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Abode opens up pre-orders for its Outdoor Smart Camera
The company is expanding its DIY home security lineup.
Arlo's latest cameras can run for up to six months on a single charge
The Pro 4 connects directly to WiFi, so it doesn't need a base station.
Google said to plan first smartwatch, budget phones for 2019
If Google introduced a lot of hardware in 2018, it might have a veritable avalanche in store for 2019. Nikkei sources claim to have details of Google's roadmap for the year, which includes a few firsts for the brand. To begin with, the insiders appear to corroborate rumors of lower-cost Pixel phones. The scoop doesn't include many details, but suggests the budget Pixel line will sit below the $749 price of the iPhone XR. Earlier rumors pointed to mid- and large-sized devices with 1080p LCDs, Snapdragon 670 processors, 32GB of storage, a 12-megapixel rear camera and a lone front shooter.
AI-powered security camera company Lighthouse shuts down
A new company called Lighthouse introduced an advanced security camera that can tell the difference between a person and a pet back in 2017. It was a promising, Andy Rubin-backed project that managed to raise around $20 million. Unfortunately, it sounds like not a lot of people were willing to pay $300 for a security cam, even if it's powered by advanced AI and 3D sensing, because the company is shutting down operations. CEO Alex Teichman announced the closure on its website, where he admitted that Lighthouse didn't make enough money to keep the company going.
Engadget giveaway: Win a security package courtesy of Bitdefender!
Deliveries left out on your doorstep, nocturnal pet activities and network-connected devices open wide to the world for possible hacking or botnet conscription are just some of the reasons Bitdefender has provided this week's giveaway package. The company's Box 2 is at the center, essentially a dual-band router with a specialty in cybersecurity protection. The device can monitor your network traffic for dubious activity, provide a VPN for privacy and protect your devices from malware. Bitdefender's subscription service also provides Parental Control to safeguard children against cyberbullying and online predators. There are a host of ways this service can be a useful line of defense in an increasingly connected age, and once set up, you can worry less about them. All you need to do is head down to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to five chances at winning this package, which includes a Bitdefender Box 2 (with 1-year subscription), Blink 5-camera monitoring system and Ring Video Doorbell 2. Good luck! Winner: Congratulations to Jason H. of Gowen, MI! (TBC)
Echo Show can now display recorded security camera footage
With Alexa's latest skill, users can now ask the digital assistant to show them recorded security camera footage on their Echo Show, Echo Spot, Fire TV or Fire tablet. Currently, the skill is supported by Alexa-enabled cameras from Ring, Arlo, Cloud Cam and August and all you have to do is say, "Alexa, show the event that just happened at the front door," for example. You'll then be able to view the last recorded event from that particular camera.
Arlo outage knocks security cameras offline (updated)
Arlo security camera owners haven't had the most reliable coverage this weekend. The Netgear-linked brand has confirmed a service outage that knocked many cameras offline starting in the late afternoon on August 4th. Customers faced "intermittent login errors" that either prevented them from signing in or wouldn't let them watch motion detection recordings. Others couldn't watch live streams or connect in the first place.
Swann sends home camera footage to the wrong person
Following a similar snafu in which Alexa sent a recording from one user to another, Swann Security could be in hot water after someone saw footage from a stranger's camera in their own app. The person who received the motion-triggered video was actually a BBC journalist who owns a similar camera.
Arlo cameras are getting person detection and e911 services
Today, Netgear announced a couple of new features and service plans for its Arlo cameras. They are called Arlo Smart, and they use algorithms in order to cut down on junk notifications and ensure that what you're getting pinged about matters to you. Users can also access their recordings for up to 60 days and the cameras can reach emergency responders using e911 services.
Samsung's latest microSD card is beefy enough for your dash cam
Most microSD cards are perfectly fine for your smartphone. Your dash cam or home security camera, however? That's another story -- that non-stop video recording can be brutal on cards that aren't designed for continuous writing. Enter Samsung with its Pro Endurance card. The new microSD range reportedly endures about 25 times longer than other "speed-focused" cards, handling up to 43,800 hours of 1080p video recording on a 128GB model. That's five years of around-the-clock use, folks. There's a chance your camera stops working before the card does.
Amazon Cloud Cam now streams security footage to your browser
Amazon's Cloud Cam just became decidedly more useful, especially for those moments when you can't pull out your phone. You can watch your live view from your computer through a cloudcam.amazon.com web portal -- handy if you're at work and want to check on your pet. Web interfaces certainly aren't new to home security cameras, so this was arguably an overdue addition.
