Credit card-size device could slash the price of ultrasound sensors

An unassuming device developed by engineers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) could pave the way for ultrasounds scanners that cost as little as $100. Barely bigger than a credit card, the UBC ultrasound sensor is mobile, wearable, and can be powered by a smartphone.

Ultrasound machines typically use piezoelectric crystals to create those first photos of a person’s life. In contrast, the technology introduced by the UBC team uses tiny vibrating drums, which are cheaper to fabricate.

“We replaced the piezoelectric technology used in commercial ultrasound machines for drum-like sensors called CMUTs,” Carlos Gerardo, a UBC Ph.D. candidate who worked on the project, told Digital Trends. “These CMUTs offer many technological advantages over the piezoelectric technology, but their widespread use is hampered by high fabrication costs. We on the other side, decided to use inexpensive plastic-like polymer materials to create the same kind of drums structures called polyCMUTs. It turns out that by using polymers, we were able to create high-performance ultrasound [sensors] for a few dollars only.”

Besides lower costs, one of the biggest advantages of the UBC device is that is doesn’t require much energy to operate. A smartphone can do the trick. That means the device could be used in remote areas and regions without reliable access to electricity. And the device doesn’t skimp on quality either. According to the researchers, the UBC device produced sonogram images on par with conventional ultrasound sensors.

“The quality of the created images is comparable in quality to the ones obtained by commercial ultrasound machines, except that in our case we did not have to use a complex and expensive electronic interface to create the images,” Gerardo said. “Moreover, we did this using much lower voltage levels than the ones found in commercial devices. This translates directly into an extended safety for patients.”

Since the device is small and portable, Gerardo and his team envision it being applied directly to a patient’s skin, where it could monitor vital signs. They are currently creating prototypes for medical uses.

A paper detailing the research was published recently in the journal Nature Microsystems and Nanoengineering,

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Privacy-focused browser Brave sues Google claiming breach of Europe’s GDPR rules

mikewaters/123rf

Privacy-focused browser Brave is taking on Google in a big way when it comes to how your personal data is being stored and shared. Brave, which was founded by Mozilla co-founder Brendan Eich, filed its complaint against the search giant in Britain and Ireland on Wednesday, September 12 in what is seen as a test case against the digital advertising industry’s handling of consumer browsing data.

Brave wants to trigger Article 62 in the GDPR rules to begin an EU-wide investigation on how Google and the digital advertising industry are handling people’s data. The General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, was passed by EU regulators in order to give people more control over their data on the internet, but Brave alleges that Google and its peers are instead sharing that data with advertisers without the knowledge of individual users, and this may be in direct violation of Article 5(1) of GDPR, which requires that personal data be “processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal data, including protection against unauthorized or unlawful processing and against accidental loss.”

“Every time a person visits a website and is shown a ‘behavioral’ ad on a website, intimate personal data that describes each visitor, and what they are watching online, is broadcast to tens or hundreds of companies,” Brave wrote in a blog post. “Advertising technology companies broadcast these data widely in order to solicit potential advertisers’ bids for the attention of the specific individual visiting the website.” The data that Google and digital advertising platforms share with advertisers include what you’re reading or watching at the moment, your location, description of the device you’re using, unique tracking IDs and cookies, your IP address, and data broker segment ID.

Google has responded to Brave’s complaint, and the company issued a statement to Tom’s Hardware stating, “We build privacy and security into all our products from the very earliest stages and are committed to complying with the EU General Data Protection Regulation. We provide users with meaningful data transparency and controls across all the services that we provide in the EU, including for personalized advertising.”

If an investigation is triggered, and if the EU finds against Google, heavy fines are at stake for the entire digital advertising industry. Serious violations can trigger fines of as much as four percent of the company’s total global turnover or 20 million euros, whichever is higher. According to Statista, Google’s advertising revenue in 2017 amounted to $95.38 billion, bringing the total revenue for the year to $109.65 billion. This means that Google stands to lose up to $4.39 billion if it is at fault for violating privacy protections. The company was more recently scrutinized for its reported secret deal with MasterCard that tracked users’ online browsing with in-store purchases.

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A.I. creates ‘HDR finally done right’ for more natural images in Aurora HDR 2019

Skylum

High dynamic range photography is easy to overdo into harsh colors and unnatural images — but the popular HDR-focused editor Aurora HDR is now using artificial intelligence to create more natural-looking edits. Skylum Aurora HDR 2019, launching on October 4 and now available for pre-order, is the most sophisticated version of the HDR tool yet, according to the company.

