Skip to main content

Nest emphasizes style and safety with new thermostat colors, security camera features

nest thermostat security camera updates 14231314 1297756813602014 3741942969076728217 o
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Your smart home is about to get a lot sexier. And safer, too. Bringing style to the aesthetic wasteland that was once home heating and cooling is Nest, whose emphasis on design and automated capabilities has long differentiated it from the rest of the field. That effort continues with changes to the Nest Thermostat, which is now available in three new finishes — white, black, and copper. Nest has also updated its home security systems with new hardware and software.

“We think you should be proud of anything that’s on your wall. It’s your home and your style. It says so much about you,” Nest said in a blog post announcing the new line of thermostats on Thursday. “Since every house has a different style, we first chose the Nest Thermostat’s modern, refined stainless steel to complement any room. Now, in three new colors, it will shine in any setting.”

And while different styles come and go, Nest is banking on the notion that saving energy — and by extension, money — will always be in. Already, the company says, its thermostat has saved users some 8 billion kilowatt hours of energy. Nest is hoping to increase that number by sending more Nests into more homes around the United States and across the world. And that means giving the people what they want — design-wise, of course.

The Nest team also announced improvements to its security cameras on Thursday. A new software update to Nest’s Wi-Fi-connected cameras — both the Nest Cam Indoor and the Nest Cam Outdoor — brings something called Sightline, which “shows you what Nest Cam has seen and lets you speed through days of recorded video in seconds.” By extracting key footage so you don’t have to wade through hours of viewing, you’ll be able to find exactly what you’re looking for in no time at all. Nest has also added person alerts so nobody goes unnoticed — though a tree swaying in the wind won’t trigger any alarms.

Editors' Recommendations

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
Do smart home security cameras record all the time?
A hand adjusts a Ring Indoor Security Camera mounted on a wall.

There's an abundance of smart home security cameras available today, featuring everything from tiny indoor cameras to large outdoor floodlights. Products from Ring, Arlo, Wyze, and other major brands do a great job of protecting your property and giving you peace of mind -- but do security cameras record all the time?

The answer's not as straightforward as you'd expect. Here's a look at which types of products are likely to offer continuous video capture, and which only record when motion is detected.
Battery-powered units typically don't record all the time

Read more
Google Home adds new camera features and support for Nest Cam Outdoor
The interface on Google Home allowing you to capture custom clips.

Google Home is one of the best smart home platforms, and it's just gotten more exciting with the rollout of new camera features and support for the Nest Cam Outdoor. These updates are currently limited to Public Preview users, though we expect to see them launched to all users soon.

One of the biggest additions is support for the first-generation Nest Cam Outdoor. Google will be rolling out eligibility to users over the next few weeks -- so if you're a Public Preview user and don't have access right away, you may have to wait a bit longer. Once the feature has been pushed to your camera, you can use it like you would any other device in Google Home. This includes having access to an updated camera history interface.

Read more
How to properly place security cameras around your home
The Wyze Cam Floodlight security camera outdoors.

Security cameras have proven to be great deterrents, forcing would-be robbers to second-guess their devious acts. Despite this, some are brazen enough to go forward, which is why you should think about proper security camera placement. A well-placed camera will have a great field of view and be located in a place that makes the camera difficult to tamper with.

Here's an in-depth look at how to properly place security cameras around your home, ensuring you have eyes on everything that matters.
Facing entrances to the home

Read more