Kasa Smart Unveils New Outdoor Security Camera, Smart Wi-Fi Plug

In need of an outdoor security camera? TP-Link's smart home brand Kasa Smart has one you might want to consider.

The company today unveiled a $139.99 rain- and dust-resistant outdoor home-security camera offering 1080p streaming video and two-way audio, plus a $39.99 smart Wi-Fi plug with two outlets.

The Kasa Cam Outdoor Security Camera has a night-vision range of 30 feet, with the option to zoom in for a closer look. You can watch a live stream via the Kasa Smart app, Amazon Alexa devices like the Echo Spot, or a Google Assistant-supported display. The app will alert you when it detects motion or sounds, and lets you "activate a built-in siren to deter intruders or simply use two-way audio to talk to a delivery person," Kasa Smart wrote in a news release. The company said the camera offers "near real-time video-streaming latency" when it's connected to the same Wi-Fi network as the app.

To cut down on unwanted alerts from, say, a moving tree branch, you can set up activity zones, or areas in the camera's 130-degree field of view where motion should be detected. That way, any movements outside of your specified activity zone will be ignored. The camera also disregards "fast microsecond motion events that can be triggered by a flying bug or other objects that appear for a split second," Kasa Smart wrote.

Downloadable video clips recorded by the camera are stored in the Kasa Smart cloud for up to two days for free. The company also offers subscription plans starting at $4 per month just in case you want to store those clips beyond that.

Meanwhile, the new smart Wi-Fi plug lets you control things like lamps, fans, and other appliances wherever you are from the Kasa Smart app. It also works with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, or Microsoft Cortana so you can control your devices with your voice.

The Kasa Cam Outdoor Security Camera and Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug, 2-Outlets are available for pre-order on Amazon and slated to start shipping at the end of August.

"Kasa Smart has become a dependable smart home brand with a growing portfolio of quality products, providing a variety of app-enabled solutions that give you remote control of your home from anywhere," David Li, CEO of TP-Link Research America Corp., said in a statement. "The addition of a weather-resistant security camera and a dual-outlet smart plug brings our customers even greater flexibility and ease in how they monitor their homes and control their devices."

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade.

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes.

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app.

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth.

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light.

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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