Keep Porch Pirates at Bay With LifeShield's HD Video Doorbell

Are you paranoid about porch pirates stealing your packages? LifeShield wants to help quell your fears with its latest smart home security device, the HD Video Doorbell.

Unveiled today at CES, the Wi-Fi-enabled doorbell camera offers 1080p HD video and two-way audio, so you can see and hear visitors via the LifeShield mobile app or Security Touchpad. If you already own LifeShield's home security system, the new HD Video Doorbell will integrate into your existing setup.

The HD Video Doorbell features day- and night-vision modes, so you'll be able to see visitors "at any time … including in low light or cloudy conditions," the company promised.

When someone approaches your door, you'll get a notification with a live video preview. The camera features motion-detection technology, which can differentiate between people and other objects to avoid false positives. If something shady goes down at your doorstep, you can record and store media clips via the LifeShield home security system.

"We know homeowners, more than ever, are seeking better visibility to protect what's happening both inside and outside their homes," LifeShield CEO John Owens said in a statement. "Our new video doorbell adds to our vision to make LifeShield smart home security truly an end-to-end solution for security-savvy homeowners."

There's no word yet on pricing, but LifeShield says the HD Video Doorbell will be available in the second quarter of the year.

Meanwhile, LifeShield also today announced that its smart home devices will "soon" work with Google Assistant. With this new integration, you can command Google's digital helper to arm or disarm your security system, and control other smart devices connected through the LifeShield S30 base, with just your voice.

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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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