Nest Aware is the name of the service that Google already had on the market to allow us to record and consult everything that happens in front of the Nest Cams that we have installed throughout the house.
Now, those from Mountain View have announced the arrival of a new, improved service with the same name, but that will allow us to include all the devices we have at a more than reasonable price.
Nest Aware is a video surveillance service through Nest cameras, which allows users to know what happens inside their homes when they are away or at night while they sleep.
Nest, a company owned by Google, offers a variety of products. From the Nest Hello video doorbell to the Nest Cam IQ intelligent home camera. One of the keys to unlocking some of the best features available on some Nest devices is the company’s subscription service, Nest Aware. If you’ve been wondering what Nest Aware is, what it offers, and how much it costs, you’ve come to the right place.
What does Nest Aware do?
Nest Aware takes advantage of the connectivity of Nest Cam IQ, Nest Hello and Nest Cam Outdoor, and Nest Cam Outdoor IQ to add a wide range of features. You don’t need to use Nest Aware with Nest cameras or the video doorbell, but it offers more control and options over the base configuration.
What do Nest Cam and Nest Hello do without Nest Aware?
As standalone devices, Nest cameras and the Nest Hello video doorbell are always connected, which allows you to see, and hear remotely, send voice commands, and receive alerts when motion or sound is detected.
However, there is no recording. If you don’t pay for Nest Aware, recorded clips won’t save until there’s another Nest alert; like Nest Protect, that detects smoke, for example.
Without Nest Aware, Nest Cam and Nest Hello are monitoring devices with alerts to see what’s up when you receive them.
Nest Aware features
Camera Features
Regarding specifications, the Nest Cam Indoor is a camera with a quality of 2 MP. Although a priori, it may seem a somewhat limited resolution, seeing the quality of the images, we are confident that it is enough to appreciate any detail.
We have already indicated that its viewing angle is quite broad, up to 135º, with an aspect ratio of 16:9 and a digital zoom that you can activate at any time, which reaches up to 6x.
Regarding the video quality offered, it is Full HD of 1920 x 1080 pixels with a range of 30 fps, authoritative figures within the panorama of security cameras that you will find on the market. There is also HDR support and, as seems obvious, infrared night vision.
For those who wonder if there is the possibility of maintaining audio communication, tell them that the Nest Cam Indoor does have a built-in microphone and speaker to allow two-way communication on both sides.
Operation and Modes of use
If the configuration of Google devices stands out for something, it is for the simplicity during start-up and subsequent handling. If you have the Google Home application installed on your mobile, you will see that it is straightforward to add this new camera.
Once the camera is located within your Wi-Fi network environment, you must add it to the room or place where you have it, be it the living room, a room, or the house’s entrance. It will carry out the recordings in the background if you have it on.
A tiny green LED above the sensor indicates that the camera is on to identify its operation. We have scrolled through the interface options and have not found the option to deactivate it in case you want to remain anonymous.
However, it is a function that can be adjusted to your liking. Many users will want to keep the camera hidden if they enter their homes, not to persuade the thief that they are being recorded.
The Full HD image displayed on a mobile phone screen looks quite good, with the possibility of rotating it and placing the mobile horizontally to fill it.
The wide angle leaves some distortion in the form of a fish eye on the sides of the focused images. It can be annoying, but it is not something decisive that can cloud the excellent work of the camera. After all, they are not images for further editing.
Automatically, when the light intensity is not good enough, the camera switches to night vision mode to continue capturing scenes with a high level of detail.
Tinkering with the application interface, always within Google Home, we see that both on iOS and Android devices, the options are simple, complete, and the same. We can configure events to detect people, pets, or vehicles if you want to point toward a window.
It is also possible to delimit zones of movement on the focused image so that the camera enters recording mode only when the area of the front door is opened and not when someone moves inside the house.
Within the ‘Device functions’ setting, we have everything related to ‘Events, Video and Audio’ so that we can adjust the controls to our liking, such as the audio volume or the video quality with which the scenes will be saved.
We see here the option to rotate the image 180º on the orientation of the base, something beneficial if you install the camera on the upper part of the wall and the sensor is rotated concerning its base.
Within ‘Notifications,’ we can activate alarms for movement, but always under the umbrella of Google Home, without any possibility that these notifications can be exported to other applications or that they can be sent to various members of the house.
Under the ‘History’ tab, you will find all the events that have occurred in the last few hours and have been recorded. The timeline is easy to navigate, and the interface quickly responds to review what happened in the fast camera.
However, the significant limitation is when buying Google’s Nest Cam Indoor. By default, you will only get the video history of the last 3 hours, constantly deleting previous recordings chronologically.
It is not a disproportionate amount for everything you get in exchange, without worrying about activating or deactivating the camera or even limiting the recording areas or events if you do not want to lose details of something. Still, it is an additional cloud service that you will have to pay for.
Google also has another higher level called Nest Aware Plus, with which the video history by events is increased from 30 days to 60 days, in addition to the continuous video history reaching ten days.
The standard plan needs to include this possibility.
Google also has another higher level called Nest Aware Plus, with which the video history by events is increased from 30 days to 60 days, in addition to the continuous video history reaching ten days.
Video History
Video history is a key part of Nest Aware. Some cameras, like Netatmo Welcome, store content locally, periodically writing over old content when the camera is full. Nest cameras and Nest Hello don’t do this because they’re live-streaming devices.
