00:00Check this out. You walk up to your front door hands-free, phone still in your
00:05pocket, your doorbell recognizes your face and determines that your phone is
00:09within range. And without lifting a finger, the door automatically unlocks.
00:13While this may sound futuristic, you can actually do this right now with ADT's
00:17new ADT Plus home security system, which combines traditional security with the
00:22best smart home devices from Google and Yale. However, its standout feature is
00:27the new trusted neighbor service. Your network of neighbors, family or friends
00:32can help you take care of your home while you're away, even while you're
00:35completely offline. With their new trusted neighbor feature, ADT is aiming to do more
00:39than just traditional home security like protecting your home from theft, fires or
00:43leaks. With the new system, they're creating a smarter, more connected home
00:47that helps you automate routines or address smaller issues that don't
00:51necessarily require emergency services. ADT Plus combines Google Nest doorbells,
00:56cameras, and smart displays like this one with its safety and monitoring
01:00sensors. The system provides real-time alerts for video monitoring and
01:04automation through Google's smart devices, along with ADT's own suite of
01:08sensors for motion detection, door and window movement, water leaks, and smoke and
01:12CO2 alerts. Beyond its security features, integration with Google Home allows you to
01:16control a wide range of other compatible smart devices like lights, locks, and room and
01:21temperature, all from the same app. This integration with Google Home has existed for
01:24several years now, but new for this year, ADT is introducing its trusted neighbor
01:28feature, which lets you assign specific roles to people that you trust, giving
01:32them access to your home in predefined situations. The idea is you want or need
01:38someone to enter your house, but only at certain times under certain circumstances.
01:42But how does it all work? The trusted neighbor feature uses Google Nest's
01:46doorbell facial recognition to offer hands-free entry, automatically unlocking its
01:50paired Yale smart lock. For example, you might want to grant access to your dog
01:54walker for an hour every Monday morning or allow your neighbor to enter your home to
01:58put away a package once it's recognized on the doorbell. This access can be time
02:02restricted in increments of one hour up to 24 hours with the option to set
02:06notifications for both you and the trusted contact. It'd be great, though, in my
02:10opinion, if ADT added shorter time increments, say, for example, five minutes or
02:1430 minutes for simpler tasks like bringing the package through or watering your
02:18plants. They don't need that much time. Now, one of the key benefits with this
02:21system is that it eliminates the need for physical keys or shared passcodes,
02:24which can be easily duplicated or misused. Speaking from past experiences, I've
02:29had packages pile up while I've been out of town and the ability to just let a
02:33trusted neighbor in to quickly handle it would have been great. Testing this out,
02:37I received an alert when a package was sighted by the doorbell and thanks to the
02:40flexibility of the system, my trusted neighbor could safely enter and bring
02:44everything inside. ADT's total safety package is modular, so if you want to add
02:49more devices or features later, it's easy to do so without a complete overhaul.
02:53Right away.
02:58And its integration with devices like the Google Nest Hub allows you to monitor
03:04your system through voice commands or touch controls. You can ask Google to show
03:08you the front door camera, lock the back door. But of course, if you're already using
03:11Alexa or Apple HomeKit and you're heavily invested in those systems, the Google
03:15centric nature of ADT Plus may not be for you as it lacks compatibility with those
03:18ecosystems. Now, let me show you the hardware I've got set up.
03:22Front and center is the Google Nest doorbell. It's the first line of monitoring,
03:26detecting strangers, packages, deliveries, and even recognizing those familiar faces.
03:30Inside, there's a door sensor that detects when the front door opens or closes. And on the left side
03:35of that door is the ADT touch screen. This display gives me a quick view of the system's status and lets me arm
03:41or disarm it in seconds. It's clean, modern, and it blends in with the rest of the setup.
03:46Above the door, there's a motion detector that covers the living room and kitchen area.
03:51On my living room bookshelf is the Nest indoor camera. It's small and discreet,
03:55but gives me full visibility of the key areas in my home, even in low light. Underneath that,
03:59we've got the massive Google Nest Max display, which ties everything together. It lets me check on my
04:04cameras, control my smart devices, and see and respond to alerts. And in the kitchen,
04:08I've added another Nest Max, mostly for music and following along with the recipes while I cook.
