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The idea of having cameras in my house has always scared me. What if there was a way to promise peace of mind without needing one of the best home security cameras?
A few years ago, Amazon introduced Alexa Guard, one of the best Alexa skills I’ve learned to rely on in my current lifestyle. As someone who is often away with one or six Echo speakers, the ability to turn my camera-less devices into danger detectors is a game-changer.
Alexa Guard turns most of the best Alexa speakers into safety devices, listening for signs of problems like breaking glass or tripping your smoke detector. Your Alexa app will alert you when it hears something suspicious, allowing you to act as you see fit. It even gives you the option to set up your speaker or check out the stage if you have a smart display like the Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd gen) or the Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd gen).
Let me put this aside – I haven’t needed the services of Alexa Guard in the last year, I use the feature. I’m also not paying for Alexa Guard Plus, a subscription level that will contact authorities for you when certain sounds are heard. Alexa Guard Plus can play fake barking dog and household activity sounds to make it look like you’re indoors too. At $ 50 a year, it’s the cheapest professional surveillance service on the market.
But with an Amazon Echo Dot with clock and Amazon Echo (4th gen) on standby for disturbing sounds, I feel a lot better when I leave my house. This is especially relevant now that I do more things now through summer activities like paddleboarding with my Apple Watch, or meeting friends that I haven’t seen in a while.
Alexa Guard is not a replacement for a full home security system, mainly because while it can call my contacts, it can’t call 911 for me. But if you have a third-party system in place, like Ring’s or ADT’s, Alexa can send alerts to them. Plus, it can automatically arm or disarm your system when you turn on and off guard mode. Yes, even with the free version of the skill.
Alexa Guard – how it works
In our guide on using Alexa, we covered in detail how to set up and activate Alexa Guard. Here is the short version:
Open your Alexa app on your smartphone and click on the Devices tab in the bottom toolbar. Below your device’s icons, you’ll see a button called Guard. Click on it for a walkthrough and to explore the settings.
When you get a new Amazon speaker these days, the option to activate Alexa Guard is often included in the setup process. So keep an eye out for the next time you get an Amazon Echo Dot (4th gen).
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