Monica Chin/Business Insider
- D-Link unveiled a set of AI-powered home security cameras at CES 2020.
- A number of smart security cameras debuted at the Las Vegas trade show, but D-Link's were the cutest ones I saw, with a design that will fit nicely in pretty much any home.
- You'll be able to buy the Full HD Pan and Tilt Pro Wi-Fi Camera for $99.99 in Q2 of 2020, and the Full HD Indoor and Outdoor Pro Wi-Fi Camera for $119.99 in Q3 of 2020.
Hundreds of new smart home devices debut every year at CES, and it's easy to get sick of it all. So it's refreshing to see devices that look entirely new, with features that distinctly improve the user experience.
D-Link, which you probably know for its routers, announced two new AI-powered security cameras at CES 2020, and they're some of the nicest-looking smart home products I saw at the show. I like them because they're not trying to be lofty, premium products; they're just giving people what they want.
D-Link has released security cameras in previous years, and they were perfectly functional - but they were also hideous. Before you roll your eyes, just take a look at the Full HD Pan & Tilt or the Mini HD Wi-Fi camera. See what I mean? They're downright dystopian. They look like cameras that would roll around a spaceship to keep an eye out for mischievous aliens.
But even if I hadn't approached D-Link's booth at CES with very low expectations, I would have liked these cameras' designs. While D-Link hasn't released the devices' exact dimensions, they're quite small; I can fit them both in the palm of my (small) hand.
A product's design isn't everything, but it certainly matters, especially in cases where the device is going to become a visible fixture in your home. A security camera should blend with your decor.
The new Full HD Pan has a similar design to that of other panning cameras, such as the Wyze Cam Pan. But I particularly like the rounded top and bottom, which gives the whole thing a friendly look - like something that belongs on a bookshelf, or coffee table. Meanwhile, Meanwhile, the Full HD Indoor and Outdoor Pro Wi-Fi Camera looks like a smaller version of Google's Nest Cam IQ.
Design isn't the only aspect of these cameras that stands out. They also carry a decent set of features over from previous D-Link cameras, including compatibility with Alexa and Google Assistant and two-way audio through a built-in microphone and speaker.
There are also a few features that D-Link is debuting with these cameras. For one, they can tell the difference between people and other objects, so you won't have to worry about getting a security alert every time your cat walks past the camera. It can also learn the difference between human faces, so you'll be able to set the D-Link app to send you alerts when a stranger walks past the camera, but ignore when your roommate does. Those processes occur locally over your network, eliminating the privacy concerns that come with cloud processing and limiting the amount that D-Link knows about your behavior.
Both cameras also come with glass-break detection. The company told me this feature is very difficult to trick - I'll be able to confirm or deny that statement when I've spent more time with these devices.
You'll be able to buy the Full HD Pan and Tilt Pro Wi-Fi Camera for $99.99 in Q2 of 2020, and the Full HD Indoor and Outdoor Pro Wi-Fi Camera for $119.99 in Q3 of 2020.
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