residential security system
They all can be controlled through the
Nest app. The Nest app isn't the only way to integrate the Nest Protect in a unified smart home, the smart smoke alarm also works with popular third party platforms such as Nexia, Vera and Wink. You can even connect Nest devices to Amazon Alexa and Google Home smart speakers and control them with voice commands. However, the Nest Protect itself doesn't work with Alexa. Nest devices don't work with Apple HomeKit. The Nest Protect smoke alarm has two power options:
wired and battery. You can hardwire it into your home’s electrical grid for uninterrupted power, though this option also uses three AA backup batteries in case of a power outage. The battery powered option functions the same, it uses six AAs instead of three, but is better suited for older homes that don't already have smoke detector wiring in place. For example, you can create rules to have the lights turn on when motion is detected, have your doors unlock when a smoke alarm goes off, and have a camera begin recording when a sensor is triggered.Some systems store recorded video locally on an SD card or a solid state drive, while others offer cloud storage.Locally stored video is a good choice for do it yourselfers on a budget, but you have to be careful not to *overwrite video you may need later.Cloud *storage makes it easy to store and access recorded video, but *it can cost hundreds of dollars per year depending on your subscription.Some *systems offer both cloud storage and local storage, *and some provide a dedicated storage drive that gives you DVR capabilities with time lapse recording, which makes it easy to find a video event that took place at a specific point in time.
LunaAll of the systems we've *tested feature an app that lets you
pandouse your smartphone as your* command center to arm and disarm the system, create rules, add and delete components, and receive push notifications when alarms
Alarm Panelare triggered.Most apps also allow you to do things like
Motion Activated CameraCove Alarm Panelrecorded *video, lock and unlock doors, *change thermostat settings,
Glass break sensorand silence alarms.Some apps
Alder Youtube Videowill even use your phone's location services to *automatically arm and disarm the system according to your physical
Alarm app for Alderlocation.The
Alder Jobs Indeedmore expensive systems usually come with
Alders jobs and companya wall
Smart Smoke Detectormounted *panel that acts as a communications* hub, with
Luna smoke detectora touch screen display that allows you to do everything the app does.The display
Cellular Alarm Monitoringlets you* communicate with a professional monitoring* service
Rapid SOSwhen an alarm is triggered and view video from any of the installed security cameras.While many systems use wireless components that are installed using
Cove Security Reviewsdouble sided tape, some high end systems use components that require professional *installation.
If you need technical support, you can reach out to Nest by phone, social media and the live chat service on their website. You can also read through the company's helpful support articles about the Nest Protect, which give advice for buying, installing, controlling and troubleshooting problems, among other things. Today's best Nest Protect deals?$94.
security camera home
Plus, Ring's app has a neighborhood watch feature, which lets you see what's happening in your hood from other Ring users, as well as police and fire departments. Unfortunately, to view recorded video, you'll need to subscribe to Ring's cloud storage plans, which start at $30/year. Read our full Ring Floodlight Camera review. 53
View at Amazon$215. 99View at Best Buy$249View at Walmart?For those looking for a less expensive outdoor security system, the Arlo Pro costs just $189 for a single camera/base station setup; the
newer Arlo Pro 2 is $299. The main tradeoff?The Arlo Pro records video at 720p versus 1080p for the Arlo Pro 2. Otherwise, you get a generous storage plan, a two way audio, a weatherproof camera and an excellent app with a lot of features. Read our full Arlo Pro review. Reasons to BuyExcellent audio, daylight videoReasonable cloud storage plansSimple to use, flexible softwareReasons to AvoidBlurry night videoMobile app not optimized for tabletsCord isn't fully weatherproof$94. 99 View at Amazon$99. 99View at Walmart$99.
In the long run, this will be one of the least expensive security cameras. Announced January 2019 for $199 Reolink Argus 2: This 1080p outdoor security camera uses a rechargeable battery and can connect to a Reolink Solar Panel. The original Reolink Argus was the product of a successful Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign. Released in January 2018 for $129. 99Nest Cam IQ Outdoor: This is the outdoor version of the Nest Cam IQ. It has 4K video and intelligent features such as facial recognition and people recognition. Released in November 2017 for $349. 00Guardzilla 360: This indoor security camera has 360 degree field of view that records video on every side of the camera. Released in October 2017 for $229. 99Amazon Cloud Cam: This 1080p indoor security camera works with Amazon's popular Echo digital assistant. There's also an Amazon Key version that works in tandem with a smart lock to allow Amazon deliveries when you're out of the house.