Nest’s security cameras now pick out the footage you need to see

Nest has released a new software feature for its Wi-Fi connected cameras today that picks out key moments from recorded surveillance footage. It's called Sightline and is available via the Nest app, appearing as a timeline underneath cameras' live streams. Users can scrub back and forth over recorded footage, or jump to moments where there was movement in the frame — like a package delivery, a neighbor dropping by, or something more sinister. This isn't a new feature for the commercial market (TomTom does the same thing with its action cams), but it's certainly an improvement over hunting through footage by hand.

"Sightline’s algorithms look at all motion and sound, and group activity into events," says Nest in a blog post. "[They] then show you how long they lasted and a key image of the action." However, the reach of Sightline's vision will depend on whether you're a paying subscriber to Nest's cloud service, Nest Aware. For a 10-day Sightline video history it costs $10 a month or $100 a year, and for a 30-day history it's $30 a month or $300 a year. If you've just bought the camera and no subscription you only get a three-hour video history, along with access to a live stream and motion alerts.

Nest's new Sightline feature in action.

Sightline works for Nest's standard indoor camera, but also its new outdoor model, which was announced in July and goes on sale via the company's website and other online retailers today. The $199 camera is weatherproof and has the same 1080p resolution, night vision, and 130-degree field of vision as the indoor version. There's a new magnetic mount making it easier to fix onto metal surfaces like gutters, and it comes with a built-in speaker so you can shout at any would-be thieves. Alongside the camera tricks, Nest also announced a trio of new colors for its learning thermostat — now available in white, black, and copper.

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