Hi everyone, it's Katie from SafeWise here,
and this is a brand-spanking-new Google Nest Cam.
Last year, Google made some big changes,
like canceling Nest Secure system
and halting production on its family of cameras.
But it's back with a line of products,
starting with the new Nest Cam and new Nest Doorbell.
I'm going to be focusing on the new Nest Cam battery.
The newest addition to Nest
kind of looks like a bigger, beefier version of the Nest IQ.
On paper, they have a lot in common.
Both have 1080p video quality,
130 degree field of view, and two-way audio.
But there's a lot more than meets the eye.
Some of the biggest differences are only skin-deep,
or plastic casing-deep.
The Nest Cam battery works indoors and outdoors
and comes with smart features right out of the box,
no subscription needed.
And compared to the price point of the Nest IQ,
it's cheaper too.
I also like that it's 100% wire-free,
meaning that you just have to charge it once
when the battery's low.
We looked at its setup and control, audio and video quality,
recording events and new machine-learning features.
Let's get into it.
One immediate difference is that the new Nest Cam
uses the Google Home app instead of Nest's.
In fact, if you're opting for any of the new cameras,
you won't need Nest's app at all.
Thankfully, the process for setting up the camera
is pretty similar to most IP cameras like it.
You'll go into the Google Home app and add a device,
scan your camera's QR code,
and choose the Wi-Fi network to connect it to.
I ran into some frustrations getting mine online at my house
after testing it in the studio,
and it had to manually reset
to get things up and running again.
Unless you're moving with your Nest Cam
or changing its Wi-Fi network,
you shouldn't have this issue.
Once it's online,
all Nest Cam alerts go through Google Home.
This also means that it's easier to link it
with existing automations
from devices like lights or speakers.
Google even recommends pairing your camera
with its newest hub for phone-free viewing.
During our tests, we checked the video quality,
night vision, and digital zoom.
We also checked the two-way audio,
which is standard feature for talking or listening
to anyone on the other side.
This is what the new Nest Cam sounds like.
The mic and motion settings are adjustable as well.
You can set motion zones,
adjust listening and speaking volume,
and turn on notifications for alarm sounds
like your smoke or carbon monoxide detector.
Nest Cam saves up to three hours
of downloadable clips and events for free,
no subscription required,
which means you can rewind
and check on things throughout the day.
I was able to download events within my history
and look back over the day.
The camera mostly responds to someone coming into
or out of the frame.
So if you hang out on your couch or sit in the backyard,
it will notice you but stop watching after a while.
That is, until you get up and move again.
If you do want 24/7 live recording,
you'll have to opt for a Nest Aware subscription.
(chimes chime)
One of the big brags from Google about its newest Nest Cam
is all the improvements to machine learning.
But what exactly is that?
Google defines it as "a subset of artificial intelligence
"that enables a system to autonomously learn and improve
using neural networks and deep learning,
without being explicitly programmed,
by feeding it large amounts of data,"
which is basically a fancy way of saying teaching a system
how to recognize patterns, images, and data.
In the new Nest Cam's case,
Google engineers trained the program
using over 40 million images,
so it can accurately tell the difference
between your cat, a delivery, and you.
So now, the Nest Cam can recognize people's faces,
pets, vehicles, and packages
with better accuracy and from different angles.
All this work aims to cut down on excess notifications
and focus on events rather than activity.
So instead of being spooked
because your camera saw a person
walking through your backyard,
now, your Nest Cam will be able to label them
as someone you know.
But despite all these improvements
in Google's facial and object recognition,
and being the only familiar face in my camera's log,
it didn't recognize me every time.
Different angles, hairstyles, and even glasses
seemed to fool the camera.
Thankfully, the beauty of machine learning
is that it'll only get better the more it processes.
So hopefully, we'll see improvements over time.
Google Nest is back and has a new look, a new app,
and new advanced features thrown in.
But as far as nuts and bolts, video and audio quality,
it feels pretty much the same.
And, while it may be a lot bigger than previous versions,
the Nest Cam is designed
for mounting to the wall or ceiling.
The base doesn't work great pointed head-on.
So if you're planning on keeping it
inside on a flat surface,
you may need to buy the extra stand.
Using the Google Home app to control the camera
took some getting used to.
But if you're already on team Google
with all the smart home gear,
it's an instant shortcut for your camera.
Accessing videos and adjusting settings through the app
is pretty easy.
Just remember to manually reset your camera
if you move it to a new Wi-Fi network.
As Google fully absorbs Nests,
I expect we'll see more action
from the Google Home app itself.
I like that there's more included
without needing an Aware subscription.
And despite not being 100% perfect,
the new machine learning features are really cool.
My hope is that Nest's add-on service
will only improve as it makes the freebies better.
Despite the average video and audio quality,
the extras and the look of this new camera
really caught our eye.
So at SafeWise, we are giving this one
a 4.25 out of 5 stars.
The Google Nest Cam Battery and the Nest Doorbell
are the first of more cameras
coming out at the end of this year.
We'll be sure to provide updates
on the new stuff as it comes out.
So like and subscribe
to catch our reviews on those as they're released.
And drop a comment below
if you have any questions for us on the Nest Cam
or want to see it featured in a future episode.
That's it for me today.
Thanks for watching, and stay safe.
(electronic music)