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Nest will give away smart thermostats to low-income families
This Earth Day, Nest Labs, Inc. will launch a new initiative called The Power Project that will help get Nest E thermostats in the hands of lower-income Americans. It's a way to ensure that socioeconomic status isn't a bar to accessing the energy savings that Nest's smart thermostats can provide.
Nest’s outdoor facial recognition camera is available in Europe
Nest released the weather-ready version of its facial recognition-equipped camera, the Cam IQ outdoor, last fall in the US. The device would theoretically notify you only if it recorded someone it hadn't seen before, so your kids playing in the yard wouldn't trip the alarm. Now, half a year later, the camera is headed to Europe.
Command Nest's security system with Google Assistant
You'd think Nest's Secure alarm system would have worked with Google Assistant out of the box, but no -- you've had to arm it the old-fashioned way. Now, however, it's decidedly more convenient. Nest has quietly introduced Google Assistant support that allows voice control over Secure from a supporting device. You can arm the system whether you're home or away, check its status, or cancel it within seconds of making a mistake.
The best smart smoke alarm
By Jennifer Pattison Tuohy This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, it may earn affiliate commissions that support its work. Read the full article here. It's hard to overstate the importance of having functioning, reliable smoke detectors in your home. From 2007 through 2011, almost a quarter of all home fire-related deaths in the US occurred in homes with nonworking smoke alarms. Although any functioning smoke alarm will alert you to problems if you're at home, a smart alarm can alert you anywhere your smartphone has an Internet connection. For our tests, a former firefighter installed smart smoke alarms in her own home—both hardwired versions and battery-powered models—to find the best one for keeping you informed about your home's status, whether you're there or away. After mounting them to ceilings and walls, blowing smoke at them, fiddling with their batteries and accompanying apps, and generally pushing their buttons, we found that the second-generation Nest Protect smoke and carbon monoxide alarm is the best smart smoke alarm.
Google sponsorship will cut ad time on Stephen Colbert's 'Late Show'
Google is determined to drum up attention for Nest's Hello video doorbell, and it's going about it in an unusual way: by taking over a commercial break. When The Late Show with Stephen Colbert airs on March 27th (that's tonight if you're reading in time), CBS will replace one of the usual ad breaks with a "More Show presented by Google's Nest Hello video doorbell." It's the first takeover in the show's history, CBS said.
Nest's $229 video doorbell is a useful addition to its ecosystem
Last September, Nest introduced several products to its connected home lineup: the Nest Secure home security system, the Nest Cam IQ Outdoor and the Nest Hello video doorbell. While both the Secure and the IQ outdoor cam have been out for a few months, the Hello had not come to market yet. That is, until now. Both the Hello and the previously-announced Nest x Yale Lock are now officially available for $229 and $249 respectively. Oh, and Nest is introducing something today as well: the Nest Temperature Sensor.
Google tiff brings an end to Amazon selling Nest products
Amazon and Google probably won't kiss and make up anytime soon. According to Business Insider, Amazon's retail team told Nest on a call that the e-commerce website won't be listing the Google-owned company's newer products. Those include Nest's new thermostats and its Secure home security system launched late last year. While the team didn't say who exactly issued the order, it reportedly told Nest's employees that the decision "came from the top." Whether that means Amazon chief Jeff Bezos was behind the move is unclear -- either way, Nest is apparently responding in kind by leaving the website altogether.
Amazon acquires Ring's smart doorbell business
If it wasn't already evident that Amazon wants a stronger foothold in the smart home space, it is now. Amazon has acquired Ring, the device maker best known for its smart doorbells. The terms of the deal aren't clear, but it's expected that Amazon will keep the core Ring business intact while finding ways to integrate its work into the Amazon ecosystem. Ring already supports Alexa voice control, so we'd expect more than just obvious tie-ins.
Nest adds Google Assistant to the indoor Cam IQ
The Nest Cam IQ is the smartest camera in the company's security-oriented lineup, and now it's even smarter. Today, Nest announced that the Cam IQ natively supports Google Assistant, thanks to an over-the-air update. It's important to note, though, that this is only for the indoor version of the Cam IQ.
Google and Nest’s hardware teams are joining forces
Google acquired home automation company Nest back in 2014 for $3.2 billion. Now Google is integrating the smaller company even more by merging the Nest and Google Hardware teams into one working group. As noted by CNET, Google's AI, which powers its Home smart speakers, can now be more easily integrated with Nest hardware.
