Nest’s future seemed big when it first launched its innovative, WiFi connected thermostat back in 2011 and later on, its smoke detector. They are intelligent products that connect to the internet via WiFi so you can control them with your smartphone easily and from anywhere. However, Nest has had a rough time this past year, and following its founder Tony Fadell leaving the company, many people wonder about the future of the company.
Unlike its first launch, which was an innovative and attractive product, this time around Nest is launching another camera. An outdoor camera, to be precise, because the one they already have is for indoor use only.
The Nest Cam Outdoor
The Nest Cam Outdoor is wired, meaning if you lose power in your home or wherever the camera is connected, the camera turns off too. It shoots 1080p video with a 130-degree view and all the video is stored in the cloud. It also has a two-way microphone for communicating with people nearby. Its night vision is lit by eight infrared LEDs and all the video that it streams is encrypted. The camera is available for pre-order for $199 and will ship this fall.
As I mentioned earlier, Nest’s Outdoor Camera is not the most sophisticated or luxurious surveillance system, however, it alerts you when you need it thanks to its motion-tracking system. Nest’s security cameras look for motion and know how to distinguish between a person and an object. All of these features come with Nest Aware, which costs as little as $10 a month and lets users record 10 days of video history.
In addition to a new camera, Nest also redesigned its existing app which launches at the end of July. With the new app, users will be able share password-protected video privately with other people, so if you need someone to look out for your house when you can’t, Nest’s got you covered.
The Nest Cam Outdoor is definitely not the product launch of the year, but it’s still worth checking out if you want some basic outdoor surveillance without paying top dollar.