As part of the Google Home event on Wednesday, the company announced an improved lineup of Nest Devices (Google’s smart home security cameras and doorbell brands). All devices are designed to showcase Google’s AI assistant Gemini AI on Smart Home, with all three coming with 2K HDR video. This is a high-resolution format that provides clearer images than previous models, and the highest resolution Google has shipped is still being shipped.
The company notes that the sensor has been chosen to provide the level of fidelity that Gemini models can currently use, so they can continue to be used as technology evolves. Furthermore, we wanted users to be able to zoom in some detail, like the license plates of unknown vehicles outside the home, and perhaps balance it with their desire to not consume too much data.
In addition to 2K HDR, the camera offers a wider and taller field of view compared to previous devices. The new 152-degree diagonal view allows users to see more about what’s going on. Meanwhile, with doorbells, Google has now expanded its field of view to 166 degrees and an aspect ratio of 1:1, providing more square images.
This should allow the device to display a more detailed view on the left and right sides of the person standing at the door, including the head and feet and ground package.
New sensors and wider openings also improve camera performance. Google says the device allows 120% more light sensitivity than older models, allowing it to stay in full-color mode for longer at dawn and dusk. And they still provide infrared vision. This uses a heat signature to watch in the complete darkness for nighttime viewing.
Additionally, when a user is alerted to an event at the door, the preview image will be zoomed in and the alert triggered will be displayed for easier viewing. Alternatively, if the user wants to zoom the doorbell view to a specific area forever, it will remain fixed so that it can be zoomed and cropped.
Gemini Smart comes to the nest
However, what Google wants to compete with its rivals comes with improved Gemini and baseline features.
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First of all, it doubles the event history in the free tier by 3-6 hours. Additionally, for all events that occur in these 6 hours, the user will attach a 10-second video. If users need more history, they can choose to upgrade to 10 days, 60 days, or to another plan.
Gemini comes by making notifications smarter.
Today, people will receive numerous notifications when there is a camera event, such as a person detected, motion, or package delivered. However, this burden is currently on the users, knowing what is important and what is important. Instead, Gemini adds context to these notifications.
For example, you may receive a “dog jumping out of Playpen” in addition to getting motion alerts. This can be seen in the zoom-in video preview.
“That’s what Gemini is trying to transform. All of this experience is supported by what we call ‘understanding the semantic scene,'” Anish Kattukaran, chief product officer at Google Home and Nest, explained at a press conference ahead of Wednesday’s announcement. “It’s not simple object detection because Gemini is multimodal, so this is a difficult problem, but Gemini is multimodal, so it’s possible to analyze and interpret what’s actually happening in the video,” he continued.
“Now we’re going from the ‘detected’ or ‘delivered person’ to Gemini, where FedEx deliveries drivers interpret it as walking with their packages on their pouch,” Kathukaran explained.
Additionally, the Google Home app feature called “Home Brief” summarises the past 24 hours of activity you missed when you missed it. So we could see which packages were delivered, whether it was a dog who knocked on the coffee table, whether people stopped by, or if there was anything that could have happened. You can also instruct the Gemini to focus only on short or short or short, children, pets, or other things of interest.
You can ask Gemini when the kids got home from school, if the landscaper appears, or if the UPS comes.
Gemini also helps more people to take advantage of more complex features, such as automating home automation (preset routines that automatically control multiple devices), or to better understand energy usage.
Instead of manually configuring automation, you can now feel Gemini (pretty vaguely) and feel safer at home. AI can advise you on how to close the blinds and lock the door, or set up routines with simulated presence by automatically turning the light on/off.
The camera comes with a plastic-free package and comes in new colors. The nest indoors (wired, 3rd generation $99.99) is offered in snow, hazel and berry, while the outdoor cam (wired, 2nd generation, $149.99) is available in snow and hazel and is IP56 rated. The reformulated resins outside the latter are designed to provide long-term UV protection and better sustainability, Google notes.
For security reasons, as before, a green light appears when the camera is processing or streaming video. Google also offers encrypted video, two-stage verification, and is committed to not using video footage for other purposes, such as ad targeting and personalization.
The nest doorbell (wired, 2nd generation, $179.99) comes in snow, hazel and linen.
The device is available in major retailers and in Google stores. Nest Cameras are available in the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland. New nest doorbells will be available in the US and Canada.
To attract a wider consumer base, Google partnered with Walmart to launch a more affordable doorbell and camera. These offer a live view resolution of 1080p. Paid subscriptions unlock Gemini’s additional intelligent features.
Nest Aware Rebrands as Google Home Premium
In addition to this release, existing Nest Aware subscriptions have been rebranded as Google Home Premium, but the tier and price remain the same. (Home Premium Standard is $10 per $10, and Home Premium Advanced is $20 per $20.) Google Home Premium is also added to one Google subscription at no additional cost. This means that if you have a Google AI Pro tier ($20/month), Google Home Premium Standard is included for free, and Google AI Ultra users ($250/month) can access Google Home Premium Advanced.
Finally, all features are integrated into the Home app, so users no longer have to switch between the Nest Mobile app and the Google Home app. However, the Nest app doesn’t disappear anytime soon. Google says it works first to enable Nest users to migrate seamlessly. (For more information about the new home app, see here.)
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