippines Human Rights Abuses on Mar 22, 2019
A lengthy investigation into an IBM video surveillance project in the Philippines, raising concerns IBM helped local police conduct a bloody...
Large Hospital Security End User Interview on Mar 21, 2019
This large single-state healthcare system consists of many hospitals, and hundreds of health parks, private practices, urgent care facilities, and...
Silicon Valley Cybersecurity Insurance Startup Coalition Profile on Mar 20, 2019
Many industry people believe cybersecurity insurance is not worth it, as the voting and debate in our Cybersecurity Insurance For Security...
Top Metrics For Ensuring Integrator Profitability - Statistics on Mar 20, 2019
How do integrators ensure the profitability of their projects? As part of our profitability study, 100+ integrators answered the following...
Genetec Security Center 5.8 Tested on Mar 19, 2019
Genetec has released Version 5.8. This comes after a wait of more than a year that caused frustrations for many Genetec partners. Our previous...
Large US University End-User Video Surveillance Interview on Mar 18, 2019
Schools have become targets in modern days of active shooters and terrorist fears. The need for video and access security is high. Universities...
ONVIF Favorability Results 2019 on Mar 15, 2019
In the past decade, ONVIF has grown from a reaction to the outside Cisco-lead PSIA challenge, to being the de facto video surveillance standard...
City Physical Security Manager Interview on Mar 14, 2019
This physical security pro is the Physical Security Manager for the City of Calgary. He is a criminologist by training with an ASIS CPP credential....
OpenALPR Acquired By Mysterious Novume on Mar 13, 2019
Startup OpenALPR has been acquired by Novume, a company virtually unknown in the industry. While there are many LPR providers (see our directory),...
BCDVideo Expansion And Switch From HP To Dell Examined on Mar 11, 2019
BCDVideo says they have more than tripled revenue in the past 5 years and are continuing to grow, powered most recently by switching their lead...

Most Recent Industry Reports

UTC Interlogix Series 6 Tested on Mar 25, 2019
UTC Interlogix has long been deceptively OEMing Hikvision as our 2017 results show. Now, Interlogix is back with their newest IP camera series,...
Outdoor Camera Installation Guide on Mar 25, 2019
Outdoor camera installation can be fraught with problems. Creating a sturdy and weather tight mount is key for camera performance and longevity,...
Favorite Video Storage / Server Manufacturers 2019 on Mar 25, 2019
189 integrators answered this question: "What is your favorite storage device / server manufacturer for recording video? Why?" In general...
IBM / Genetec Surveillance System Investigated Over Philippines Human Rights Abuses on Mar 22, 2019
A lengthy investigation into an IBM video surveillance project in the Philippines, raising concerns IBM helped local police conduct a bloody...
Eagle Eye Favorability Results 2019 on Mar 21, 2019
Eagle Eye has been the biggest spender in the cloud VMS market including (via their owner) acquiring Brivo for $50 million and CameraManager from...
Large Hospital Security End User Interview on Mar 21, 2019
This large single-state healthcare system consists of many hospitals, and hundreds of health parks, private practices, urgent care facilities, and...
Silicon Valley Cybersecurity Insurance Startup Coalition Profile on Mar 20, 2019
Many industry people believe cybersecurity insurance is not worth it, as the voting and debate in our Cybersecurity Insurance For Security...
Covert IP Camera Shootout - Axis, Hanwha, Hikvision, March, Vivotek on Mar 20, 2019
Covert cameras were one of the last holdout areas for analog cameras. However, in the past few years, IP / HD covert cameras have become...
Top Metrics For Ensuring Integrator Profitability - Statistics on Mar 20, 2019
How do integrators ensure the profitability of their projects? As part of our profitability study, 100+ integrators answered the following...
Avigilon Launches 'Renewed Products Program' on Mar 19, 2019
There are lots of 'pre-owned' cars but pre-owned IP cameras? While such programs are common in other industries, in video surveillance, they are...

The world's leading video surveillance information source, IPVM provides the best reporting, testing and training for 10,000+ members globally. Dedicated to independent and objective information, we uniquely refuse any and all advertisements, sponsorship and consulting from manufacturers.

About | FAQ | Contact