Chip Chick
Canary – the Nest Cam Competitor
Canary is the last word on home security, mostly because it remembers that home security is about more than protecting yourself from burglars. A 1080p HD video camera, along with night vision, motion detectors, and microphones, provides the security against thieves, alerting you if there are any unexpected intrusions in your home, while an array of sensors monitors temperature, humidity, and air quality, letting you know of any environmental hazards that might endanger your health. All of this can be managed with an iOS or Android app. You can find Canary on Amazon for $200. Canary is good enough to dethrone Nest Cam.
Why We Like It: Excellent quality video with night vision. Easy to use interface and app. Home health monitoring is not a typical feature you’ll find in other security cameras. It doesn’t look like a traditional security camera – so it’s easy to disguise. Its siren mode is crazy loud and very effective.
Where It Needs Improvements: No talk back feature.
Nest Protect
One of the first big smart home names, Nest can now do even more with all the money they have access to now that they’re owned by Google. That includes Nest Protect, a new device that improves on the smoke detector. Nest Protect can detect both smoke and carbon monoxide, pinpointing exactly which room in the house the danger is coming from. Instead of a piercing beep, the alarm is a voice that will calmly alert you of what the problem is and where it’s coming from. Best of all, the sensors can differentiate between steam and smoke, so a hot shower or boiling water won’t set off the alarm. It also continuously tests itself to make sure everything is in working order, and will alert you if there’s a problem. Nest Protect is available from Amazon for $144.
Why We Like It: Gives you peace of mind – especially when you’re away from home. Attractive design.
Where It Needs Improvements: None.