A Quantum HDR Engine powers the enhanced editing inside the update. The feature uses A.I. tone mapping to analyze the images and create a more natural merge. Skylum says that the A.I. creates images that are both dynamic and natural-looking by analyzing the photos before the merger.

The neural network helps reduce some of the issues commonly created when merging multiple files in order to capture a wider range of light in high contrast scenes. Skylum says the update is more capable at handling burned colors, noise, and lower contrast sometimes caused by HDR mergers. The program is also more capable of handling halos and de-ghosting, both common issues when merging an HDR image.

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The new HDR Engine is joined by what Skylum is calling HDR Smart Structure. The tool comes in the form of a panel of editing tools that allows the photographer to control the detail, structure, and sharpness. The controls follow the software’s goal of creating more natural-looking images by controlling clarity and sharpness.

The update also brings LUT mapping, a color correction tool common in video editing. With the new color grading tools, editors can bring out specific tones or create a different look, including black and white and film-inspired looks. The LUTs also join the renamed Aurora HDR Looks (formerly Presets) to create specific image styles. The update has more aesthetic choices Skylum says, and allows for textures and mask-based editing.

A majority of the new tools inside the update stem from Skylum’s A.I. lab — including three years of research into that new Quantum HDR Engine, which is impressive considering Aurora HDR was first released in 2015.

“We are incredibly excited to get Aurora HDR 2019 into the hands of photographers from around the world,” said Skylum CTO and co-founder Dima Sytnik. “The results are so accurate and natural that the final images appear as though you’re looking at the scene with your own two eyes. Simply put, it’s HDR finally done right.”

The update launches on October 4 for $99 (or $59 for current users to upgrade). Pre-orders are already available with a $10 discount and bonus materials.

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Security flaw on modern PCs could leave your encrypted data exposed

Malarie Gokey/Digital Trends

A vulnerability on most modern PCs and Macs could leave your data exposed. Cybersecurity researchers at F-Secure discovered a weakness in the firmware of most modern computers could allow hackers access to encryption keys and other sensitive data.

Access to sensitive data is gained through a 2008-style cold boot attack, where the hacker forces a computer to restart without going through the normal shutdown process. The computer’s data is briefly accessible in the RAM after power is lost, but many modern devices overwrite the RAM to prevent unauthorized access to data during this type of attack. Researchers discovered that there is a way to disable the overwrite process, essentially reviving the decade-old method of attack.

“The attack exploits the fact that the firmware settings governing the behavior of the boot process are not protected against manipulation by a physical attacker,” F-Secure wrote in a blog post. “Using a simple hardware tool, an attacker can rewrite the non-volatile memory chip that contains these settings, disable memory overwriting, and enable booting from external devices. The cold boot attack can then be carried out by booting a special program off a USB stick.”

Despite the seriousness of the findings, the vulnerability may not be as damaging given that to carry out this exploit, hackers would need physical access to your device. If a hacker has physical access, the exploit can be conducted in approximately five minutes, researchers cautioned.

F-Secure shared its findings with Microsoft, Apple, and Intel, but given that physical device access is required for this type of attack, it doesn’t appear that a fix may be coming soon. Newer Mac systems with a T2 chip aren’t affected by this attack, and Microsoft claims that enabling pre-boot authentication with a PIN or startup key with BitLocker could help mitigate these risks. These more advanced security tactics, however, aren’t available to general consumers who run Windows 10 Home edition.

“Unfortunately, there is nothing Microsoft can do, since we are using flaws in PC hardware vendors’ firmware,” F-Secure principal security consultant Olle Segerdahl told TechCrunch. “Intel can only do so much, their position in the ecosystem is providing a reference platform for the vendors to extend and build their new models on.”

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The best screen protectors for the Samsung Galaxy Note 9

We’re a virtual company made up of tech experts from across the globe. We live and breathe Android phones, and we want to make sure our phones stay as beautiful as the day they come out of the box. Therefor, screen protectors are something we buy with every phone we use.

The iAnder Galaxy Note 9 Screen Protector has every feature you could want from a screen protector, and it’s inexpensive for a two-pack.

Our pick

iAnder Galaxy Note 9 Screen Protector

• $11 from Amazon

This screen protector is inexpensive, it’ll feel great to use, and it’ll save your phone if it drops.

You don’t need to spend an exorbitant amount just to protect your phone’s screen from scratches. This two-pack has everything you need in a screen protector, and it doesn’t cost much.

