Ring adds smart responses to its doorbells and cameras

Ring, the home security company owned by Amazon, has announced a handful of new features for its video doorbells and security cameras. The new features fall under the umbrella of "smart responses", but there are three different features here.

First, there's Alexa Greetings. This is the most exclusive of the features, as you'll need both a Ring Video Doorbell Pro (from 2017 or later) and a Ring Protect subscription. If you have both of those, you can set up Alexa greetings within the Ring app, and the smart assistant will automatically answer the door after a set period of time. Alexa can take messages from visitors or provide package delivery instructions for you, without any action on the user's part. Messages left by visitors can then be viewed in the Ring app later.

For the rest of the Ring community, there are also quick replies. If you can't get to the door or don't want to talk directly to visitors, you can choose preset messages that your Ring video doorbell can say out loud, such as telling a delivery driver to leave a package outside. If the visitor leaves a message, you can hear it in real-time, or see it later in the Ring app if you're subscribed to Ring Protect. This feature is available on all Ring Video Doorbells except the Video Doorbell Wired.

Finally, there are motion warnings, which are available for wired video doorbells - excluding the Ring Video Doorbell Wired, oddly enough - as well as the Spotlight Cam Wired, Floodlight Cam, and Indoor Cam. When these devices detect motion, they'll now say “Warning - you are now being monitored and recorded by Ring”, letting potential intruders know they're being watched. Motion warnings can also be turned on or off in the Ring app.