Expanding its ever present Ring of security both further inside and further outside of your home, Ring used CES 2020 in Las Vegas to launch five new lighting products and a smart gate controller, including that much touted Ring Smart LED Lightbulbs.
It also took a step toward addressing ever-present privacy concerns by announcing a new privacy-focused Control Center for its app, which lets you opt out of some of the features of its Neighbors social app.
Ring Smart LED Lightbulbs
Ring enters the highly competitive smart lightbulb market with its first smart bulbs.
The A19 and PAR38 Ring Smart LED Lightbulbs are white only, with no shade variation, and are designed for indoor/outdoor use. The A19 ($14.99 each) is primarily for inside the home, but can be used outdoor in protected areas, and the floodlight (PAR38, $24.99 each) is a bona-fide outdoor light that can also be used indoors. The bulbs will be available April 1, 2020.
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The LED bulbs are Alexa-enabled and require the Ring Bridge to group and control the bulbs, control them remotely and adjust the brightness or set schedules in the Ring app. They can be linked with other Ring devices with motion sensors to turn on when motion is detected.
With this launch Ring is a step closer to rounding out its smart home offerings, from cameras and sensors to lighting (indoor and out) and security through Ring Alarm.
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"We’re working towards creating a complete smart home solution. We want things to work together intuitively and easily," Leila Rouhi, Ring's president, told The Ambient at CES.
Ring Smart Solar Lighting
Expanding on its decorative outdoor lighting offerings, Ring introduced three new solar-powered options: a solar floodlight and solar path light (solar versions of their wired and battery-powered siblings), and an all-new solar step light.
"Customer feedback on more sustainable options drove us to offer more solar in our outdoor lighting," said Rouhi.
The step light costs $29.99, the floodlight $89.99 and the path light $34.99. The step light and path light have solar panels embedded in the top, whereas the floodlight uses a separate solar panel.
Each has a motion sensor built in and requires the Ring Bridge for smart control, and all will be available April 1.
Privacy Control Center
As a somewhat soft response to the barrage of bad press surrounding Ring's police partnerships and one of its indoor camera's being "hacked," the company announced a new privacy Control Center coming to the app later in January.
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Initially, it will let you opt out of aspects of the Neighbors tab (such as receiving video requests from local police), view and manage any third-party devices connected to your Ring system, and see where else you are logged in.
Ultimately, Rouhi says it will be like a privacy dashboard letting you see more clearly how your data is being used by Ring.
Ring also announced it that two-factor authentication will be opt-out for all new devices.
Ring Access Controller Pro
The final product on show at CES is a smart gate controller for motorized gates.
The Ring Access Controller Pro needs to be hardwired into an electronic gate system, so requires professional installation.
Think of it like a smart door lock for your gate - in that you can lock and unlock it remotely to allow access to guests, contractors and service people. But you don't need to replace your existing lock, just wire the Controller into the gate's electronics.
Paired with a Ring doorbell or Ring camera you can also control the gate directly from Live View in the Ring app, as well as set up Amazon deliveries using Key by Amazon.
If your gate is a ways from your home, however, you'll want to consider Ring's Elite doorbell, which has an ethernet connection option. The controller itself can work over cellular or ethernet, costs $299 and is available now.
