Nest Aware: The Key to Unlocking Your Smart Home’s Hidden Treasures!
Google Nest Aware is a premium membership service that enhances the functionality of Google Nest Cams and Doorbells, which you may have heard of if you’ve been considering them for your smart home. What benefits does a Nest Aware subscription offer, and is the monthly fee justified?
What is Nest Aware?
Nest Aware is a subscription–based service offered by Nest (now a part of Google) for its smart home devices, such as its smart thermostats, security cameras, and doorbells. The service provides enhanced features and capabilities for Nest devices, such as continuous video recording and extended event history, as well as advanced person and activity recognition.
As for whether it’s worth it, that would depend on your specific needs and preferences. If you’re looking for a more comprehensive and convenient way to manage and monitor your Nest devices, Nest Aware might be worth it for you. With the service, you can have access to more advanced features, such as longer video clips, event history, and activity alerts, which can help you stay on top of what’s happening in your home even when you’re away. However, if you don’t need these enhanced features, the subscription fee for Nest Aware may not be worth it for you. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide whether the benefits of Nest Aware are worth the cost.
The regular Aware subscription includes 30 days of event history. Nest Aware Plus, an upgrade tier, extends this to 60 days and adds 10 days of continuous video history if you need to see more footage. Just keep in mind that not all Nest cameras offer continuous recording, with battery-powered cameras being the main exception.
The main advantage of a Nest Aware subscription is the extended recording history. Nest cameras record only three hours of event history by default, with a “event” being a short clip triggered by sound or motion. That’s fine if you’re awake and close to your phone, but not for occurrences captured overnight or while you’re on vacation.
The next most significant advantage is the recognition of familiar faces. While the latest Nest Cams and Doorbells use internal AI to distinguish between people, packages, animals, and vehicles, triggering relevant notifications, Aware customers may train their cameras to recognise specific friends and family members. Instead of receiving a notification that a “person” is at the door, you’ll be informed whether it’s Roger, Lakesha, or Stephanie.
A lesser-known feature of Aware is that it allows sound detection of smoke and carbon monoxide alerts not only by Nest Cams, but also (in supported regions) by any Google smart speaker or display. When speakers and displays detect glass breaking, they can send out alerts.
If you’re okay with it, the Nest Hub Max can function as its own camera in Aware. This includes warnings when a person is observed, whether familiar or not.
Finally, Aware makes it simpler for US subscribers to contact a local 911 call centre. This isn’t important if you live at home because you can always phone 911 on your own, but it may be useful if you’re travelling – Google’s “e911” technology links you to the 911 dispatch nearest to your home, rather than the one where you’re now situated.
How much does Nest Aware cost?
Nest Aware costs $6 per month or $60 per year in its normal US version, with the latter option saving you $12 if you’re ready to commit. Either fee covers all Aware-compatible devices in your house, regardless of the number you add. This is in contrast to many other smart security programmes, which charge you more as you add additional cameras.
Choosing Nest Aware Plus raises the monthly cost to $12 or the annual cost to $120. Even with several devices recording continually, the infinite camera support continues.
Is there a free Nest Aware trial?
Yes. When you set up a new Nest device or upgrade from a first-generation Aware subscription, you’ll be given a 30-day trial. Trials are only available where Aware is sold, and supported features differ by country.
How to sign up for Nest Aware
Nest Aware and Aware Plus can be downloaded from the Google Store or the Google Home app on Android smartphones. In the second case, go to the Settings tab and then select Nest Aware under Subscriptions.
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Canada
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Mexico
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
- United States (except Puerto Rico)
e911 and sound detection are only available in the United States. In Illinois, familiar face detection does not operate with Nest cameras or doorbells, nor does it work with the Nest Hub Max in the European Union.
How to manage your Nest Aware subscription
The most popular way is to go to store.google.com/subscriptions and sign in with your Google account. There, you can modify your payment methods, cancel a membership, or upgrade from Aware to Aware Plus (and vice versa). Some options may need you to navigate through menus.
If you subscribed via the Google Home app, you must manage Aware through the Google Play Store. Once logged in, go to Payments & subscriptions under your profile icon, and then select Manage next to Aware in the Subscriptions page.
In general, any Aware subscription will automatically renew (and bill you) until you cancel. The 30-day free trial is an exception, as it requires you to opt into payments in order to continue. When you cancel, Aware will continue to operate until the end of your current billing cycle, whether it is one month or one year.
Should you pay for Nest Aware?
Perhaps, but there are two major requirements to meet. The first is the requirement for complete home security. If you work from home and live in a safe neighbourhood, you might be able to get away with the free event recording offered by some camera manufacturers, or even Google’s three hours. When you’re only checking for parcels or watching your youngster, being aware makes little sense.
If you’re frequently away from home and/or there’s a major criminal concern, Aware’s event recording and facial recognition capabilities could be invaluable. It’s always preferable to catch intruders in the act, but if you have video evidence, you have a better chance of bringing charges or recovering things.
The second criterion is dedication to the Google ecosystem, not only in terms of cameras, but as a full smart home platform. If you have an Amazon Echo Show as your smart display, Alexa-compatible cameras will automatically perform better. Similarly, if you already have cameras from businesses like Arlo or Wyze, adding Google models is irrational, let alone paying for Aware, which is specific to Nest devices.
If you truly require around-the-clock security and are willing to go Google-only, Aware fills the bill.
The best Nest Aware-compatible devices
Nest Doorbell Battery
In an era when people are getting everything from dinners to gym equipment delivered, and porch pirates are a serious threat, it just makes sense to have a video doorbell. Beyond its Aware features, the Nest Doorbell Battery can be hardwired if you don’t want to recharge it every few months, and it can record event footage for up to an hour after a power or Wi-Fi cut. Just know that it doesn’t support continuous recording with Aware Plus, even with its wired setup.
Nest Cam Battery
Although the Nest Cam Battery can be used indoors if you get a stand, it’s really meant to be used outdoors. It’s waterproof, and comes with a magnetic mount for easier outdoor installation and removal. Like the Doorbell the Nest Cam Battery can record for up to an hour after losing Wi-Fi, but it doesn’t do 24/7 recording with Aware Plus.
Nest Hub Max
The Nest Hub Max is practically mandatory for a complete Google smart home setup, all the more so if you have Nest Aware. It’s a convenient way of viewing camera feeds, and the Max can act as its own camera, complete with object and sound recognition. When you’re not on the lookout, you can do things like listen to music and podcasts, stream video, and control other smart home accessories.
Nest Cam Wired
On its own, the wired-only Nest Cam isn’t a great value versus the competition. It does become more attractive as part of a home with other Aware devices, however, since it’s cheaper than the Nest Cam Battery and you’re not paying anything extra for its recognition and recording features. You can mount it on a wall or stand it on a flat surface, but it can only record indoors since it’s not waterproof.
Conclusion
Nest Aware is a subscription service offered by Nest that provides customers with enhanced features and cloud storage for their Nest devices. Whether you’re looking for a smarter home security solution or just want to have access to more detailed video footage, Nest Aware can help you get more out of your Nest devices. With its advanced features, cloud storage, and intelligent alerts, Nest Aware is a comprehensive smart home solution that can make your life easier and more secure.