00:01Check 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 a new system, they're creating a smarter, more connected home that helps
00:48you automate routines or address smaller issues that don't necessarily require
00:52emergency services. ADT Plus combines Google Nest doorbells, cameras and
00:57smart displays like this one with its safety and monitoring sensors. The system
01:01provides real-time alerts for video monitoring and automation through
01:04Google's smart devices, along with ADT's own suite of sensors for motion
01:08detection, door and window movement, water leaks and smoke and CO2 alerts. Beyond its
01:14security features, integration with Google Home allows you to control a wide
01:17range of other compatible smart devices like lights, locks and room and
01:21temperature, all from the same app. This integration with Google Home has
01:24existed for several years now, but new for this year, ADT is introducing its trusted
01:28neighbor feature, which lets you assign specific roles to people that you trust,
01:32giving them access to your home in predefined situations. The idea is you want or
01:37need someone to enter your house, but only at certain times under certain
01:41circumstances. But how does it all work? The trusted neighbor feature uses Google
01:45Nest's doorbell facial recognition to offer hands-free entry, automatically
01:49unlocking its paired Yale smart lock. For example, you might want to grant access
01:53to your dog walker for an hour every Monday morning, or allow your neighbor to
01:57enter your home to put away a package once it's recognized on the doorbell. This
02:01access can be time-restricted in increments of one hour up to 24 hours, with the
02:05option to set notifications for both you and the trusted contact. It'd be great
02:09though, in my opinion, if ADT added shorter time increments, say for example, five
02:13minutes or 30 minutes, for simpler tasks like bringing the package through or
02:17watering your plants. They don't need that much time. Now, one of the key
02:20benefits with this system is that it eliminates the need for physical keys or
02:24shared passcodes, which can be easily duplicated or misused. Speaking from past
02:28experiences, I've had packages pile up while I've been out of town, and the
02:32ability to just let a trusted neighbor in to quickly handle it would have been
02:36great. Testing this out, I received an alert when a package was sighted by the
02:39doorbell, and thanks to the flexibility of the system, my trusted neighbor could
02:43safely enter and bring everything inside. ADT's total safety package is modular, so
02:48if you want to add more devices or features later, it's easy to do so
02:51without a complete overhaul.
02:57Right away.
03:01And 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. Front and center
03:23is the Google Nest doorbell. It's the first line of monitoring, detecting strangers,
03:27packages, deliveries, and even recognizing those familiar faces. Inside, there's a
03:31door 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
03:40system status and lets me arm or disarm it in seconds. It's clean, modern, and it
03:45blends in with the rest of the setup. Above the door, there's a motion detector
03:48that covers the living room and kitchen area. On my living room bookshelf is the
03:52Nest indoor camera. It's small and discreet, but gives me full visibility of the key
03:56areas in my home, even in low light. Underneath that, we've got the massive
04:01Google 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, I've
04:09added another Nest Max, mostly for music and following along with the recipes
04:12while I cook. And while it's not directly tied in with the security system, extras
04:16like the Google Nest thermostat can be bundled together with your ADT package
04:20since it's so well integrated with that Google ecosystem. In the hallway is the
04:24main ADT plus hub. This acts as the brain for the whole system, and it's got a
04:28couple of unique features. Aside from having the keypad and function buttons for
04:32arming and disarming the system, or calling emergency services like the police, fire, or
04:37paramedics, the idea with this is that it can be moved to any central location in
04:41your home, so it can reach and communicate with your other ADT sensors
04:44without having dead spots. The hub's other main function, which you'll never
04:48really notice unless you're checking your notifications in the app, is that it's
04:52responsible for updating the other hardware remotely. Now here's one of my
04:56favorite parts. Everything communicates wirelessly. And aside from the ADT
04:59display, which just needs a few screws to install, the whole system is very
05:03renter friendly and modular. For someone like me who likes to move around a lot,
05:07having a security system that is this flexible is a huge plus. Finally, there's
05:12the ADT smoke and carbon monoxide detector, which will automatically notify
05:15emergency services if triggered, and the water and temperature sensors to warn you
05:19about frozen pipes and leaks before they turn into disasters. One thing to keep in
05:24mind is that ADT plus isn't the cheapest home security option out there, but you're
05:28paying for a full service package that's deeply integrated with Google's
05:32ecosystem. For most people, the front door protection package can be a great entry
05:36point. It's usually priced at $718, but it's currently available for $359. This
05:40covers the basics and includes the ADC base, motion detector, door and window
05:44sensors, the Yale smart lock, and of course the Google Nest doorbell. The total
05:48safety package bumps things up with additional sensors and indoor and two
05:52outdoor cameras. That one is currently listed for about $823, which is a decent
05:57deal considering all the additional hardware getting. Beyond the upfront cost for
06:00hardware though, you'll need to factor in the price for professional monitoring,
06:03which starts at $44.99 per month with a minimum one month commitment. This plan
06:08also includes access to Google Nest to wear, which would typically cost $8 a month
06:12on its own. So if you already use Google Nest products, this might feel like a
06:16win-win. That said, before deciding if ADT plus is right for securing your home,
06:21there are a couple of things you should keep in mind. First, just like with a lot of
06:24other home security companies, ADT's hardware is proprietary and so with their
06:28sensors, their base, you won't be able to move it to a new service if you decide to
06:31switch. That said, if you do want to switch, you can continue to use all the
06:35Nest hardware, including the cameras, the displays, and the doorbell. And if you want,
06:39you can subscribe to Nest Aware if you want to have that extended video playback. But
06:44maybe even a bigger point than that is even though the system can be completely
06:47hands-free to re-enter your home, you might not want to keep it that way. By default and
06:51recommended by ADT, the system will actually send a notification to your phone
06:55asking for confirmation before unlocking the door. And while that does kind of take
06:59away from some of the magic of this system, it does give me extra peace of
07:02mind knowing that it's not going to misidentify someone or get spoofed. And
07:06because this feature is still in beta, there's of course going to be room to
07:09improve, but also I'd imagine over time potential vulnerabilities that could be
07:13found. So keeping that extra layer of security is probably the way to go, at least
07:17for right now. On a positive note though, the core functionality of your ADT plus
07:23trusted neighbor system continues to work just as well, even without facial
07:27recognition. You'll still be able to grant control and secure access to your home.
07:31Your neighbors will just have to use the app in order to auto unlock your door when
07:34they're ready to enter, which again, I think is a smarter choice.
07:39But let's ask the real question here. Is a system that depends on other people,
07:42no matter how much you trust them, worth potential risks? You're essentially handing over
07:47control, albeit selectively and securely, to others. If you have a solid network of people
07:52that you can rely on, ADT plus offers incredible convenience and peace of mind,
07:55which could justify the additional costs. But it's also important to ask yourself if
07:59you're comfortable with the idea of external help having access to your home. The balance
08:03between convenience and security is delicate. And in the end, it's all about how much trust
08:09you're willing to invest both in your neighbors and your technology. But let me know what you think
08:13about the brand new ADT plus trusted neighbor home security system with facial recognition being such a
08:18core feature. Is this something you'd add to your home today? Thanks for watching. Till the next one. Catch you
08:24later.
