Earlier this morning Nest held its event to announce the Nest Secure smart home security alarm system, along with a couple of other new products (like the Nest Hello Doorbell) as Nest expands into the home security market. Nest Secure is a combination of products that make up the whole kit, and this includes the Nest Guard, which is basically the brains of the whole system and contains the keypad for arming and disarming the alarms, as well as motion sensors and the alarm itself. In addition to the Nest Guard, there’s also the Nest Detect, and the Nest Tags to complete the kit. We were able to get some hands-on time with the new alarm system to check things out further and take a closer look at the new devices.
One of the biggest benefits of the Nest Secure system is that the Nest Guard is both powered by traditional power outlets, and by batteries as a backup solution just in case power goes out. While this type of scenario may not happen often, it can happen, and in this type of scenario the consumers who own a Nest Secure system can be assured that everything will continue working.
The Nest Detect sensors are powered by batteries, and are rated for a battery life of about two years so owners of the alarm system won’t have to worry about replacing the batteries in all of those sensors for quite some time. Naturally you will need to have a Wi-Fi connection for the security system to operate, and you will also need the Nest app installed on your smartphone so you can connect the devices using Bluetooth during the initial setup. Inside the box for the Nest Secure you will get the Nest Guard, the two Nest Detect sensors, and two Nest Tags, along with a 6-foot USB cable, a power adapter and a power adapter securing bracket for the Nest Guard, two open and close magnets for the Nest Detect sensors, two flat mounting brackets, two corner mounting brackets with adhesive strips and mounting screws, and the quick start guide and user guide.
All of the components for the Nest Secure alarm system come in one color – white, and the system comes with a 2-year limited warranty. The Nest Guard is relatively small and can easily fit right in with the rest of your home decor, and for a size comparison you can see an image below of the Nest Tag being tapped to the top of the Nest Guard unit. Nest Tags communicate with the Nest Guard through NFC, and the motion sensor aspect of the Nest Guard sits right in front where you see the Nest logo. There’s also a panic button in the event of a break-in and a speaker at the base for and voice-related functionality when the system speaks to you. Nest already has the system up for pre-order on its own website as well as at Best Buy, and you’ll be able to officially purchase it in November.