Who should buy this screen protector

If you have a Note 9, this is the screen protector for you. It’s tempered glass, so it will feel just as smooth as the glass on your phone. Its slim enough to fit under cases, so you can protect the rest of your phone as well. It includes an oleophobic coating to keep fingerprints and smudges at bay, and iAnder promises 99% light transmission, meaning the display will look just as wonderful as it would without the screen protector.

One thing to note (no pun intended) is that this screen protector won’t cover 100% of the glass because of the curved design Samsung uses. If you want to completely protect your phone,

Is it a good time to buy this screen protector?

Yes. The Note 9 was just released, so there’s no better time to get a screen protector. The price of this two-pack isn’t going to get drastically lower, and it has every feature you would need from a screen protector.

Reasons to buy

• Two-pack for a low price
• Oleophobic coating to prevent smudges
• Case friendly
• Smooth, smooth glass

Reasons not to buy

• Doesn’t cover 100% of the front glass

Why you should buy this screen protector

It can be tempting to spend a lot for a screen protector, but after dropping $1000 on your phone, there’s no need to spend more money. This comes in a two-pack, so you have a backup in case you misapply the first one, a screen protector for your partner, or just a second one if the first one cracks from a fall. Since this is tempered glass, it will feel just as nice as the actual display glass on the phone.

Don’t spend more than you need to, especially after buying an expensive phone.

Every feature you could want in a screen protector is here, so you’re not sacrificing anything to get to that low price. There’s an oleophobic coating to keep the glass free of fingerprints and other grime, the glass is slim enough to fit underneath most cases, and your display will look just as clear as it would if you didn’t have a screen protector installed.

Alternatives to the iAnder Screen Protector

If you’re reading sensitive material on your phone or want an unbreakable bond between protector and screen, it’s worth considering some other options.

Best for the privacy conscious

MOZEEDA Privacy Glass Screen Protector

Don’t let wandering eyes look at your sensitive documents.

$12 at Amazon

This has everything you could want in a screen protector, with a privacy bonus on top.

The Note line has long been known as a productivity powerhouse — the large screen is great for reading through documents, and the S-Pen is perfect for annotating PDFs. But working on that while on the go means there are a lot of chances for people to see what you’re working on. This screen protector has all the standard features — it’s tempered glass, has an oleophobic coating, anti-scratch and anti-shatter — but it has a coating that makes it nearly impossible to see the screen at off angles.

Upgrade pick

Whitesone Dome Glass Screen Protector

If you want a 100% perfect fit, this screen protector is for you — but it won’t come cheap.

$60 at Amazon

This screen protector will cover 100% of the front glass, and there’s no gap between it and the glass on your phone.

The Note 9 is a gorgeous phone, so it’s understandable to want a screen protector that perfectly matches all of the phone’s curves. This one doesn’t come cheap, but it will look and feel significantly better than other screen protectors.

Bottom line

The iAnder Galaxy Note 9 Screen Protector is the perfect companion to your Note 9. It will keep the display scratch free, repel fingerprints, and do so without blowing a hole in your wallet.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Tom Westrick is a U.S.-based freelancer. He’s been poking and prodding at Android phones since 2011, and covering various topics for Android Central since 2017. He can often be found with multiple laptops in his backpack and a cup of iced tea in his hand. Follow him on Twitter.

Ara Wagoner is overjoyed to have joined the Android Central team full-time after four years of freelance contributions to the site. Yes, her holster is for a phone not a gun. When she’s not building new Android themes and poking Google Assistant with a stick, you can find her gutting pumpkins to brine and bake pumpkin seeds. If you see her without headphones, RUN.

Protect yourself as your browse the web for $79

We unfortunately live in a time when simply browsing the internet can be perilous. Our personal data is being harvested for targeted advertising, our identities can be stolen, and we can be left open to cyber attacks. Protecting your browsing habits and your privacy with a quality VPN is not only a great idea, but it’s prudent. Plus, a VPN can help you connect to all sorts of awesome content all around the globe, without the annoying geo-restrictions.

Surfshark VPN doesn’t make your compromise speed and privacy. It lets you browse with unlimited data, thanks to over 500 torrent-friendly servers around the world. A Surfshark subscription usually runs you $430 for three years, but right now at Android Central Digital Offers, you can save 81% and get signed up for three years for only $79.

