Google launches video doorbell that uses facial recognition

Google’s £229 (€279) video doorbell is now on sale in Europe.

Named Nest Hello, the smart doorbell uses facial recognition technology to identify and greet visitors. 

It then sends you a voice or text notification so you know who is outside.

If you’re not at home, Nest Hello lets you see and talk to visitors using the microphone in your smartphone.

It can also double up as a security camera to tell you if strangers are lurking nearby. 

The device connects to Wi-Fi and records around the clock using a wide-angle, high definition camera with night-vision and HDR (High Dynamic Range) capabilities.

Available to order today, Nest Hello will start shipping in mid-June. It is already available in the US after launching in March for $229.

 

Google’s doorbell of the future has launched in Europe. Dubbed the Nest Hello, it was released in the US in March and has just been made available to Google’s European customers for £230 (€279)

NEST HELLO VS RING DOORBELL PRO: HOW DO THEY COMPARE?

 

Price 

Video Quality

HDR Compatible

 Field of view

Temp. resistance

Facial recognition

IP rating

Google Home compatible?

Subscription plan

 Nest Hello 

£229 ($229)

1080p HD

Yes 

160-degrees

-10°C to 40°C

Yes

IPx4

Yes, can use Google Home to talk to visitors

£40 ($50) a year 

Ring Doorbell Pro

£239 ($249)

1080p HD 

No 

160-degrees 

-20°C to 50°C

No 

Not IP rated

Yes, can use Google Home to talk to visitors

£25 ($30) a year 

The Nest Hello goes head-to-head with rival smart doorbell company Ring, which is owned by Amazon.

One of the main differences between the two products is the inclusion of facial recognition on Google’s Nest Hello doorbell. 

Nest Hello uses artificial intelligence (AI) to detect people as they approach a house. 

The smart doorbell can be trained to identify friends and family and send a notification with their name when it detects they have arrived.  

Nest Hello is fitted with a microphone and a speaker, which enables owners to engage in a two-way conversation without opening the door. 

As well as the traditional ding-dong ringtone, Nest Hello owners will be able to choose from a variety of pre-programmed messages, including: ‘You can leave it, thanks’ or ‘we’ll be right there.’

Some features, like facial recognition, require a subscription to Nest Aware, which costs £4 (€5) a month, or £40 (€50) for the year.

WHAT IS GOOGLE’S NEST HELLO DOORBELL AND WHAT ARE ITS FEATURES?

Price – Google’s Nest Hello doorbell is now on sale in Europe and the US.

It costs £229 in the UK, $229 in the US and €279 across most of Europe.

Some features, like facial recognition, require a subscription to Nest Aware, which starts at £4 (€5) a month, or £40 (€50) for the year.

Facial recognition  – The standout feature of the smart doorbell is that it uses facial recognition technology that allows it to identify and greet visitors. 

The system does not use any data from Google’s vast database of photos to automatically recognise people.

Instead, users must manually tag and name someone in the companion app before the device is able to recognise them.

Notifications – The system sends you a voice or text notification so you know who is outside.

If you’re not at home, Nest Hello lets you see and talk to visitors using the microphone in your smartphone.

If you want to keep things quiet, you can turn off the main chime and just use the app notifications. 

The Hello’s microphone comes with noise cancellation technology so you can hear people on noisy streets. 

Security – It can also double up as a security camera to tell you if strangers are lurking nearby. 

The device connects to Wi-Fi and records around the clock using a wide-angle, high definition camera with night-vision and HDR (High Dynamic Range) capabilities. 

Installation – Like a normal doorbell,  it needs a connection to your house’s wiring. 

You can pay an extra £100 to get a Nest approved installer to help you with this.

Hello uses artificial intelligence to detect people as they approach a house, and streams live footage straight to a persons phone. As well as ringing throughout the house like a conventional doorbell, the Hello can send a notification to a person's phone

Hello uses artificial intelligence to detect people as they approach a house, and streams live footage straight to a persons phone. As well as ringing throughout the house like a conventional doorbell, the Hello can send a notification to a person’s phone

Nest Aware subscribers can also film permanently, instead of only when the doorbell detects movement.

