CES Recap: DIY newsmakers from the show floor

Feb. 13, 2018
A look at new offerings from Simplisafe, Ring, Blink and more

One of the original DIY security providers, SimpliSafe Home Security, unveiled a complete re-design of its products at CES. The company teamed with global design firm IDEO to rebuild the devices from the ground up, “with new safeguards to create a latticework of protection against intruders, power outages, downed Wi-Fi, crowbars and everything in between,” a statement says. 

Sensors are half the size with double the range. The company also revealed its plans to release a video doorbell, outdoor cameras, a smart lock and Amazon Alexa voice integration over the course of 2018.

Ring, fresh off its settlement with ADT, teamed with Shaquille O’Neal to showcase its “whole home security ecosystem” – which includes two new indoor/outdoor security cameras and a line of smart, connected outdoor lights called Ring Beams. The Beams product is a result of the company’s acquisition of LED lighting company Mr. Beams, which was also announced at CES.

Blink, the home security and HD video monitoring system acquired by Amazon in January, launched its Blink XT outdoor camera at CES and previewed its total security system offering – which will include intrusion sensors, siren, keypad and water sensors – as well as “no-contract” monthly service plans for the monitoring of up to 10 cameras.

Canary unveiled its Canary View product, a low-cost DIY security system that features the same camera and form factor at $99.

Angee, a home camera that generated more than $500K on Kickstarter, also debuted, showcasing its ability to literally turn and face the wall to respect homeowners’ privacy.