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Ring Doorbell Camera

Technology is improving at a rapid pace each and everyday. Our day-to-day lives are constantly revolving around the growing technology as it is seen to be become more prevalent with everything we use from getting up for class or work every morning, using our smartphones as alarm clocks, to even just listening to music throughout your entire home with one speaker, for example the Alexa. Technology has evolved from having your “smart product” on your person at almost each moment everyday, for example having an Apple Watch around your wrist monitoring your every move, to now having these products spread throughout your home and being able to change what you are watching with only a few words, like with the Amazon FireStick and the Alexa. Now we see products, such as a refrigerator that tells us when we are low on certain foods, which brings us to other new technologies for your home like the Ring Video Doorbell. “Smart products” is described, by Porter and Heppelmann in, How Smart, Connected Products Are, from the Harvard Business Review, as, “Smart components amplify the capabilities and value of the physical components, while connectivity amplifies the capabilities and value of the smart components and enables some of them to exist outside the physical product itself.” Some of the most innovative products that we have today are products that are filling up our homes quick to, frankly, make our lives easier. This brings me to bring up the Ring Video Doorbell. In the past few years, technology has advanced to create a doorbell that not only can show you live what is going on outside and surrounding your home, but that gives you the ability to interact and communicate with any of the individuals that are around through voice interaction.

The Ring is a company that has been purchased in by Amazon 2018. This camera doorbell is one of first of its kind, which helped lend a new feature in technology. This product originally started through ABC’s Shark Tank in 2013, and has been growing ever since. After rejecting an offer on Shark Tank Jamie Siminoff, the founder, decided to rebrand the product, changing the name from Doorbot to Ring. After rebranding the company, Ring was able to raise $5 million in sales. Later on in February 2018, Ring was sold to Amazon for about $1.5 billion. Homes all across the country, especially during the holidays, have been affected by people stealing their packages from their door, which is a big reason this product became so popular. This product brings something new to the industry because it helps you monitor your home, but a little more discreetly. For example, people are constantly purchasing camera to keep their homes secure, but those can get more costly and may be more noticable, causing more tampering with the products. Additionally, you are not able to have two-way communication to the individual at your door, which is a feature that helps the video doorbell stand out. This company makes home security products that focus on using outdoor motion technology in order to keep the home secure. The product that I am specifically focusing on today is the Ring Video Doorbell. This doorbell has a variety of different features that help detect motion outside of the home, and is able to record and show you directly to your phone the motion outside of your home that is being detected. The Ring Stick Up Cam has advanced motion sensors that are adjustable for motion sensor detection in three zones, with a range of up to 30 feet. The battery life in this doorbell is anywhere between 6-12 months with normal usage, however there is also a micro-USB stick that can connect to Solar Panel for power. Because this doorbell is battery and solar panel operated, it will still work in case of a power outage, or if someone attempt to cut your power. The motion detection angle is 180 degrees horizontally and 30 degree vertically, and the bell has 1 MB per sound download and upload. It has infrared night vision, which helps with being able to see at night even when it is dark outside. The doorbell is -5 to -120 degrees fahrenheit weather resistant, therefore it can operate in extremely cold temperatures along with snow storms and extreme weather conditions. Through this camera you are able to see, hear, and speak to anyone that is within the camera’s range on your property from your phone, tablet or computer.

