Arlo's wireless doorbell can do direct-to-mobile video calls
The Essential Video Doorbell captures head-to-toe video with night vision and HDR.
To better compete with rivals like Ring, Arlo has launched the Essential Video Doorbell, a wireless version of last year’s Video Doorbell. As before, the most notable feature is square aspect ratio video capture, giving you a head-to-toe view of visitors or a good look at any packages left at your door.
On top of the 180-degree video, you get night vision and HDR modes that show extra detail both in bright and dim lighting conditions. If you want to monitor specific regions like your driveway or porch, you can set up detection zones and receive alerts if something changes. And it can automatically contact you via direct-to-mobile video calls so you can remotely see who’s ringing.
Other features include two-way noise-cancelling audio so you can hear and communicate with visitors, pre-recorded messages you can play to guests, Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility and a built-in smart siren. On top of wireless battery-powered functionality, you can also wire it directly as with the original Video Doorbell.
It comes with a three-month trial to Arlo’s Smart subscription service, offering motion detection that can tell the difference between a “person, package, vehicle or animal,” according to Arlo. Users also receive 30-day rolling HD video recording, access to emergency services and more. The Arlo Essential Video Doorbell costs $200 and is set to arrive later this year.
