Ring updates its all-in-one security alarm system
2nd-gen model available to preorder
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A couple of years after the originalRing Alarmappeared, there’s a 2nd-gen edition on the way: it brings a sleeker, more streamlined design, and a one-button panic button to put you in touch with the emergency services.
Generally the new package is very much similar to the old one. It’ll detect motion, smoke, carbon monoxide and leaks for you, pinging your phone if it thinks there’s a problem and giving you peace of mind while you’re out.
Some of the functionality – including the emergency response shortcut – requires a Plus subscription plan on top of the hardware, which will set you back $10/£8 a month or $100/£80 a year.
As with the 1st-gen model, the 2nd-gen Ring Alarm lets youarmand disarm the system from your phone, can work with Alexa, and is compatible with any other bits of Ring kit you’ve got (like the Ring security cameras).
Safer, easier, more convenient
While existing owners of a Ring Alarm don’t really need to rush out and upgrade, the newer edition does have smaller motion detection and contact sensors that Ring says are easier to install.
“Now, more than ever, we expect technology to make our lives safer, easier, and more convenient, at an affordable price,” says Ring in an announcementblog post. “At Ring, we believe your home’s smart security system should be no exception.”
Preorders for the system are open now, with shipping on April 29, and prices start at $199 for the 5-piece package. We can’t see the 2nd-gen system in the UK yet, but when it does arrive it’ll probably cost the same £199 and up that the current edition does. So far, the Ring Alarm isn’t on sale at all in Australia.
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All-in-one security systems are growing in popularity, giving you everything you need to keep your home safe, but Ring isn’t your only option: the likes of Yale, SimpliSafe andseveral otherswill happily sell you a system too.
Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you’ll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.
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