This doorbell camera lets a human security guard watch your front door

SimpliSafe brings its Active Guard live monitoring to its new video doorbell. SimpliSafe brings its Active Guard live monitoring to its new video doorbell. DIY home security company SimpliSafe is bringing its AI-powered proactive security feature to the front door. The newSimpliSafe Video Doorbell Series 2launches today for $199.99 and works with the company’sActive Guard Outdoor Protection(starting at $49.99 a month). This combines AI analysis with live agents to detect potential threats and respond proactively. When the camera detects suspicious activity — using a combination of on-device AI, cloud-based computer vision, and facial recognition — a SimpliSafe monitoring agent can drop in on the camera to “see, speak to, and attempt to deter potential intruders and package thieves,”according to the company. The SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Series 2 is a wired doorbell with 2K resolution, a 10x zoom, a 150-degree head-to-toe view, two-way audio, and a built-in siren. It has smart alerts for people and packages, up to five seconds of pre-roll video, and supports dual-band Wi-Fi. The doorbell requires a SimpliSafe base station and keypad and works with anymonitored SimpliSafe plan. It can also be used with a self-monitored plan with video recording. Active Guard was launched in2023 on SimpliSafe’s indoor camera, arrivedon outdoor cameras in 2024, and is now available on the company’s newest doorbell camera. The feature is opt-in, and the agent can only view live footage when the system is armed and has been triggered. Active Guard requires a Pro or PlusSimpliSafe monitoring planstarting at $49.99 a month. In addition to potentially deterring intruders, SimpliSafe says the system can provide emergency services with more accurate information. The company haspublished a privacy pagedetailing how the system works, including that the footage is encrypted (at rest and in transit, not end-to-end) and that it “won’t share camera footage with law enforcement unless required by law.” Color-coded LED status lights on the doorbell indicate when a monitoring agent (amber) or homeowner (blue) is speaking, and you can create a library of familiar faces so the monitoring agent doesn’t scare the bejeezus out of your dog walker. Ring offers a similar proactive security featurecalled Virtual Guardthat works with its Ring Alarm systemfor $99 a month. Having a human be able to see and verify whether there’s any actual danger at your home and potentially act on it has value, especially if you live in an area where false alarms incur fines, but for most people this feels like overkill. A free daily digest of the news that matters most. This is the title for the native ad