Tag: intercom

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Smart Home

Nucleus intercom system avoids the horror of walking to another room

The intercom of yesteryear is a patently outdated fixture in most homes. So much so, in fact, that most homeowners probably don’t even use it. Considering the increasingly connected direction homes are going in, intercoms are wildly limited in scope and unpleasant to look at to boot.

Taking a product name page out of Gavin Belson’s playbook, Nucleus hopes to become the modern intercom system for the connected home. The Wi-Fi enabled, slimly-shaped slab can either be mounted on a wall or propped up on a table to facilitate instant communication with any other Nucleus device around the world with a tap or voice command. The company boasts connection speeds of less than 200 milliseconds, or about the time it takes someone to blink, through tight integration of all components and software.

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Smart Home

SandboxHome packs in multiple components for a smart security system

Finding a home security system that’s both effective and affordable tends to be a somewhat impossible task. Starter kits are always available, but lack necessary features or only offer enough equipment to target a specific area of the home.

SandboxHome is designed to take all of the advancements in smart home security, bundle them together, and provide enough equipment to cover all the important parts of the home with adequate security. The SandboxHome kit starts with five intrusion tags that can be placed on any door or window to send an alert when these apertures are opened or entered without permission. Next, two HD video cameras are included to allow photo and video recording of any intruders or live feeds of the home’s activity.

Add to this a smart doorbell that has a built in intercom and HD camera so any visitor can be greeted or screened appropriately. For those that prefer a more traditional security system, an optional service of 24/7 live monitoring by security operators can be added in to make sure someone is responding to any break-ins as quickly as possible. SandboxHome has set its goal at $50,000 to assemble the prototypes and build relationships with manufacturers and assemblers. Everything in the SandboxHome system can be purchased for $400, with delivery in March 2015.

Single devices have popped up recently to offer the smart doorbell/doorman system, or the live feeds from security cameras placed in the home, but SandboxHome is offering all of that functionality at a price that’s actually pretty reasonable. The app looks fully featured and easy to use, and for homeowners or renters looking to just make one purchase to encapsulate their entire security needs, this may be the product for them.

 

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Home Smart Home

Kuna embeds a smart camera in a porch light to scare off intruders

Home security is a big concern for people worldwide. The old security systems of the 80’s and 90’s rely on off-site, outsourced professionals to contact the authorities and hope for a response in time. This technology needs an upgrade.

Kuna is a combination outdoor light and smart camera that allows owners to get notifications when someone approaches their door and, using the Kuna app, see them, talk with them, or sound an alarm. Disguised as a stylish exterior home light in one of three available styles, Kuna has all the function and convenience of an app-controlled outdoor light.

The fact that Kuna also includes a fully functional security camera with all the bells and whistles is a welcome addition. Operating on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0, Kuna is easy to install and easy to use. Kuna is raising $50,000 to complete testing and ship out units. A donation of $149 is all it takes to provide peace of mind with a Kuna.

This isn’t the first smart camera and intercom system that’s been released on the market, but it may be the most multi-functional and most discreet; great for making a home look welcoming poorer for deterring unwanted guests outright.