Nest, the home automation company owned by Google’s parent company Alphabet, is most well-known for their line of smart thermostats. They do sell other products, however, such as smoke alarms and home security cameras. Earlier this year, they announced the Nest Cam Outdoor, a smart, internet-connected security camera that is weatherproof and great for use in any environment. Nest gave an expected release date of fall of this year, and now the device is finally available.
The camera doesn’t just record. It also has smart features that keep users updated and help them pinpoint important events that have been recorded. A feature called Sightline highlights key moments and lets you scroll through the timeline quickly, speeding past uneventful footage, to find exactly what you’re looking for with little effort. Because the Nest Cam Outdoor is always recording, this is a necessary feature to help sort through hours of footage without wasting a lot of time. The camera is also able to recognize people, and will provide an alert when it spots a person. It has built-in two-way communication, so you can speak to a visitor at your door even if you are not home. As far as video recording, the camera records in Full HD 24 hours a day with its wide angle lens, and provides a clear picture even at night, thanks to its ability to record using night vision. In order to interact with the camera while away, you’ll need to install the Nest app, which covers all of Nest’s products, and is available in the Google Play Store.
Nest Cam Outdoor sells for $200. However, without purchasing a service plan, it will only store history as far back as three hours. To get the most out of your new camera, you’ll need a subscription to Nest Aware, which includes some of the more advanced features, such as person alerts and activity zones, as well as a longer period of history stored at a time. 10-day video history is priced at $100 per year, while 30-day history will cost you $300. The Nest Cam Outdoor may not be available yet through third-party vendors; it is still listed on Amazon for pre-order only. To get your hands on one today, you’ll have to head over to their website and purchase it from the company directly.