Google Nest Doorbell

While they have their shortcomings, there’s a lot to love about Google’s latest lineup of Nest Cameras and the new Nest Doorbell, the battery especially. However, it seems a lot of Nest Camera and Nest Doorbell owners up north are having battery issues in the cold weather with these products.

As has been the case for a few years running, Google is currently rolling out its holiday-themed ringtones to Nest Doorbells, this year with a special addition.

Google’s updated Nest Cam products come with several advantages such as offline storage, battery power, and lower prices. However, they also come with some frustrating problems including the current lack of support for streaming Nest Cam video to Chromecast or Android TV.

Most smart home gear isn’t for everyone, but a smart doorbell is a piece of tech that arguably most folks should have installed. Google’s Nest Hello was one of the best options for a smart doorbell for years, but it came at a hefty cost and, as the competition improved, fell behind on many features. The new Nest Doorbell brings an updated design, a built-in battery, and several more new features. 

The latest Nest lineup brings new cameras and a doorbell, but these products don’t work with the original Nest app at all. The Google Home app is missing some key features, including the ability to get a manual clip from recordings or see live Nest Cam feeds through the web, but Google says both of these are coming.

In launching the new Nest Doorbell (battery) in early August, Google also rebranded the old Nest Hello and continued selling it. Google today told customers that it’s launching a second-generation Nest Doorbell (wired) in 2022.

Google’s Nest doorbell lineup is about to take part in a yearly tradition of custom ringtones to celebrate the holidays. Alongside those yearly tones, though, Google has also confirmed that it will finally be expanding ringtone options on the Nest Doorbell.

The new Nest Cam (battery) and Doorbell (battery) will launch on August 24 in several countries, and ahead of that Google has released videos showing the set-up process. We also get to see more of the Nest Cam with floodlight variant.

One emerging critique of Google’s new camera lineup is focused on how the magnetic-only nature of Nest Cam (battery) means it can be easily stolen. A third-party Anti-Theft Mount is sold separately, but Google also maintains a Cam replacement policy. 

Like with the $129 Nest Thermostat that launched last year, the Google Home app is needed to control the new Nest Doorbell and Cam lineup. The companion client will be updated with several camera features in the process.

The last security camera to come out of Google’s Nest brand was the Hello doorbell over three years ago. Google today announced a successor with the Nest Doorbell.