The 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) took place last week, Jan. 6-9, in sunny Las Vegas, and while most physical security companies save their unveilings for March, when the security industry gathers in the same Sin City for ISC West, CES provided an interesting look at what sort of security products are appealing to the consumer right now — especially in the smart home.
Blue by ADT
DIY surveillance was by far the hugest security trend at CES, but the most notable DIY offering came from no other than the No. 1 company on the SDM 100: ADT. Blue by ADT is a flexible, extensible DIY system that allows customers to customize a smart home security system on their own terms, with no long-term contracts required (self-monitoring is an option, as is 24/7 professional ADT monitoring, for as little as $19.99 a month). And while customers will be installing these devices themselves, Blue by ADT professionals are available to talk them through the DIY setup. Unveiled at CES were the Blue by ADT Indoor Camera, the Blue by ADT Outdoor Camera and the Blue by ADT Doorbell Camera (all of which can be used on their own or as a part of a complete system). The doorbell camera, in particular, could surpass the controversial Ring Doorbell Camera from Amazon; Blue has a greater field of view, facial recognition and more integrations than Ring. And with its modern, Millennial marketing, it’s worth following how this product release is received. www.bluebyadt.com.
Vervet
Eureka Park is a unique part of the CES show floor. Dedicated to startups, this is where new ideas are funded, partnerships are formed and new acquisitions happen. It’s in the smart home section of Eureka Park that Vervet — a portable personal security device — was located. Vervet detects threats such as smoke, gases, intrusion and more, and sends alerts straight to your phone. The device simply hangs on the doorknob of whatever hotel, Airnbnb or home you are in, as if you have your own personal security guard following you everywhere you go. www.vervet.tech.
Hoop Cam
Another new DIY surveillance camera, the Hoop Cam differentiates itself in its notification method. After conducting a survey which found that customers of existing DIY surveillance cameras were annoyed by the onslaught of notifications, Hoop decided to do things differently. With the Hoop Cam, consumers can teach Hoop its family’s routines, and choose to be notified when a chore or lesson needs to be done (for example, you can notify a family member when you would like the trash to be taken out, remotely). And for all other notifications, consumers can be extremely selective as to what they would like to be notified about, and when. www.myhoophome.com.
SimCam 1S
News of the hacking of home surveillance cameras (DIY home surveillance cameras, in particular) has been everywhere lately, and the innovative companies at CES were armed with solutions. One of these solutions, the SimCam 1S, processes data with artificial intelligence only on the device, protecting user privacy with bank-level encryption. The device does not require a monthly cloud service fee, and includes other features such as object tracking, 360-degree tracking, 1080P recording, lag-free live stream, two-way audio, facial recognition and geofencing. www.simcam.ai.
spexor
spexor — a product of Bosch’s start-up platform — is a mobile warning device that detects break-ins in various environments, including cars, mobile homes, cabins and rentals. Without any sort of camera, spexor sensors monitor pressure, noises and movement. If several sensors detect a change, spexor notifies the consumer on their smart phone, where they can make the decision to take care of it themselves, use Bosch Emergency Assistance or call the police. www.spexor-bosch.com.
Halo Touch
Kwikset’s newest offering, the Halo Touch Wi-Fi enabled smart lock, uses unique fingerprints to lock and unlock doors. With just the Kwikset app and a smart phone, users can manage the lock from anywhere to lock and unlock, manage users, view lock activity, receive lock notifications and more. And the design doesn’t sacrifice style, offering the latest in contemporary and traditional styles and a variety of leading finishes. www.kwikset.com.
Kangaroo Privacy Camera
The Kangaroo may look like a normal security camera, but the difference is in the glass. The device touts a PDLC Glass Privacy Shield which can shut down both the camera and the mic, taking them offline and inaccessible from prying eyes and ears — a feature which consumers have seemingly been yearning for. Additional features include two-way audio, motion alerts, Alexa compatibility, cloud storage, night vision, real-time alerts and a two-minute setup. www.camera.heykangaroo.com.