It all depends on your subscription. The current offer will enable you to access the content on your device even if the device has been stolen or destroyed. This will allow you to keep 5, 10, or 30 days of video history. If there were alerts, you can check them and see what happened.
Activity Zones
It’s an intelligent feature. If you want to control a particular area, you can set it up, and Nest Aware will notify you if something happens in this area.
For example, you could use this feature to spy on your children. With it, you can only be notified when the cake cabinet is looted. Or you can ask Nest Hello to focus on the cars in front of the house and yard; instead of being alerted whenever something else happens in front of you.
Video Clips
It’s not just a security issue. Nest Cam and Nest Hello will also capture funny or trivial things you want to share.
With Nest Aware, you’ll be able to save to your Nest account plus share it on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, emails, or messages. Without it, you cannot save or share video clips.
Familiar face detection
Nest Cam IQ, Nest Cam Outdoor IQ, and Nest Hello offer person detection. They need to be created by a profile in the Nest app. But with Nest Aware, you can also get familiar face detection. Over time, you will teach your Nest Cam or Nest Hello to know who your grandmother or partner is.
If you have a Google Home device, you can also set up Google Assistant ads for Nest Hello. When Nest Cam IQ or Nest Hello detects a known person, the alert will say, for example, “Grandma is at the front door”; instead of a person standing at the front door. So your Google Home Mini or Nest Mini can notify you when your grandma is at the front door when the chime is activated.
Nest Aware Specification
Google Nest Cam Indoor (2021): Specifications
2Mp color sensor
135° diagonal field of view
6x digital zoom
16:9 aspect ratio
Up to 1080p (1920 x 1080) at 30 frames/sec
24/7 live view
HDR
Night vision (via Infrared LEDs)
H.264 encoding
3 hours of event video history
High-quality speaker and microphone
Full-duplex 2-way audio with noise cancellation
802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz/5GHz) Wi-Fi
WEP, WPA, WPA2, WPA3 encryption supported
Bluetooth low energy (BLE)
RGB status LED
3m cable
Pros
- Compact and elegant
- Easy to manage with Google Home
- Good quality video
Cons
- Limited video history (no subscription)
- No motor to rotate the sensor
- Does not support HomeKit
Our Verdict
Google has much to say regarding home security, with a compact camera that ensures good video quality. However, the Nest Aware subscription is a must; otherwise, it only offers 3 hours of video history.
Nest Aware FAQ
How to sign up for Nest aware?
· Go to the Nest website and log in to your account.
· Click on the “Subscriptions” tab in the top menu.
· Select the Nest Aware subscription that you want to purchase. Nest Aware is available in several different subscription plans, including basic and more advanced plans with additional features.
· Choose the devices that you want to include in your Nest Aware subscription.
· Review your subscription details and click “Continue” to proceed to the payment page.
· Enter your payment information and click “Submit” to complete your subscription purchase.
After you sign up for Nest Aware, you will be able to access the features and benefits of the subscription, such as continuous video recording, advanced motion and sound detection, and the ability to view your video history.
How to upgrade to Nest aware?
Nest Aware is available in several different subscription plans, including a basic and more advanced plan with additional features.
· Choose the devices that you want to include in your Nest Aware subscription.
· Review your subscription details and click “Continue” to proceed to the payment page.
· Enter your payment information and click “Submit” to complete your subscription purchase.
After you upgrade to Nest Aware, you can access the additional features and benefits of the subscription, such as continuous video recording, advanced motion and sound detection, and the ability to view your video history.
Add Nest Aware Subscription
The Nest subscription also has a feature called Close Ups for Nest Cam and Nest Hello. Nest will select a photo and zoom in on the action for each event you’re alerted to.
How much does Nest Aware cost?
Nest Aware will cost you $5 per month for a five-day history subscription and $10 per month for a 10-day history. If you want a 30-day history, it will cost you $30/month; It is quite expensive. You need a subscription for each Nest Cam or Nest Hello. But the price is slightly reduced for each subsequent camera.
With a monthly subscription, you can cancel anytime if you no longer want or need it. You can also pay annually, which will save you some money.
However, two new subscriptions will start to launch in early 2020, but they are much cheaper, especially for those with multiple devices. The standard subscription costs $6 a month and covers 30 days of video history from all your Nest devices in your home.
The second option, called Nest Aware Plus, costs $12 a month. It offers 60 days of events and 10 days of video history. Again, this will cover all your devices, making it much cheaper for those with multiple Nest cameras.
Can I get Nest Aware for free?
Yes, it’s available for a 30-day trial for all Nest cameras, including the Nest Hello video doorbell.
How to Activate Nest aware?
If you have already purchased a Nest Aware subscription, you should see it listed under “My Subscriptions.”
Click on the Nest Aware subscription that you want to activate.
Follow the prompts to activate your subscription. It may include choosing the devices you want to have in your Nest Aware subscription and agreeing to the terms and conditions.
Once your subscription is activated, you can access the features and benefits of Nest Aware, such as continuous video recording, advanced motion and sound detection, and the ability to view your video history.
If you still need to purchase a Nest Aware subscription, you will need to do so before you can activate it. To purchase a Nest Aware subscription, follow the steps outlined in the previous answer.
