Ring offers its lowest-priced video doorbell camera yet

Ring offers its lowest-priced video doorbell camera yet
Ring Indoorcam. Credit: Ring

Ring, the company best known for its video doorbells, is unveiling its lowest-priced and first indoor security camera, Ring Indoor Cam, for $59.99.

The initial Ring doorbell sold for $199 until Amazon bought the company in 2018 and lowered the price to $99.

Most Ring products are aimed at curbing crime. But Ring founder Jamie Siminoff said consumers were using his outdoor products inside to remotely monitor their pets and babies and to confirm that their kids got home, so he wanted to come up with a dedicated pure indoor cam for them.

"Outdoor cameras require a lot of weatherproofing that's not needed for an indoor camera," so the company was able to lower prices accordingly.

Ring also unveiled a third edition of the Stick Up Cam, an outdoor security camera, available as Plug-In that connects to power outlets ($99.99), Battery ($99.99) or solar-powered ($148.99).

The Indoor Cam is available now, and the Stick Up Cam models begin shipping on Oct. 23.

At an event to unveil some 80 new products for the fall, Amazon touted several that are enabled with the personal assistant Alexa. For instance, Echo Frames, the $179 smart glasses that were introduced, connects to Alexa for directions, music playing and notifications. It demonstrated audio feedback from Ring that alerts the wearer about who's at the door.

Siminoff says he especially likes working with Amazon's Alexa Guard program, a skill that tells the personal assistant that the home dweller is out and can send phone notifications if the Echo detects the sound of smoke or carbon monoxide alarms or glass breaking. It can turn smart lights on or off as well as a security precaution.

"You can also set it from Ring," says Siminoff. "Our mission is to make neighborhoods safer so when we can integrate with Guard; that's great for our customers."

You can listen to our complete Talking Tech podcast interview with Siminoff below.

Ring attracted a wave of nasty headlines earlier this year when the Washington Post reported that the company had shared security videos from consumers created on their doorbells with some 400 .

This is true, but Siminoff says consumers have the right to withhold their videos.

"Ring has never, ever given police access to customers videos," he says. "We've allowed for communities to work together in a permission-based system."

Local law enforcement can request access to videos, and the consumer has three choices, says Siminoff: Yes, no or opt-out of the program.

"We're never putting our customers in a situation where video is given without their knowledge," he says.

(c)2019 U.S. Today
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