Abode’s home security lineup includes everything from door, window, and motion sensors to a security camera for inside your home. But one thing it’s been missing is an outdoor camera, and more specifically one that can be used as a video doorbell.
The new Abode Indoor/Outdoor Smart Camera can be used, as its name implies, inside your home for monitoring an entryway or your kid’s playroom. Alternatively, you can mount the Smart Camera outside.
When it comes to using it outside, you have two options. You can either use your existing doorbell wiring and mount the Smart Camera in your doorbell’s place, or you can use a corded attachment to plug the camera into a regular electrical outlet.
Right now, the Smart Camera doesn’t have a dedicated button that visitors can press to ring your doorbell. Instead, the camera will send alerts to your phone, Alexa, Google Assistant, and is currently going through Apple’s HomeKit certification process. In addition to smartphone and assistant alerts, the Smart Camera can also trigger your doorbell’s chime.
In the future, Abode will release another model of the Smart Camera that includes a dedicated doorbell button.
You’ll be able to mark familiar faces in the Abode app, and the camera will then send alerts based on your preferences when it recognizes someone, like a frequent FedEx driver or a child.
If you use Abode’s security system, you can even allow the camera to arm or disarm your security system when it sees someone leaving or arriving home. You can also set it to trigger smart home and security scenes. All of the facial recognition and automation features are optional, for those who prefer privacy over ease of use.
As far as specifications go, the Smart Camera has a 152-degree field of view, 1,920 x 1,080 HD quality video and an IP65 weather-resistance rating which is good enough to handle snow and rainstorms.
The Indoor/Outdoor Smart Camera will be available in the first quarter of 2020, with a price of $199. There’s no word yet on how much Abode’s video plans will cost, but they will include event look back as well as “additional video services.”
Currently, Abode’s paid security monitoring plans range from $3.33 to $8.33 per month when you pay for a year upfront.
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Note: The prices above reflect the retailer’s listed price at the time of publication.
