Coolpo AI Huddle Pana smart conference camera hands-on: Good-looking and easy to use video conferencing solution

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic made many people realize that built-in laptop cameras and traditional webcams are often not enough. When it comes to groups that need to interact in virtual meetings, more advanced solutions are needed. After all, virtual meetings are the norm now in many companies where remote work was never used before 2019. However, when a certain degree of control is needed, panoramic video cameras are the best choice, especially when AI-driven software involved can take care of the need for huddling.

Today, we will try to focus on how good is the Coolpo AI Huddle Pana for group meetings, but we will also check out a few less conventional usage scenarios that its users might overlook.

Although I was not impressed by the thickness of the box itself, which is made of rather average cardboard material, the Coolpo AI Huddle Pana is well packaged and protected from damage that might occur due to rough handling. Protective materials aside, the retail box contains the following: a user manual and a warranty card, USB cable, power adapter with a non-detachable cable, and the panoramic video camera.

The weight of the Coolpo AI Huddle Pana makes it quite easy to carry around, although its overall dimensions cannot allow it to fit even in large pockets of any jacket or regular laptop bags. The camera is located on top of the grey body which is covered by a fabric-like material in the lower part where the omnidirectional speaker is placed. There is a single power button and capacitive buttons for volume and microphone controls. At the bottom, there is also a LED light that surrounds the device and shows when the camera is live.

The Coolpo AI Huddle Pana camera looks good and the materials used — although not premium-grade — allow this hardware accessory to fit in most offices. Even better, it won't look out of place in most households, either. The power adapter looks and feels quite cheap, but it is very easy to find replacements for it. For example, many wireless routers use the same connector and their power adapters have the same output (I had one lying around, I tried it, and it worked like a charm).

The Coolpo AI Huddle Pana can be used for more than just business group meetings, home schooling, or virtual family gatherings. Some might not agree with me, but I think that it can be a decent USB speaker/microphone combo. When compared to the speakers built into most monitors, for example, the speaker of this smart camera is much better and I say this without any trace of doubt. The software tool is good and will surely get even better in the future. The inclusion of a silicone lens cover in the package is a great idea.

Sadly, there is no official Linux app or support. While it is possible to connect the Coolpo AI Huddle Pana to a Linux computer and get some features working, I don't have any Linux machines around and I wasn't able to test this part. If you happen to be one of those who did so, feel free to share the experience with the rest of us in the comments section. 

What I would really like to see changed in a future revision of this product is the placement of the power and USB connectors, as well as the fabric material on the speakers that could be replaced with a metallic (or at least plastic) mesh. The inclusion of a protective/carry case for the entire unit and its accessories would be great.  

While the regular price of US$699 might seem high for many potential buyers, the Coolpo AI Huddle Pana smart conference camera is often discounted by at least US$100. Although US$599 is not a good price for someone who wants a basic webcam for a single user and nothing more either, the huddling part makes it an interesting choice for business use and group family meetings. Right now, Coolpo is also offering an additional US$42 discount for those interested. To take advantage of it, just go to this Amazon page and enter the code NE6F9R42 for a final price of US$557.