When the motion is detected on the camera, you are notified through the application on your phone, tablet or computer, without anyone even ringing the doorbell. When you are notified, you are able to see through your application, who or what has been detected and you can hear, and even respond to anyone that is visiting from any location. The Ring Doorbell application is compatible with Alexa, iOS, Android, and Mac devices, therefore anyone can use it. The doorbell lets you customize the motion sensors, making you the first person to get notified when there is any activity with the doorbell or around your home. The video doorbell also comes with all the products and tools that are needed for the initial installation, including the stick up cam, security mount, quick release mount, screwdriver handle and bit, drill bit,  micro-USB charging cable, installation screws and anchors, quick setup and installation guide, and 12 ft. cable. Since the doorbell comes with all of the necessary equipment for installation, it is easy to set up and you don’t have to go out of your way to purchase any extra tools for set up or hire a team to set it up for you. The application that is installed to control the camera is easy to use and simple, helping anyone be able to use it easily.  The product retails for $100, previously marketed for $179. Another really cool feature that company provides is its own customer service support for just $39.95, along with the standard customer service, which provides top-notch support to get immediate help with their products. The doorbell also comes with a one-year warranty and theft protection, which does help reassure the customers of the quality of the product and the company.

Following the launch of Ring, similar products were introduced to the market, such as SkyBell HD Wifi-Enabled Video Doorbell, Vivint Doorbell Camera, and August Doorbell Cam. These products all have similar features to the Ring, however they are not the same. For example, the SkyBell HD doorbell is a wifi-enabled doorbell cam, which could cause some issues. These issues could arise from the fact that you need wifi to use the camera, which is your power goes out there is no way for you to be able to use the doorbell camera.

The product is mounted in replacement of your regular doorbell. It is a black box that has a camera, that is not extremely visual which does help make it a bit more hidden so that it doesn’t stand out. Around the button, the actual doorbell, there is a light that turns on when any motion is detected or when the doorbell is rang. When there is motion detected, the doorbell notifies you once along with the light around the button lighting up, however when someone rings the doorbell, the light turns on and you are notified for about a minute on your application. Once you open the application to see what caused the motion, you are able to respond and speak to anyone that is there. Having two-way communication through the doorbell adds an extra feature, that would not be offered through a security camera. Another factor that often attract people to the Ring is the fact that the individual at your door does not have the capability of seeing you from where you are. Because this device is linked through an app, you are always available to answer your door, no matter what you are doing. This feature attracts a lot of attention and is a key feature. In an article by Jon Phillips on TechHive.com he writes, “You can see them, but they can’t see you—and this is what makes Ring a compelling home security device. Whether you’re inside your home, at work, or on vacation, the system is designed to let you always answer the door. The upshot: When that sketchy person comes to your door asking for “charitable donations,” you can compliment his appearance—nice prison tats!—and tell him you’re too busy to talk right now. Who knows, maybe you’re feeding your Belgian Malinois attack dogs. Or are you? The robber will never know that you’re actually speaking to him from a restaurant. In another state”. Here you can see that this feature is one that cannot be beat. No matter where you are in the world, you home is always protected by you.

Depending on the doorbell you purchased, you can see from the image above that there are many different way that you can see how to adjust the product itself. My parents purchased this product about a year ago, and have loved having it. You are always able to see who is approaching your home and what they are doing outside your door, simply by having your phone on you. This product not only helps you monitor your surroundings, but can help with preventing theft. As I mentioned previously, many homes across the country have had trouble in recent years with packages being stolen right from under their door. With the Ring, you are able to see exactly when and by who, your package was delivered and if your package is tampered with, or stolen, and see who was responsible. Along with its cool features, it is just a great thing it have in general. When people are arriving at your home and you’re running late you are able to simply respond when they ring the doorbell and let them know that you are on your way instead of having to go out of your way to give them a call, which can be distracting especially while driving. When the app notifies you, you can simply open it and respond with the click of a button. Through simple updates in technology, like a smart doorbell, we can see that technology is constantly integrating itself into our lives. From something as simple as a new way to knock on someone’s door to notify them you are there, to a camera that helps you communicate to those at your door. With updates that are rapidly growing, soon enough every product we own be a “smart” one. 

Picture 1: https://macsources.com/doorbot/

Picture 2: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ring-Wireless-Video-Doorbell-88RG002FC100/206049019

Picture 3: https://www.techhive.com/article/2955287/security-cameras/ring-video-doorbell-review-the-gadget-that-makes-crooks-think-you-never-leave-home.html