Thanks to Surfshark, you’ll get the following protections and features when browsing the web:

• Browse securely, even on public WiFi, w/ AES-256-GCM encryption
• Surf restriction-free w/ unlimited data & bandwidth on unlimited devices
• CleanWeb™ feature blocks ads, trackers & malware while you browse
• Access 500+ servers in 38 countries worldwide
• Protect your true IP from websites w/ WebRTC protection
• Mitigate risks w/ IPv6 leak protection, kill switch & Zero-knowledge DNS
• Enjoy content faster w/ optimized online streaming & torrent-friendly servers
• Evade geo-restrictions & access your favorite sites anywhere
• Browse w/ peace of mind thanks to a strict no logging policy

Protecting your browsing habits means true online freedom, and Surfshark VPN is an excellent way to claim that freedom in a big way. Only, don’t go paying $430 for three years. Get your subscription at Android Central Digital Offers and get three years for only $79. If you don’t want to sign up for three years up front, you can still get one year for $39 (down from $145).

See at Android Central Digital Offers

LG announces October 3 event for V40 launch, hints at five cameras

This is LG’s most powerful phone of 2018.

Last year saw a big shift for LG’s V series. Unlike the V10 and V20 that experimented with metal designs, removable batteries, and secondary ticker displays, the V30 introduced a slick glass back, incredibly slim bezels, and a pOLED screen made by LG itself.

We’re anticipating the V40 to share a lot of similarities to its predecessor and this year’s recently announced LG V35, and as new information trickles in, we’ll be regularly updating this guide to help keep you up-date on everything that’s going on.

Without further delay, here’s everything we know about the LG V40!

The latest LG V40 news

September 13, 2018 — LG announces October 3 event for V40 launch, hints at five cameras

Following a good helping of leaks and rumors, LG’s now sent out press invites to an October 3 event in New York City where it’ll announce the LG V40 ThinQ.

The phone’s name and logo are both confirmed on the invite, and along with this, the “Take 5” tagline suggests that the phone will ship with a total of five cameras (something we’ve been expecting). Although the implementation of these cameras has yet to be confirmed, it’s believed that two will be on the front while the other three will reside on the back of the phone.

Stay tuned!

August 27, 2018 — V40 leaks again in more high-res renders and 360° design video

Just a few short days after the below renders leaked for the LG V40, OnLeaks and SlashLeaks teamed up to dish out even more renders of the phone.

We once again see the V40’s front and back, but these images also showcase the phone from a couple different angles. Along with the still images, there’s also a design video that gives us an even clearer look at the device.

No new details are revealed with these renders, but even so, it’s still fun to get another glimpse at LG’s next big flagship for the year.

August 22, 2018 — First LG V40 render appears with triple rear cameras and a notched display

After months of waiting, we’ve finally got our first look at the LG V40 thanks to a leaked press render from MySmartPrice.

As you can see from the photos, the V40 retains a lot of the V30 and V35’s design language while making a few big updates. The glass back and metal frame are staples from the past two V handsets, as is the rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. There’s a large display on the front that likely uses an OLED panel, and similar to the G7 before it, the V40 also features a notch at the top. Inside that notch, you’ll find two front-facing cameras and an earpiece for phone calls.

The V40 also appears to be the first LG phone to come equipped with three cameras on the back. We’ve seen other OEMs such as Huawei mess with triple camera setups before, so it’ll be interesting to see LG’s implementation of this.

The LG V40 has a 3.5mm headphone jack, USB-C port, and a third hardware button that’ll likely be used for opening up the Google Assistant.

A date of November 16 on the V40’s lock screen suggests that the phone’s just a couple months away, but this doesn’t line up with an earlier rumor claiming that the V40 would be released on October 5. As more details about this come out, we’ll let you know.

July 19, 2018 — LG to launch the V40 on October 5, reported to have a 90% screen-to-body ratio

A new report from ETNews recently broke, and if you weren’t already excited about the V40, this just may change your mind.

Following last month’s rumor of the V40 having a total of five cameras, ETNews says that three of these will be on the back of the phone and consist of 20MP primary, 16MP wide-angle, and 13MP telephoto sensors. The remaining two cameras will be on the front and allow for a 3D facial recognition system.

Speaking of the V40’s front, it’s said that we’ll be met with an impressive screen-to-body ratio of 90%. LG will apparently have a “different from the conventional” method for keeping bezels so small, suggesting that the company might have found an alternative solution to the notch.

Lastly, LG will reportedly announce the phone during IFA late next month and then begin sales on October 5.