Lighthouse's AI-powered security camera is now shipping
Lighthouse's intelligent 3D security camera was supposed to ship in September, but now it's finally available for purchase. The camera is priced at $299. At checkout, you can choose either a $10/month AI service plan (with a 90-day free trial) or a lifetime plan of $200, with no further payments required.
Netgear turns its security cameras into a separate business
Netgear's Arlo security cameras are apparently a hit -- so much so that the company is turning them into a separate business. The router maker has revealed that it's spinning out Arlo as a separate company, with the regulatory paperwork completed in the first half of 2018 and a public stock offering in the second. Senior strategy VP Matthew McRae (who used to be Vizio's chief technical officer) is expected to helm Arlo when all is said and done.
Engadget giveaway: Win an HD Pan & Tilt camera courtesy of VTech!
Once you leave the house, there's no looking back, at least not unless you've outfitted your crib with a remote monitoring system. VTech offers a an easy-to-use solution with its HD Pan & Tilt camera, which provides live streaming video and two-way talk via the MyVTech Cams app. This Wi-Fi device offers in-app gesture controls to pan and zoom, giving you a clear view of your at-home surroundings, even in the dark. Along with the peace of mind that video provides, you can also have a two-way chat with any person or pet in the room (comprehension is up to you). You can also get motion alerts while you're away, for in-home security. This week, VTech has provided us with one of its VC931 HD Pan & Tilt cameras for one lucky reader. All you need to do is head to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to three chances at winning some extra peace of mind with this VTech monitoring camera. Winner: Congratulations to Chris Z. of Milton, WA!
Army base pulls Chinese security cameras over 'negative perception'
If it wasn't already clear that concerns over the security of Chinese equipment are reaching a fever pitch, it is now. The US Army has pulled five of Hikvision's surveillance cameras from Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri not because they pose an active security risk (they were on a closed network and monitored the roads), but because it's worried about the "negative perception" following media reports. Hikvision is 42 percent owned by the Chinese government, which has previously raised concerns that they might be used to spy on American operations.
Ring adds more camera and light options to its home security line
Ring's evolution from a smart doorbell to the biggest name in home security has reached a new milestone today. The company has announced a pair of new indoor/outdoor video cameras to better compete with its rivals, as well as a series of outdoor security lights.
D-Link adds battery-powered and LTE cameras to its home security line
D-Link introduced two new home monitoring cameras today at CES, both of which tackle some of the logistical shortcomings of domestic security. One is a wire-free system boasting battery power that lasts up to 11 months, while the other can operate and record over LTE. Additionally, D-Link has refreshed three of its simpler, affordable models. All have sound and motion triggers, can record footage to the cloud and integrate with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and IFTTT.
Toshiba's Symbio is both a security camera and Alexa speaker
Toshiba has integrated a dizzying number of devices into one with its new Symbio. It's an Alexa-powered smart speaker, security camera, intercom, smart home hub that's compatible with Z-Wave or Zigbee, and sound detector. Using the iOS or Android-powered Toshiba Smart Home app, you can "control everything from lights and music to door locks and temperature settings, from any location -- at home, at the office or out of town," the company claims.
Hive's new home monitoring camera isn't bound to its base
Hive is a relatively well-known smart home brand in the UK. It all started with a connected thermostat released back in 2013, endorsed by nationwide utility provider British Gas. Not long after that seal of approval, British Gas acquired the company behind the thermostat, and now the Hive range includes motion sensors, lightbulbs, smart plugs and a water leak detector. Last year, the Hive brand crossed the pond in hope of breaking into North America, and what better way to start 2018 than launch a new product in all markets simultaneously for the first time? That brings us to the new Hive View home monitoring camera: An attempt to balance style and feature set to stand out from the crowd.
Canary's security cameras will soon detect people
While Canary's security cameras can notify you when they detect something moving in your home, they can't differentiate between an intruder and your pet Fluffy doing zoomies. Once their new feature rolls out, though, you won't have to get 20 notifications in an hour if you don't want to. The company has announced that it's rolling out Person Detection to all Canary and Canary Flex cameras in the near future -- for free. It relies on machine learning to figure out whether your camera is seeing a human being, so the system can send you specific person alerts.