Yale's Nest-controlled smart lock arrives in early 2018
Yale, the lock company that recently purchased August, recently joined forces with Nest on a new smart lock, and we now know more about the product and when it will arrive. The Nest x Yale lock gives you a key-free, touchscreen deadbolt with a lot of options for remote unlocking and granting access to family or guests. For one, you can unlock it by entering a passcode (it holds up to 250), which can be limited to specific times of day for cleaners or others who need limited access.
Don’t pirate or we’ll mess with your Nest, warns East Coast ISP
Internet slowdowns at home aren't just annoying anymore. They can be hazardous to your health or dangerous if you're in an area that freezes. Internet service provider Armstrong Zoom has roughly a million subscribers in the Northeastern part of the U.S. and is keen to punish those it believes are using file-sharing services.
A quick chat with Alexa can start charging your EV
If you drive an electric car and would rather not venture into the garage (or wade through a phone app) to start charging, you can now rest easy. ChargePoint has introduced Alexa support to its Home system, giving you voice control over your EV charging. You can start charging, stop charging or find out whether you're plugged in just by talking to a device like an Echo speaker. If you have Nest hardware, you can link charging to multiple parts of your home. And if you top up at ChargePoint stations away from home, you can check your balance or see how much you've spent on electricity so far.
T-Mobile can keep Nest Secure online if your WiFi fails
In September, Nest released its Secure alarm system, complete with motion and door sensors and an app that lets you manage the system from anywhere. But arming the alarm through your phone or receiving alerts that motion has been detected in your home requires the Nest system to be actively connected to WiFi. If your internet service goes down or your home network stops working, however, you won't get those alerts or be able to access your system through Nest's app. That's why Nest has worked cellular backup into the Secure system and T-Mobile announced today that it's the exclusive cellular provider for Nest Secure.
After Math: Like looking into the future
It was an exciting week for futuristic technologies. Knightscope debuted its newest roboguard, Nest showed off a face-recognizing outdoor camera, and Google came up with a way to close your garage from anywhere in the neighborhood. Numbers, because how else will you know how long to wait for the future to arrive?
Nest's vision of the secure home is rooted in simplicity
Nest is officially in the home-security business. At a press conference in San Francisco today, the company introduced a slew of devices: a video doorbell, an updated outdoor camera and a security system that includes a keypad base, a motion sensor and a keychain fob. For a company that's already so synonymous with the connected home, having it all integrated into one system makes a lot of sense.
Nest takes on home defense with its Secure alarm system
Nest wants to manage every aspect of your home's security -- not just its thermostats and cameras. The company has announced a slew of products designed to keep an eye on your home while you're away, under the Nest Secure banner. That includes a Google-Home-looking Guard control system, Detect sensors (placed in rooms, near windows and doors) and a Tag keychain that arms and disarms the security hub. The starter bundle will cost $499, with extra Detect sensors running $59. Need an additional Tag for your roommates or kids? Those will set you back $25 each. A bundle with the Nest Cam Outdoor (this is different from the latest Nest Cam IQ Outdoor) will be available at Best Buy as well as Nest's website for $598.
Nest's outdoor Cam IQ brings facial recognition to your backyard
Nest's latest media event could be big news if you're interested in spotting burglars before they break into your home. It's introducing the Nest Cam IQ outdoor, a rugged take on the regular IQ that's designed to watch over your yard. As you might guess, it applies the same facial recognition technology to a weather-resistant (IP66-rated) and tamper-resistant body that's always plugged in. In theory, it won't raise an alert if it sees your kids playing in the back, or a locked-out spouse frantically looking for a way in. The camera can automatically zoom in and follow people as well. And the speaker is 15 times louder than on the indoor model, so you can shout at trespassers if you catch them in the act.
Nest introduces Hello, its first video doorbell
It was just a few weeks ago that Nest introduced the E, a budget version of its smart thermostat; just a couple of months before that it unveiled the new Nest Cam IQ. But the company isn't not done announcing new products just yet. At an event in San Francisco this morning, Nest unveiled another new product: the Nest Hello, its first-ever video doorbell.
Nest's $169 smart thermostat is all about simplicity
Since Nest unveiled its first smart thermostat back in 2011, they've always seemed like high-end pieces of technology that most people could only covet. After chatting with consumers, the company learned that some folks don't want yet another bright screen in their home. Others, meanwhile, almost felt intimidated by the ultra-sleek gadgets. That led to the creation of the Nest Thermostat E, a completely redesigned model with a lower $169 price (compared to $249 for the third-gen Nest), and which boils down its features into a much simpler interface and hardware design. Think of it as a Nest for the rest of us.