June 26, 2018 — The V40 will reportedly have a total of five cameras, a notch in its display, and face unlock system

News dump alert! Our friends at Android Police recently spoke with a source that’s apparently familiar with the V40’s development, and as such, we’ve got some juicy new details about the phone.

First and foremost, it’s reported that the LG V40 will ship with a total of five cameras. We can’t say with 100% certainty how these will be positioned on the phone, but it’s likely we’ll get two on the front and three on the back. Speaking of cameras, LG’s working on a new face unlock system that could feature 3D mapping technology, not unlike the iPhone X’s Face ID.

Something else to take note of is the fact that the V40 is said to come with a notch in its display. LG will allow you to use software to hide the notch just like it does on the G7, but as expected, this is a trend you just can’t escape for the time being.

Other reported features are the Snapdragon 845, rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, and a dedicated Google Assistant button next to the volume rocker.

May 2, 2018 —It’ll probably use an OLED display

Shortly after the G7 ThinQ was announced, LG confirmed something rather interesting — it only uses OLED screens for phones in its V series.

In other words, that’s about as close of a confirmation as we’ll get that the V40 will come equipped with an OLED panel. We don’t know what the resolution will be or if it’ll have a notch, but OLED is pretty much a guarantee at this point.

April 19, 2018 — “Storm” is the codename for the V40

Evan Blass shared on Twitter that the V40’s codename is “Storm.” This doesn’t provide much insight into specifics regarding the phone, but it is suggestive that LG’s flagship will be big and powerful.

Since there’s not much else to say about this, here are a few storm emojis 🌩🌪☔️

What specs can we expect?

Talk about the V40’s specs is still relatively quiet, but even so, we can make a few guesses about what it’ll come equipped with.

At the heart of the V40 will likely be Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 processor. This has been the chipset of choice for most 2018 flagships, and as we’ve seen before, the 845 is a beast when it comes to performance, camera processing, battery life, and more.

Something else the V40 will likely carry is an OLED display. In May, LG confirmed that it reserves its OLED panels for entries in the V series. Unless something has radically changed since then, this is a sure bet that the V40 will be graced with an OLED screen.

Lastly, the V40 will come with at least two cameras on the back. We don’t know what kind of sensors will be used or what the aperture rating will be like, but similar to past LG flagships, we should get a primary lens with a regular focal length and a secondary, wide angle one.

When will the LG V40 be released?

On September 13, LG issued official press invites announcing that it’ll hold an event to unveil the V40 on October 3 in New York City.

It’s unclear how long it’ll take for the V40 to go up for purchase following the event, but we’re sure to learn more soon.

How much will it cost?

We have a pretty good idea as to when the V40 will be released, but what about its price?

Details on this are still few and far between, but to make an educated guess, let’s first look at past retail pricing for other entries in the V series.

• LG V10 — $600
• LG V20 — $830
• LG V30 — $800
• LG V30S — $930
• LG V35 — $900

LG’s been steadily increasing the price of its V phones with just about every release, and based on the most recent V30S and V35, I think it’s safe to say that the V40 will cost around $900 and possibly cross that $1000 threshold.

The V series has never been cheap and the V40 won’t be an exception to that rule.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 rumors: Release date, specs, price, and features!

LG V30 + V30S ThinQ

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Top tips and tricks for your Lenovo Smart Display

It’s called a Smart Display for a reason!

The Lenovo Smart Display is the first device that brings the power of Google Assistant to life with its own screen. That means it can do a lot of really cool things that other “smart” devices can’t.

Its beautiful design means you can place it anywhere, and you’ll find its right at home in the kitchen, living room, bedroom, and everywhere else that you are right at home in. Here are some great tips that help you make the most of your Smart Display no matter where you use it.

Make a video call

The Lenovo Smart Display can use Google Duo to make high-quality video calls. Even when your hands are full, you can use your voice to call your friends or family members because Google Assistant is right there ready to help.

The Smart Display’s beautiful screen can be used in landscape or portrait during Duo calls, and you can make them to other Smart Display users or anyone with a smartphone who uses the Google Duo app.

Monitor and control your smart home

Google Assistant works with over 5,000 smart devices — including security systems and cameras.

With your Smart Display, you can not only control your lights and other smart things, you can see what a supported camera — like the Nest Cam — can see in real time. That makes it great for a baby monitor or to see what that noise in the garage was.

A smart ambient display

The Smart Display is best when its where you spend your time. That means it needs to look good all of the time, not just when it’s being used.