04:13And while it's not directly tied in with the security system, extras like the Google Nest
04:17thermostat can be bundled together with your ADT package since it's so well integrated with that
04:21Google ecosystem. In the hallway is the main ADT Plus hub. This acts as the brain for the whole system
04:27and it's got a couple of unique features. Aside from having the keypad and function buttons for arming
04:33and disarming the system or calling emergency services like the police, fire, or paramedics,
04:37the idea with this is that it can be moved to any central location in your home,
04:42so it can reach and communicate with your other ADT sensors without having dead spots.
04:46The hub's other main function, which you'll never really notice unless you're checking your
04:49notifications in the app, is that it's responsible for updating the other hardware remotely.
04:55Now, here's one of my favorite parts. Everything communicates wirelessly. And aside from the ADT
04:59display, which just needs a few screws to install, the whole system is very renter friendly and modular.
05:05For someone like me who likes to move around a lot, having a security system that is this flexible
05:10is a huge plus. Finally, there's the ADT smoke and carbon monoxide detector, which will automatically
05:15notify emergency services if triggered, and the water and temperature sensors to warn you about
05:20frozen pipes and leaks before they turn into disasters. One thing to keep in mind is that ADT
05:25Plus isn't the cheapest home security option out there, but you're paying for a full service package
05:30that's deeply integrated with Google's ecosystem. For most people, the front door protection package
05:34can be a great entry point. It's usually priced at $718, but is currently available for $359.
05:40This covers the basics and includes the ADC base, motion detector, door and window sensors,
05:45the Yale smart lock, and of course, the Google Nest doorbell. The total safety package bumps things up
05:49with additional sensors, an indoor and two outdoor cameras. That one is currently listed for about $823,
05:56which is a decent deal considering all the additional hardware you're getting. Beyond the upfront cost for
06:00hardware though, you'll need to factor in the price for professional monitoring, which starts at $44.99
06:05per month with a minimum one month commitment. This plan also includes access to Google Nest to wear,
06:10which would typically cost $8 a month on its own. So if you already use Google Nest products,
06:15this might feel like a win-win. That said, before deciding if ADT Plus is right for securing your home,
06:20there are a couple things you should keep in mind. First, just like with a lot of other home security
06:25companies, ADT's hardware is proprietary. And so with their sensors, their base, you won't be able
06:30to move it to a new service if you decide to switch. That said, if you do want to switch,
06:33you can continue to use all the Nest hardware, including the cameras, the displays, and the
06:38doorbell. And if you want, you can subscribe to Nest Aware if you want to have that extended video
06:42playback. But maybe even a bigger point than that is even though the system can be completely hands-free
06:47to re-enter your home, you might not want to keep it that way. By default and recommended by ADT,
06:53the system will actually send a notification to your phone asking for confirmation before unlocking
06:57the door. And while that does kind of take away from some of the magic of this system,
07:01it does give me extra peace of mind knowing that it's not going to misidentify someone or get spoofed.
07:06And because this feature is still in beta, there's of course going to be room to improve,
07:09but also I'd imagine over time, potential vulnerabilities that could be found. So keeping
07:14that extra layer of security is probably the way to go, at least for right now.
07:19On a positive note though, the core functionality of your ADT plus trusted neighbor system continues
07:24to work just as well, even without facial recognition. You'll still be able to grant control
07:29and secure access to your home. Your neighbors will just have to use the app in order to auto
07:33unlock your door when they're ready to enter, which again, I think is a smarter choice.
07:38But let's ask the real question here, is a system that depends on other people, no matter how much you
07:43trust them worth potential risks. You're essentially handing over control, albeit selectively and
07:49securely to others. If you have a solid network of people that you can rely on, ADT plus offers
07:53incredible convenience and peace of mind, which could justify the additional costs. But it's also
07:58important to ask yourself if you're comfortable with the idea of external help having access to your
08:02home. The balance between convenience and security is delicate, and in the end, it's all about how much
08:08trust you're willing to invest both in your neighbors and your technology. But let me know
08:13what you think about the brand new ADT plus trusted neighbor home security system with facial
08:17recognition being such a core feature. Is this something you'd add to your home today?
08:22Thanks for watching. Till the next one. Catch you later.
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