Skip to main content

Xfinity indoor/outdoor camera zooms in on Grinch’s faces and license plates

‘Tis the season’…to have packages stolen from your porch. Unfortunately, there are way too many Grinches waiting to steal home deliveries. A new Xfinity Home security camera feature can capture Grinch faces and license plates and share the footage with police.

UPS estimated it made more than 750 million deliveries between Thanksgiving Day and New Year’s Eve last year. According to a new survey conducted by Wakefield Research for Comcast, nearly one in four people say they have had packages stolen.

Comcast announced that its Xfinity Home indoor/outdoor security cameras use artificial intelligence (A.I.) to zoom in on critical features that can help law enforcement if someone steals from you.

“Home security cameras, when integrated with our other Xfinity services, offer great peace of mind so our customers can check-in on their home from anywhere, anytime,” said Eric Schaefer, Xfinity Services general manager and senior vice president.

“On any given day, our Xfinity cameras can capture many motion-triggered video recordings,” Shaefer continued. “Our engineers used A.I. to create filters for people or vehicles so they can more easily and quickly find the moment that matters most to them. Soon, we’ll add another filter for pets too.”

The Xfinity Indoor/Outdoor camera is weather-resistant and includes night vision. You can monitor live video from connected cameras with a mobile phone app.

Xfinity Home security customers with a security camera and 24/7 video recording can say, “Xfinity Home, where’s the Grinch?” to view the still images captured by the camera on their home television.

Comcast quoted former Secret Service Special Agent and national security expert Evy Poumpouras, who said, “More packages will arrive on people’s doorsteps over the next few weeks than any other time of year and theft has become an increasing concern among homeowners. There are simple and easy steps consumers can take to protect themselves, from signing up for real-time package tracking alerts to installing a home security camera to keep an eye on deliveries when they’re not home.”

Wakefield Research conducted the Comcast survey during the last week of October. Among the findings, the survey revealed that 72 percent of U.S. adults who live in a house or townhome use various strategies to protect themselves from package theft including staying home from work, having packages held at shipping centers, and having deliveries sent to family members, friends, or neighbors.

The survey also found that while 74 percent of Americans think visible security cameras can deter home package theft, only 31 percent have cameras installed.

Check out Digital Trends latest report on the best home security cameras of 2018.

Bruce Brown
Digital Trends Contributing Editor Bruce Brown is a member of the Smart Homes and Commerce teams. Bruce uses smart devices…
Arlo extends end-of-life support for legacy cameras and doorbells
Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera casing

It looks like households equipped with older, legacy Arlo products won’t have to rush out and buy new gear after all, as the company has changed course on its end-of-life policy that was revealed last month. Previously, several aging cameras and video doorbells in the Arlo lineup were expected to lose access to seven-day cloud storage, notifications, and future updates -- but after reaching out to its community, the company has decided to extend coverage instead of roll it back.

As products age, it’s standard practice for companies to stop supporting them. The time and resources needed to manage outdated products aren’t insignificant, and newer products that are pegged as their replacement quickly become the new focus. However, there was a bit of backlash when Arlo announced its original plans, as a handful of the devices scheduled to be sunset had been released just over five years ago.

Read more
What is Arlo Secure, and is it worth it?
The Arlo Pro 4 home security camera installed outdoors.

Arlo makes some of the best smart home products on the market. From robust video doorbells to premium security cameras, a model from Arlo is all but guaranteed to fit your needs. Products in the lineup tend to be a bit expensive and -- like most other smart home cameras -- lock many features behind a monthly subscription called Arlo Secure.

Curious to learn more about Arlo Secure before signing up? Or maybe you’re wondering if you need it at all, as your Arlo devices will function perfectly fine without becoming a member. Whatever the case, here’s a closer look at Arlo Secure and if it's worth signing up for.
What is Arlo Secure?

Read more
Arlo Pro 4 vs. Arlo Pro 5S: which security camera comes out on top?
The Arlo Pro 4 home security camera installed outdoors.

Arlo is responsible for two of the best smart security cameras on the market -- the Arlo Pro 4 and the Arlo Pro 5S. The Pro 5S clocks in at $250, while the older Pro 4 is a bit cheaper at $200. But is it really worth dropping an extra $50 to snag the newer Arlo Pro 5S? From video quality and built-in extras to power usage and more, here’s everything you need to know about the Arlo Pro 4 and Arlo Pro 5S security cameras before making a purchase.
Resolution and night video

Both the Arlo Pro 4 and Arlo Pro 5S capture footage with a resolution of up to 2K. They also support HDR, making most images crisp and easy to decipher. You’ll also benefit from color night vision and a 160-degree viewing angle. In other words, both security cameras produce high-end footage that’s easy on the eyes.

Read more