The self-destructing ugly war between Amazon and Google isn’t going to slow down anytime soon. Amazon recently announced that it won’t be selling any of the Google-owned Nest’s upcoming products on its site. The announcement came only days after the retail giant snatched up video doorbell maker Ring, in response to Nest rejoining Google.
Now, Nest is gearing up to fire back, by entering the video doorbell product category. The company has announced that its first video doorbell product, Nest Hello, is now available for sale. The company also announced two more products, Nest x Yale smart door lock and Nest Temperature Sensor, that would go on sale along with the doorbell. All of the three products themselves play into the combined Google-Nest ecosystem.
Nest Hello
The Nest Hello doorbell comes with a camera that can shoot a continuous stream of high-definition HDR video in 4:3 aspect ratio, including night vision. The smart doorbell can also detect anyone approaching the door, even before they ring the doorbell, and then notifies the users. The camera can even notify users if it’s a stranger or a friendly face.
Similar to any other competing product, Nest Hello also comes with a speaker and mic, allowing users to interact with guests at the door. One stand-out feature of Nest Hello is the ability to set pre-recorded messages. For example, users can set the doorbell to say “Just a moment, we’ll be right there,” if they’re unable to answer right away. The doorbell, however, requires a wired connection with power, and doesn’t have the battery-power option. And yes, Nest Hello does works with Google Assistant-enabled hardware, such as Google Home.
Nest x Yale smart door lock
The Nest x Yale smart door lock is another first for Nest. The device, a product of Nest’s partnership with lock manufacturer Yale, allows users to remotely lock and unlock their doors using the Nest app. Similar to other top products in the business, such as SmartThings Smart Lock, this product also allows users to set unique lock codes for trusted individuals. Users can even set an expiry period for the code.
The lock doesn’t yet work through voice commands, but Nest says it’s looking into it. The plan, however, is only up to the ability to detect if the door is locked or not. Nest has no plans to let customers unlock their doors using voice commands.
Nest Temperature Sensor
The final product launched by Nest is a temperature sensor. It works in tandem with the company’s smart thermostats to keep particular rooms in your home at the ideal temperature. You can choose when to prioritize certain rooms, like when they’re occupied. To use it, however, you’ll need the latest-generation Nest Learning Thermostat or the Nest Thermostat E. It doesn’t work with first-gen or second-gen Nest thermostats.
Nest Hello is available on Nest.com for $229. The product is also available on select retailers such as Best Buy, Lowe’s, and Home Depot. The Nest x Yale smart door lock is shipping for either $249 or $279 (with included Nest Connect). The Nest Temperature Sensor is currently up for pre-order at $39 and is scheduled to ship in April. The company is also already giving off $18 on pre-order of a pack of three temperature sensors, at just $99.
