Nest has announced the first outdoor version of its Dropcam Wi-Fi home surveillance camera, the Nest Cam Outdoor.

Nest Cam Outdoor
The new Nest Cam Outdoor is largely a ruggedized version of the Nest Cam ($154.98 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) , now known as the Nest Cam Indoor with the release of this new model. The camera is IPX65 rated, and impervious to rain and snow. It uses a constant power source through an AC adapter over a two-part, 20-foot cable, and the adapter itself is IPX67 rated, protecting it from shorting out or otherwise suffering damage if it ends up in a puddle during a downpour.

The Nest Cam Outdoor features the same 1080p resolution as the Nest Cam Indoor, with a 130-degree view of whatever area it’s watching, and an array of eight infrared LEDs to invisibly illuminate the area for the camera’s night vision mode. The base is magnetic, giving users the option of flexible placement around steel and iron railings, pipes, and siding, in addition to the more conventional screw-based, drilled-hole mounting. The camera features a microphone and speaker, letting users communicate with visitors remotely via the app.

While it doesn’t have battery power like the Netgear Arlo , the Nest Cam Outdoor’s very long power cable is designed for secure installation outdoors. If the cable is tampered with, Nest can send an alert letting the user know that the signal has been disrupted.

New Software Services
The release of the Nest Cam Outdoor comes with an array of updates to the subscription-based Nest Aware service and Nest app. Nest Cam and Dropcam users can already subscribe to Nest Aware to add continuous video recording with 10- or 30-day rolling cloud storage, personalized alerts, and video analysis to minimize false positives, and access to downloadable clips and timelapse recordings. Nest will add person alerts to the service, implementing a new algorithm that can distinguish between people and other sources of movement, like pets or vehicles.

The Nest app has been redesigned, adding the Spaces organization system to help users with multiple cameras. Spaces are designated areas users can set that include multiple Nest products, including Nest Cams. If more than one camera is used to look over a garage or basement, or if multiple Nest Protects are installed alongside cameras, they can be grouped together to quickly find them in the app.

The updated app also adds private camera sharing, letting users share password-protected streams of their Nest Cams with friends and family members for house-sitting when on vacation. Finally, the Nest app now supports watchOS and Android Wear, letting smartwatch owners adjust their Nest Learning Thermostat without opening the app on their smartphone or tablet.

The Nest Cam Outdoor is available for pre-order for $199, the same price as the Nest Cam Indoor. The camera will ship in the fall. The newest Nest app version, with Spaces, will be added to the Google Play Store and App Store in late July. Nest Aware will add person alerts in the fall; subscriptions to Nest Aware are $10 per month for 10 days of rolling cloud storage or $30 per month for 30 days.