Google is updating its Nest smart home platform, introduce a new feature and are making a long-awaited change. First, garage door detection is leaving the Public Preview program and coming to “all compatible Nest Cam users” via the Google Home app. From now on, Nest cameras will alert you if you leave your garage door open, without the need for any additional sensors or hardware.
According to a Google Nest Help Support PageThere are certain requirements that must be met. For example, homeowners must place their device inside or outside their home, with a clear, unobstructed view of the door.
Indoors, the camera must be at least 10 feet away and not directly obstructed by “intense light sources.” Outdoors, the door must occupy “at least 30 percent” of the lens’s view, and the device cannot be placed too high. Notifications will appear on your smartphone “if the door has been open for more than five minutes.”
As mentioned, you need to own a compatible device. The full list can be found on the Google Nest Community blog , but to name a few, they include the second-generation Nest Cam and the battery-powered Nest Cam . You also need to have a subscription to Nest-conscious and live in the United States or Canada, as the feature is not available elsewhere.
New Nest Hello Support
Additionally, Google is giving the “first-generation wired Nest Doorbell” access to Public Preview, though you may know it better as the Nest Hello. Owners of the device have been excluded from the program for years, though the company has recently decided to allow older Nesting models for the program – albeit at a snail’s pace.
The new support will allow users to manage their Nest Hello alongside other smart home gadgets through the Google Home app. Additional features are also part of the package. These include Google’s enhanced “camera history” experience, which allows users to quickly switch between timeline and event list views.
Since it is part of the public preview, you can provide feedback to the company at any time.
The official Nest Help website has instructions on how to join the program, and it’s pretty straightforward. In the Google Home app, you’ll find Public Preview access in the Settings menu, while on the website, all you have to do is click the yellow cup icon in the corner. Then work your way through the various panels and you’re good to go.
Also check out TechRadar’s list of the best home security cameras of 2024.
