Nest Announces a Smart Doorbell, Home Security System and Intelligent Outdoor Camera

It’s been a big few months over at Nest. The company announced its super-intelligent security camera, the Nest Cam IQ, earlier this summer, and then an affordable model of its learning thermostat, the Nest Thermostat E ($169), a few weeks ago. And today it added a series of smart home device with an emphasis on security, marking the company’s definitive expansion beyond thermostats.

Nest also confirmed that it will be integrating Google Assistant into its existing Nest Cam IQ Indoors. The software update will come “later this winter” and will effectively turn the security camera into a Google Home–smart camera hybrid. It won’t be as loud and won’t support music playback, but you’ll be able to ask it questions (“What’s the weather like?”), tell it to cast videos to your Chromecast TV, and control the camera using voice commands.

Nest Cam IQ Outdoor

The Nest Cam IQ Outdoor is a weather-proof version of the Nest Cam IQ (it has an IP66 rating). The camera boasts the same stellar facial recognition technology that can track and zoom in on subjects, an upgrade from the simple facial recognition of the Nest Cam Indoor and Nest Cam Outdoor. Also, the Nest Cam IQ Outdoor purportedly has a 15x louder speaker than its indoor model; when you shout at your kids to come in for dinner, they’ll really hear you. It’s available for preorder today and costs a steep $349, expected to ship in November.

Nest Hello

The Nest Hello is the company’s first video doorbell; it’s also the first doorbell that can both detect strangers and identify familiar people with its facial recognition, using the same tech as the Nest Cam IQ. It has an HDR camera with a 160-degree field of view. If you’re not a Nest Aware subscriber, the Hello can still send you alerts and photos when the doorbell is rung. Nest Aware subscribers can get a constant stream of their front door via the app.

Maybe the most useful feature of the Nest Hello is its programmable responses, a.k.a. “Hello Quick Responses”; users are able to preset messages for the system to respond to visitors ringing the doorbell — e.g., “please leave the package at the door.” The Nest Hello will arrive in early 2018. No price was announced.

Nest Secure

Nest Secure is the company’s first full home security system. It’s a modular system that consists of three components: the Nest Guard, Nest Detect and Nest Tag.

The Nest Guard is a small circular hub with a keypad on top that communicates with Nest Detect, the company’s new magnetic door and window sensors. When somebody opens a door or window that has a sensor on it, an alert will be sent to the phone(s) connected to the account. If the Nest Secure system is armed, which users do via smartphone app or by entering a code on the Guard hub, a loud siren will go off.

And finally, there are Nest Tags ($25/ea). These pocket-sized sensors are keychain or wallet accessories that work via NFC. If you have one on your person, it will temporarily disarm the system so that you don’t have to open the app or type in the passcode on your Nest Guard.

The Guard hub is a powered unit that needs to be plugged into a wall outlet. The Nest Detect units are powered via batteries and communicate with the Guard over Nest’s proprietary mesh network. According to Nest, the entire system is portable and can be installed in 30 minutes or less — if you own a vacation home, you can bring your security with you.

The Nest Secure system can be preordered today in a starter pack for $499, which includes the Guard, two Detects, and two Tags. You are able to purchase individual Nest Detect and Nest Tags units too. Everything ships in November.

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