Roger Fingas
Alphabet's Nest on Wednesday revealed an assortment of smarthome accessories, including the Hello doorbell, an outdoor version of the Cam IQ, and a complete security system called the Secure.
The Hello is coming in early 2018, and will stream HD video from a 160-degree camera, with an intercom system like many of its rivals. One selling point, however, will be its ability to detect people and send alerts to mobile devices regardless of whether someone actually presses the button, although this may require a Nest Aware subscription costing at least $10 per month or $100 per year.
Another Hello feature, Warm Welcome, will trigger a light whenever someone approaches the door.
The Cam IQ Outdoor is designed to be both weather- and tamper-proof, but is otherwise identical to its indoor sibling, which shoots in 4K but outputs in 1080p, using the extra resolution for digital zoom. Onboard processing allows it to detect people without Aware, though a subscription is still necessary for alerts about familiar people. The camera will ship in November for $349.
The Secure system revolves around the Guard, which serves as both a hub and a keypad and can either be wall-mounted or rest on a flat surface. Bundled by default are two Detect motion sensors, and two Tag keychains, which can be used to arm or disarm the Guard without a code or the Nest app. A button on the Detect lets people temporarily disable security, for instance if they need to slip out early for a morning workout.
The base Secure package costs $499, and will ship in November. People needing more Tags or Detects will be able to buy them separately, for $25 and $59 respectively — 24/7 monitoring and/or cellular backup will be possible with extra monthly fees.
All of the new devices should be iPhone-compatible, but Nest has not announced support for Apple's HomeKit platform. The company may be interested, and could potentially add support retroactively via a software update or a dedicated hub.
Charles Martin
Malcolm Owen
Andrew O'Hara
William Gallagher
16 Comments
I'm not going to buy anything else from Nest but I would like to see their purchase information to see how much data they will be saving on Google servers.
I'm guessing you open the door normally, your Cam sensor triggers the alarm, then you use a fob to deactivate the alarm system.
This "system" looks extremely low end... no window sensors?
You might be better off with hanging a Louisville Slugger in the window with a sign that says "Warning: In the event of unauthorized access, we aim for the knees with the intent to cripple for life."
As a side benefit, your daughter's boyfriends will be extremely polite.
Without HomeKit's security features, I see little point in purchasing a security camera. If I can't be confident in the security of such a camera, then I am better off without it.
Cool. Google not only can collect data on when you are home and not via the Nest thermostat, but now they can track visitors and neighbors. And Google is delighted to work with the FBI.
Go big brother!
Waiting for Apple to come out with their own version of this with built-in Touch ID or Face ID.