After years of waiting for new Nest smart gear from Google, it appears we'll actually get our wish next month. "Gemini is coming to Google Home," a post reads on Google's official X account. "Come back October 1st," the message continues above an animation of a Nest camera peeking into the frame. A link labeled "sign up for updates" sends users to the Google Store, where they can sign up for news. It's not clear what type of reveal Google is planning for October 1; it could simply be a news release, or perhaps it will be a full-on media event.

Home security cameras are easy to install, easy to use, and incredibly affordable these days. They let you keep tabs on your home–inside and out–from wherever you have internet access. They can respond to motion, creating a visual record of everything that's happened within their field of view, and high-end models can distinguish between people, pets, and even cars. The latest security cams require minimal installation and offer flexible setups and a range of security features--so many features, in fact, that it can be difficult to decide what you need and which model you should buy. Should you get an outdoor camera with a space-illuminating floodlight and a weatherized shell, an indoor cam with AI-powered pet detection and a motorized lens that patrols the room, or something in between? We've tested dozes of the top home security cameras available in real-world conditions, and we've distilled a list of the very best models. Whether you're looking to check on your kids and pets, or need a full-service sentinel with humans watching for intruders in real time, we'll help find the right security camera for your needs. Easy to set up yet packed with cutting-edge features, the Arlo Pro 5S 2K is the best choice for a battery-powered 2K security camera that can track moving subjects, see in the dark, and connect to speedy 5GHz Wi-Fi networks–everything you need to keep an eye on your homestead.

Google just announced a slew of features coming to Google Home, and one of them will come in particularly handy for Google TV users with Nest Cams guarding their households. Coming soon, Nest Cam feeds will get picture-in-picture support on Google TV devices, perfect for keeping eyes on your home while streaming your favorite shows. The long-awaited feature will make it easy to see who's at your door while in the middle of a binge-watching session, and you'll also be able to check the backyard or other Nest Cam-monitored areas without pausing the video. Google TV devices will soon get picture-in-picture support for live Nest Cam feeds. The new picture-in-picture mode is coming first to the Google TV Streamer, and you'll need to be in Google's public preview program.

AI-powered video descriptions are the new hotness when it comes to security cameras. Amazon's Ring cameras and Google's Nest cams are already doing them, and now Wyze is joining the party. Available now as part of a new–and pricey–"Cam Unlimited Pro" plan, Wyze's "descriptive alerts" serve up AI-generated captions for video events captured by your Wyze cams, complete with "important details and contextual information." So, rather than getting Wyze alerts that just say "Driveway" or "Bedroom," subscribers to the new plan will get AI descriptions with details such as "Three babies are helping each other climb out of their cribs," or "Front Door caught a suspicious person walking up to the porch and picking up a package." Besides the AI-powered video alerts, Wyze users are also getting AI search, meaning you can find clips in your video history using natural-language queries.

During CES 2025, I had a chance to check out a demo of the way Google is integrating Gemini capabilities into its smart home platform via devices like the Nest Audio, Nest Hub and Nest Cameras. The main takeaway is that the conversations you have with the Google Assistant will feel more natural. Personally, I'd appreciate being able to ask questions as they pop in my head, without having to formulate some Assistant-friendly sentence before speaking -- what I saw makes me feel like my wish could come true. To kick things off, you'll still say "Hey Google," but for follow-up questions you can skip the prompt and the Assistant will be able to hold on to the thread of your conversation. During the demonstration, held in a simulated (and very posh) kitchen, the Google representative asked things like what to cook with ingredients he had on hand (chicken and spinach).

Folks who like controlling aspects of their home using their voice or an app may be pleased to learn there's a sale on Google Nest gear at Amazon ahead of the retailer's Big Spring Sale. There are some solid discounts here, including one on the Google Nest Thermostat, which is down to 100. While that's not the lowest price we've seen for the thermostat (it has dropped to 80 in the past), it's still a solid deal. The Google Nest Thermostat is currently 23 percent off. The Nest Thermostat has been around for a few years now.

Amazon is rolling out a feature that will allow Alexa to tell you when a supported security camera or video doorbell detects a person or a package. If you activate the announcements, you can receive an alert from the Alexa mobile app, hear a notification from an Echo speaker and/or view a live video feed on Echo Show, Fire TV or a Fire tablet. The feature is compatible with Alexa routines. So, when your camera or doorbell spots a package or a person, you can automatically turn on a floodlight, activate a smart lock or trigger a custom Alexa greeting. It's worth noting that person and package detection are only available on Ring devices if you have a Ring Protect subscription, which starts at $3 per month.

Setting up the Nest Cam is quick and easy in the Google Home app. Setting up the camera took me about five minutes. Plug it into a power outlet, open the Google Home app, and follow the in-app instructions. Drywall anchors, screws, and a base with a built-in mounting bracket are also included in the box. The Google Home app is where you can view and manage notifications, as well as toggle video recordings settings.

With this completely new and battery-powered iteration of the Nest Cam, Google's smart home division continues to raise the bar when it comes to security cameras, setting a standard for usability (especially during setup) that most other device manufacturers can only dream of. From a hardware perspective, the Nest Cam is a radical refresh of the old teardrop-shaped Nest Cam Indoor, designed with a tough, plastic, cup-shaped housing that adheres magnetically to its surface-mountable base (it looks very similar to the now-discontinued Nest Cam IQ). It's reasonably weather resistant, carrying an IP54 rating (meaning its enclosure will keep out enough dust to prevent failure and that it's protected from water sprayed from a pressure washer at a reasonable distance), so it can be used indoors or outdoors. The 2021 version of the Nest Cam carries an IP rating of 54, meaning its enclosure will keep out enough dust to prevent failure and that it's protected from water sprayed from a pressure washer at a reasonable distance. The new Nest Cam can run on battery power, and Google says it should deliver between 1.5 and seven months of run time before it needs to be recharged, depending on usage.

Disney's Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is going to cost you. For two guests in a standard cabin for a two-night adventure, you'll have to set aside just shy of $5,000. Disney is promising it as "part live immersive theater, part themed environment, part culinary extravaganza, part real-life role-playing game." The company offers more details on how your story might unfold, with the ability to choose to side with the First Order (boo), or ally with the resistance. There will also be lightsaber lessons, optional missions and the chance to interact with iconic SW characters who will, well, behave like video game NPCs.