Jordan O'BrienSince being acquired by Google back in 2014, Nest hasn’t really had any major releases, although that all changed at Nest’s San Francisco event on June 17, with the company revealing a refresh for its entire product line-up, as well the first fruits of its Dropcam acquisition.
Before it got into the product announcements, Nest reaffirmed its commitment to installers, boasting 5,000 trained installers in the UK alone, with training centres up and down the UK creating even more.
Worldwide Nest’s network of installers reaches 25,000, while the device is officially sold in seven countries and at tens of thousands of retail stores, including John Lewis, Currys, Amazon and B&Q.
The company also gave a shout out to its partnership with Invision UK, which allows trade professionals to pick up a Nest for their next installations, as well as learn how to install its range of products.
Of the announcements the most significant introduction is what has finally come of Nest’s acquisition of Dropcam in 2014 – Nest Cam.
Nest Cam isn’t radically different from what is already on the market from Dropcam, but Nest has tried to make it even more appealing to its design-conscious customers.
While critics and consumers alike have already praised the Dropcam stand, Nest decided to go back to the drawing board to ensure that it’s both thinner and even more versatile than before.
The magnetic base can stick to metal, be mounted to the wall of screwed onto a universal tripod. It can even be twisted around, bent at an angle or be mounted upside down.
Nest Cam’s stand incorporates a rare-earth magnet and ¼ inch, 20-screw mount so that it can be securely placed in numerous locations across the home.
Utilising a zinc alloy, the Nest Cam claims to be sturdier and more versatile than current Dropcams on the market.
It also boasts higher resolution, with the Dropcam limited to 720p, while the Nest Cam enjoys full HD 1080p recording over WiFi.
Nest Cam isn’t only limited to daytime operation either, since the company has also made sure to include eight infrared LEDs which promise to deliver images even in the darkest rooms at night.
There are also new algorithms which should ensure that the camera doesn’t get confused and switches to daytime mode when a bright light passes past it – such as a car passing the window.
If users have a dog or children in another room, Nest Cam will also allow them to speak through the App and have their voice delivered via the speaker on the camera.
While Nest Cam is its major hardware announcement, alongside its first IP camera, the company unveiled Nest Aware.
Nest Aware offers 10 or 30 days worth of video history, meaning homeowners can go back and see recordings if at all needed. This footage can also be manipulated by zooming in; from here if the footage is too grainy, then users can click the enhance button to make it sharper and clearer.
Users will be able to designate certain areas to focus on, dubbed ‘Activity Zones’, so if the Nest Cam detects motion in that area it will send a notification to the user’s phone.
Video history won’t only need to be used in emergencies either, as the company will allow users to share up to three hours worth of clips from Nest Aware, or to create timelapses.
To show off how users may opt to use their Nest Cam the company will be allowing certain YouTube creators to stream directly to their subscribers on YouTube.
Initial participation is limited to just three YouTubers; those being Unbox Therapy, Devin Supertramp and iJustine.
Nest Cam will be launched in the UK in July with a suggested retail price of £159. The Google-owned company is aiming the Nest Cam mainly at consumers, promising a set-up time of around 90 seconds.
Users will also need Nest Aware which will set them back £8 a month for 10 days worth of video playback, or £24 per month for 30 days. There will also be yearly plans available for £80 and £240, respectively.
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