Several smart ambient display modes are available, including a Google Photos frame, a cycling art show, or a clock with the weather. You can bring everything right back to life with a quick “Hey Google!”, too. I like to use the ambient clock display, as my Smart Display is the perfect bedside alarm clock.

Enable night mode

Because you can place your Smart Display out in the open, it needs a way to quiet itself down from time to time.

Night Mode is set up through the Google Home app and it dims the display and lowers the volume on a set schedule. You can also enable it manually so your next movie night doesn’t get interrupted.

Digital recipe book

With your Smart Display in the kitchen, you’ll get all the information you need to fix your next great meal.

Just ask to see a recipe for whatever it is you’d like to cook and the Smart Display will show you a list of delicious dishes. Pick the one you like and you’ll get a complete walkthrough about how to fix and serve it, and it’s all done hands-free using voice commands. You can even watch a video to see the action if you like!

Set a routine

Routines are a set of actions the “play” automatically when you give your Smart Display a single command.

You already have a few preprogrammed routines — see them in the Google Home app — ready to customize, but the most fun way is to say “Hey Google, Good Morning!” and you’ll be walked through the complete setup. Routines can also use Voice Match so up to six different users can program their own routines.

Watch YouTube

Of course, you can watch Google’s own YouTube through the Smart Display’s bright screen!

You can search for videos or content creators, watch a specific channel, or just go to your TouTube home all wplentyice commands. We’ve got the whole write up to get you started.

How to watch YouTube videos on the Lenovo Smart Display

Your tricks?

We know planty of folks are enjoying their Smart Display and have some awesome tricks of their own. Be sure to share your favroites in the comments below!

See at Best Buy

Verizon now taking sign-ups for 5G Home service, costs $50/month

Available in Indianapolis, Houston, Los Angeles, and Sacramento.

After years of talk, 5G connectivity is finally making its way to consumers at a steady pace. One of the first efforts comes from Verizon with its new 5G Home broadband service.

After signing up for Verizon 5G Home, you’ll get a modem/router for your home that’s able to pull in Verizon’s 5G network to power all of the devices. In other words, it essentially replaces your home Wi-Fi network. Speeds should average around 300Mbps, but Verizon notes that they can reach up to a whopping 1Gbps.

Your first three months of the service are free, and following that, Verizon wireless customers will pay $50/month while everyone else pays $70/month. In addition to that, Verizon’s offering everyone three free months of YouTube TV and your choice of an Apple TV 4K or Chromecast Ultra.

There aren’t any contracts to sign, and for this first batch of customers, Verizon’s offering free hardware upgrades for your first year.

Sign-ups for Verizon’s 5G Home are live now and the service will officially launch October 1 in Indianapolis, Houston, Los Angeles, and Sacramento.

If you live in any of these areas, will you be signing up for Verizon 5G Home?

See at Verizon

The Wisenet SmartCam N1 and N2 security cams have advanced face recognition

No surprises.

Hanwha Techwin America announced this week two new security cameras: the Wisenet SmartCam N1 and the SmartCam N2. These are very similar cameras, but the N1 is a Sam’s Club exclusive and costs just $149.99. The N2 will be $50 more, available at a variety of retailers like Amazon, Crutchfield, and more, and add a couple features like “Abnormal Sound Detection,” which alerts you to glass breaking, babies crying, and other unusual noises.

Both cameras will be compatible with devices like the Echo Dot and Google Home Mini to add voice control. The cameras have a 130-degree field of view, 1080p resolutions, night vision, motion detection zones which focus on specific areas, and two-way talk so you can communicate with whomever you have detected. They also support the use of microSD cards up to 128GB, which is generous for a security camera.

The security cameras will come with access to the free SmartCam+ app, too. You’ll be able to use the app to stay connected to your home no matter where you are. You can access the cameras, create and schedule events, customize the notifications you receive, and more.

One of the big selling points for these security cams is the Facial Recognition feature. For one thing, you’ll be able to set the cameras to a “humans-only mode” so your phone doesn’t get pinged every time your cat switches positions. Plus, instead of getting hit with a motion detection notification for every single person the camera detects, you will be able to add recognized faces to an “Interested Group” list. That way the camera just notifies you when it detects strangers. Once on the interested face list, you can setup custom notifications for those people, so your phone will let you know when your kids come home from school.

These are just individual cameras, and you might need to buy more than one to cover the ground you want to cover. You could also look into larger systems like the cameras from Ring or the Netgear Arlo as a way to cover more territory in a single package.

See on Amazon