It was over in an instant. The 2018 edition of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas concluded on January 12 after four days of action. MakeUseOf was there for the time being; Check out our videos on YouTube if you haven't already.
Now that the stalls have cleared and the initial excitement has worn off, it's time to step back and take a closer look at what we saw.
Sure, some parts of this year's show were a bit underwhelming. I went to CES 2018 and it was pretty disappointing I went to CES 2018 and it was pretty disappointing For the first time in its long history, MakeUseOf has made the trip to the Consumer Electronics Show. (ESC). We brought three of our best (and myself) along for the ride. Read More great products for you. On day 2, we visited Sony. Read More 5 superpowers you can get at CES 2018:Drones, instant camera and more. 5 superpowers you can get at CES 2018:drones, instant camera and more. Some of the tech at CES 2018 can give you superpowers. Here are three of the best! Read more.
Smart doorbells What is a smart doorbell and what should I buy? What is a smart doorbell, and what should you buy? Doorbells that provide two-way communication, enable remote monitoring and send alerts directly to your smartphone? We are not talking about the future:all this (and more) is already possible with smart doorbells. Read More We had a chat with representatives from Blink, Zmodo, Vivint and Ring to find out what their respective products offer. Here's what we discovered.
Let's go straight to the good stuff. The standout winner of this year's show was the video doorbell doorbell. But what made it so impressive?
Well, you've got the basics nailed down. You'd expect every smart doorbell to offer HD video and motion detection, and Blink doesn't disappoint.
When someone comes to your door and rings the bell, you will instantly receive a notification on your phone and the video will start recording. If you want, you can join a live stream with your visitor and have a two-way conversation. This feature will work from anywhere in the world.
As you'll see in the video below, Blink has two additional selling points that help it stand out from the competition:price and the ease of installation .
Blink confirmed to us that the device will go on sale for $99 if you already own one of Blink's hubs or $129 for a full system. In an unusual twist for this industry, you don't need to buy a subscription to use this service; All cloud storage is free.
The hubs, called sync modules, are small. They fit comfortably in the palm of your hand, so you can hide them discreetly around your home. Remember, the company has been selling smart camera systems for a while; If you already have a Blink smart camera, you already have a Sync Module. Adding your new smart doorbell to the system is easy.
Blink's ease of installation also impressed us. While some smart doorbells will only work if they're connected to your home's existing wiring, the Blink product runs on two AA batteries. The batteries will last two years before you need to change them. The device offers a hardwired option, should you wish to use it.
Lastly, it's worth noting that the Blink smart doorbell offers IFTTT and Amazon Alexa integrations, though it's not entirely clear what voice control brings to the world of smart doorbells.
The Blink Video Doorbell is the best smart doorbell we've seen. It will go on sale in the coming months and will be available in several colors..
Zmodo Greet Pro Smart Video Doorbell with WiFi Extender, Full HD 180 Degree Full Angle Camera, 5GHz/2.4GHz Dual Band Capability Zmodo Greet Pro Smart Video Doorbell with WiFi Extender, Full 180 Degree Wide Angle Camera HD, 5GHz/2.4GHz dual-band capability Buy Now On Amazon $529.99
Zmodo also had a booth at the show. The company had a range of smart devices covering indoor monitoring, outdoor monitoring, doorbells and smart home security. How smart home security systems save money and keep you safe. How smart home security systems save money and personalize your personalization. protect yourself and your family and control exactly how you want to secure your home for a fraction of the price of traditional security systems. Read more.
The company's demo was decidedly less impressive than Blink's, as its devices didn't work properly. However, all businesses are susceptible to a “Bill Gates Moment,” so what is the device really like?
Zmodo offers three smart doorbells:Greet Pro, Greet Universal, and Greet 1.5. It brought the Greet Pro, the company's best smart doorbell, to CES. The Greet Pro provides 1080p resolution video, a 180-degree viewing angle, and works on 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi networks. The viewing angle can be adjusted through the accompanying app.
Like the Blink product, the Zmodo Greet Pro includes motion sensors, real-time smartphone alerts, and two-way dialogue from anywhere in the world via the app. You can even pre-record a message for your visitors when you don't feel like answering the door.
It differs from Blink's offering in two critical areas. First of all, it is much more expensive. A single unit will set you back $179. Second, it can't run on batteries; You need to connect it to a main power supply.
If you choose a Zmodo Greet Pro, you will have access to three pricing plans. The entry level is free, but the videos are only available for 36 hours. Seven days of saved recordings are $4.99 per month, while 30 days are $9.99.
Vivint doorbell camera Vivint doorbell camera Buy now on Amazon
Vivint came to CES with its second-generation smart doorbell, the Vivint Doorbell Camera. The rep confirmed that we could expect to see a new third generation in the third quarter of 2018. The existing second generation model retails for around $160.
Given that the second-gen model is a couple of years old, it's no surprise that it lags behind some of its competitors from a hardware standpoint. For example, video is only available in 720p, as opposed to the 1080p we saw on the Blink and Zmodo models, and it only works on 2.4GHz Wi-Fi networks.
Other features, however, are present. The device offers two-way talk and motion detection.
The Vivint Doorbell camera works as expected. If someone rings the doorbell, your smartphone will immediately send you a notification. If you wish, you can jump directly into a live chat.
The device stands out even more thanks to Vivant's existing product line. Integrates with your smart locks, garage door openers 4 Ways a Smart Garage Door Opener Will Simplify Your Life 4 Ways a Smart Garage Door Opener Will Simplify Your Life Garages are great, garage doors are frustrating. Smart garage door openers can help. Read More
If you subscribe to Vivint Playback, you can even access DVR footage from up to four cameras for 30 days. You can watch short 30-second clips in the attached app without subscribing.
On the downside, the device suffers from the subscription model. The company is not well informed about the cost of a subscription on its website, and urges you to "call for a quote."
Doorbell Video Doorbell Pro, Works with Alexa (Existing Doorbell Wiring Required) Doorbell Video Doorbell Pro, Works with Alexa (Existing Doorbell Wiring Required) Buy Now On Amazon $249.00
Ring made a big splash at CES thanks to the presence of basketball legend Shaquille O'Neal in his booth. In truth, the smart doorbell wasn't the star of the company's show. Instead, Ring wanted to underscore that it is expanding beyond door chimes with a rollout of smart lights and a comprehensive security system.
Ring offers four smart doorbells, each at different prices and with different features. The entry-level Video Doorbell ships for $179, the second-generation model is $199, while the Pro and Elite retail for $249 and $499, respectively.
The first and second generation models are generally the same. The only notable update is a change from 780p video to 1080p on the newer product. You can run both models via battery or hardwired.
Interestingly, the Pro model removes the battery option, although it does add support for 5GHz Wi-Fi networks. It does, however, add advanced motion detection (which can theoretically tell the difference between human movement and other forms of movement) and a wide range of colors.
Finally, the top-of-the-line Elite model adds Ethernet-based network connectivity, giving you the ultimate peace of mind when you're away from home. This is Ring's best smart doorbell.
Here are the four smart doorbells that made a lasting impression on the Make Use Of team at CES 2018. As mentioned above, Blink's next model was the most impressive, in our opinion.
Do you have a product from one of the four manufacturers we discussed? Will you add a smart doorbell to your system? Or still not impressed, will you give smart doorbells a wide berth?
