Google just launched a new set of Nest cameras, and this time the big upgrade isn’t only about sharper video but also about adding Gemini AI into the mix.
If you’ve ever wished your security camera could actually tell you what’s going on instead of just sending a vague “motion detected” alert, that’s pretty much what these new Nest devices are aiming for.
There are three of them: the new wired Nest Outdoor Camera, a wired Indoor Camera, and a wired Nest Doorbell. Prices start at around $100 for the indoor one and go up to $180 for the doorbell. They come in the usual neutral colors, but the indoor version even has a bright berry red option if you like your gadgets to stand out instead of blending in.
On the hardware side, Google has given all three cameras 2K resolution with HDR, which means the video looks a lot sharper and clearer, even in low light or at night. The field of view is wider too, so you’re getting more of the scene captured in every clip. That part is nice, but it’s really Gemini AI that makes the difference.
Instead of just letting you know something moved, the camera can describe what’s happening. For example, it could tell you that a delivery driver dropped off a package, or that your cat knocked over a vase in the living room. If you’ve turned on face recognition, it might even be able to say who in the family was spotted outside or in a certain room.
There’s also this new feature called Ask Home, which sounds like one of the coolest things Google has added in a while. Rather than sitting there scrubbing through hours of footage to find one moment, you can just ask Gemini something like “What happened to the vase in the living room?” and it will pull up the right clip. That feels like the kind of AI feature that’s actually useful in everyday life.
The new cameras also come with a few other quality-of-life improvements like a summary feature that quickly tells you what happened over the past few hours, the ability to zoom in and focus on one spot, and six hours of free event history instead of three. All of this runs through the updated Google Home app, which has been redesigned to be faster and simpler, and will eventually replace the old Nest app completely.
Of course, if you want the full set of smart features, you’ll need a Google Home Premium subscription, which starts at $10 a month. If that feels steep, you can always look at cheaper options like Walmart’s Onn cameras, though those are more barebones and don’t have the AI smarts.
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