Abode's outdoor security camera can be a smart doorbell too
Hard-wire it like a doorbell -- or plug it into a nearby outlet.
The Abode Outdoor/Indoor Smart Camera can be hard-wired like a doorbell or plugged into an outlet.
Abode, the startup behind the Smart Security Kit and the Iota Security Kit, is back with a new product -- the Abode Outdoor/Indoor Smart Camera. The $199 weather-resistant security camera has a unique design that can be hardwired via existing doorbell wires or plugged into an outlet with the included power adapter. This is yet another example of a growing trend toward smart home devices with flexible installations, like the battery-powered Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Cam.
Here's an overview of the Outdoor/Indoor Smart Camera's main specs and features:
- 1080p HD livestreaming
- A 152-degree field of view
- Motion detection
- Two-way audio
- Facial recognition using a database of familiar faces you create in the Abode app
- Use inside or outside
- Hard-wire or use power adapter
- Works with Alexa (Apple HomeKit compatibility is coming)
I'm intrigued by this camera's modular design and multiple power options, although I can't imagine using it as a doorbell since this particular model doesn't have an integrated doorbell button. Instead, visitors would have to wait for the camera owners to get a motion alert on their phone, telling them someone's there -- and hope that they answer the door or chat with them using the two-way talk feature. Abode says it plans to offer a similar model with a built-in buzzer in the future.
Abode's Outdoor/Indoor Smart Camera in video doorbell mode.
The Abode Outdoor/Indoor Smart Camera will hit stores early this year. Abode will offer an optional cloud service subscription with this camera; it can be used as a stand-alone camera or with another Abode security system.
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