Tag: ADT | SpinSafe

As Nest Secure officially dies, Google offers free ADT systems

April 8, 2023/in Mobile Security

What you need to know

Nest Secure is being officially sunset on April 8, 2024. Units will not receive any updates after that time and it will cease working in the Nest app.
Google is offering free upgrades to the new ADT Self Setup system for some customers.
Dropcam and Works with Nest programs are also being discontinued.

Nest Secure users will officially have to look for a proper replacement to their beloved home security system before April 8, 2024. After that date, Nest Secure systems will stop receiving security updates and will no longer be available in the Nest app, meaning they will officially become completely unusable.

Nest Secure was officially discontinued in October 2020 (opens in new tab) but has been supported and usable in the old Nest app ever since that announcement. Now, users will need to pick from one of the best smart home security systems (opens in new tab) as a proper replacement but Google is hoping you’ll continue sticking with their latest venture, instead.

The recently announced ADT Self Setup (opens in new tab) is being offered for free to some existing Nest Secure customers. Google didn’t specify which users would be eligible for a free upgrade so we’ve reached out to them to find out more. We’ll update this article when we find out. For now, expect an email from Google if you are an eligible Nest Secure customer.

In addition to Nest Secure being sunset, Dropcam support will officially end on April 8, 2024, as well. Dropcam existed long before Nest cameras and is some of the oldest smart home security hardware on the market with active support and updates. Current Dropcam users with a Nest Aware subscription will be offered a 50% coupon on a new Nest Cam which is currently our top pick for best wireless home security camera (opens in new tab).

Lastly, the Works with Nest program is officially ending on September 29, 2023. Google announced that Works with Nest would be going away way back in 2019 (opens in new tab) but the company has kept it around for several years to ensure a smooth transition to new standards like Matter (opens in new tab). Google says it is working with parners that are still using Works with Nest APIs to ensure those products continue…

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ADT Extends its Connected Security to Mobile

March 5, 2022/in Mobile Security

At a time when consumers have grown accustomed to using their mobile phones to order services and to receive updates on any information they want to monitor, the security industry is looking to meet their expectations.

For example, ADT has been working to extend its subscription-based security services beyond the home and into automotive and mobile phone-based safety initiatives.

During its investor day event held Tuesday (March 1), ADT executives outlined several ways in which the company has reshaped and strengthened its portfolio. Among the newer initiatives are automotive and mobile.

“As we craft our longer-term vision, we’re looking beyond the home, and it’s important for us to talk about the extension into providing safety and security for people — wherever they are,” Leah Page, vice president, emerging business and mobile at ADT, said during the event.

Providing Personal Safety Through Mobile Phones

To provide personal safety for people on the go, ADT offers its SoSecure mobile app. This allows customers to call ADT for help in many ways — by sliding a button, SMS chat, video or hands-free with a secret code word.

Once activated, SoSecure discretely connects users with trained ADT monitoring security professionals who can assess the situation and notify 911 with the user’s location and profile details to help first responders find them faster.

“We envision situations like running at night, being alone in a parking lot, walking across campus or being the last worker left at your job, and how having an ADT agent stay connected with you or check in on you might make a difference,” Page said.

She noted that the service can help reduce false alarms to 911, ease a caller’s concerns that 911 won’t take them seriously and more efficiently relay data such as the caller’s location to 911.

Integrating With Partner Companies’ Apps

This service can also be integrated into partner companies’ apps. For example, the personal safety feature integrated into the Lyft app connects Lyft riders and drivers to an ADT monitoring professional.

Page said this mobile phone-based service accommodates the new ways people are living their lives, noting that just a few…

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ADT vs. SimpliSafe: Which Security System Is Right for Your Home?

February 24, 2022/in Mobile Security

If you’re ready to protect your home and family with a smart security system, one of the first choices you have to make is whether to go with a DIY system that you configure and install yourself, or one that a professional sets up. Both types of systems have advantages and disadvantages that you should be aware of before you take the plunge. Here, we compare our Editors’ Choice winners in each category, the DIY SimpliSafe Home Security System and the professionally installed ADT Command system. Read on to see which is better for your home security needs.

ADT vs. SimpliSafe: Price

The most significant difference between the ADT and SimpliSafe systems is cost. SimpliSafe charges $489.86 for its high-end Haven system that includes a base station, a wireless keypad, a key chain remote, two motion sensors, four door or window entry sensors, a panic button, a 105dB siren, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and water and freeze sensors.

SimpliSafe home secuirty system components on table

SimpliSafe Home Security System components
(Photo: Zlata Ivelva)

A similar system from ADT that includes a digital touch-screen panel, four door or window sensors, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and a flood sensor costs $1,049 upfront. For reference, the ADT Command system that we reviewed totaled more than $3,000, but came fully loaded with two control panels, four cameras with motion sensors, four smart thermostats, a video doorbell, a smart lock, two smart lights, numerous window and glass break sensors, smoke and carbon monoxide sensors for all three floors of the house, two flood detectors, and a Google Nest Hub smart display.

The ADT price includes professional installation, but you must also agree to a 36-month monitoring contract (starting at $45.99 per month) that is subject to early termination fees. SimpliSafe doesn’t require a contract, but it does offer professional installation services starting at $99 (you might pay more depending on the cameras and additional components you choose for your setup). SimpliSafe offers contract-free monitoring plans for $17.99 to $27.99 per month.

Winner: SimpliSafe