A separate feature in the Nest app, called Sightline, brings together any and all significant footage from the last three hours. 

This includes any odd behaviour, or unusual sounds, including the barking of a nearby dog.  

Nest Hello is fitted with a microphone and a speaker, which enables owners to engage in a two-way conversation without opening the door

Nest Hello is fitted with a microphone and a speaker, which enables owners to engage in a two-way conversation without opening the door

If you're not at home, Nest Hello lets you see and talk to  visitors using the microphone in your smartphone

As well as the traditional ding-dong ringtone, Nest Hello owners will be able to choose from a variety of pre-programmed messages, including: 'You can leave it, thanks' or 'we'll be right there'

The camera and speakers are connected to Wi-Fi and allow for the Hello owner to see whoever is ringing the bell. It also enables them to have conversations with people who are visiting if they are not home 

This security feature offers people the chance to see who is approaching their house, without the need to open the door — potentially putting them in harms way.

Lionel Guicherd-Callin, head of EMEA Product Marketing for Nest Labs, said: ‘Your front door is where home begins. It’s the entryway to special moments with family and friends – but also the most common way burglars enter your home.

‘So we’ve designed a doorbell experience that makes your front door more safe and secure, yet still feels friendly. 

‘You can truly connect with your guests at the door from anywhere. Never miss a package. And have added security and peace of mind when it’s needed.’  

The product expands the Google-owned company’s existing portfolio, which includes internet-connected thermostats, smoke detectors and stand-alone security cameras.

The doorbell connects to Wi-Fi and records around the clock from the wide-angle, high definition HDR camera. Even if a person is not in when a visitor calls, Hello owners will be able to see and talk to them via their phone or another connected Google device

The doorbell connects to Wi-Fi and records around the clock from the wide-angle, high definition HDR camera. Even if a person is not in when a visitor calls, Hello owners will be able to see and talk to them via their phone or another connected Google device

Nest's usage of facial recognition doesn't tap into Google's vast database of photos to automatically recognise people. Instead, a user of the Nest camera or doorbell must manually tag and name people before the device recognises someone

Nest’s usage of facial recognition doesn’t tap into Google’s vast database of photos to automatically recognise people. Instead, a user of the Nest camera or doorbell must manually tag and name people before the device recognises someone

Nest’s facial recognition does not use any data from Google’s vast database of photos to automatically recognise people.

Instead, Nest users must manually tag and name someone in the companion app before the device is able to recognise them.

The launch of the Nest Hello comes less than a week after the EU’s strict new GDPR privacy laws came into effect.

Jim Killock, of the Open Rights Group, told The Times: ‘Just because I walk up to your door does not mean that Google should assume I have agreed to be surveilled by them or added to a database of facial images. 

‘Google should make sure that there are clear limits on the way they process images, and must explain in detail how they believe these tools are compliant with UK and EU law.’ 

It seems Google is aware of the privacy implications the Nest Hello may have and is putting the impetus on the customers to ensure they use it appropriately.  

The Hello doorbell will draw upon Google's facial recognition technology so it can warn a home's occupants when a stranger approaches.

The Hello doorbell will draw upon Google’s facial recognition technology so it can warn a home’s occupants when a stranger approaches.

The Hello doorbell comes with a built-in video camera and speakers that will make it seem like it can recognise and talk to people.

The Hello doorbell comes with a built-in video camera and speakers that will make it seem like it can recognise and talk to people.

A spokesman for Nest said: ‘As with any product, customers are obligated to use their devices in compliance with applicable laws and this is clearly communicated in our product setup and documentation.

‘We recommend customers film only their own properties, and remind them that depending on the location of the camera, they may need to display a notice to alert visitors to the camera’s presence or even obtain permission from local authorities.

‘This is likewise true if they choose to enable certain features which are turned off by default, such as familiar face alerts or video history.’

Google bought Nest for $3.2 billion in 2014, before spinning it off when it restructured the company with Alphabet as its parent company.

Nest is now lumped into a group of risky companies venturing into new areas of technology that have collectively lost $10.6 billion during the past three-and-half years alone.

Alphabet hasn’t disclosed how much Nest has contributed to it the losses in its ‘Other Bets’ segment 



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