Ring pioneered the smart doorbell market with the launch of the Video Doorbell back in 2014. The company is constantly continuing to innovate with handy accessories and new features, such as end-to-end encryption and customizable motion zones. Its products just gained a handful of new functionality, allowing owners to use Alexa as their virtual greeter, play pre-recorded messages, and warn intruders they're being watched.

Alexa Greetings

The first enhancement lets you use Alexa to talk to guests on your behalf. You can set how long the virtual assistant needs to wait before answering the door and specify how it should assist people.

It can simply say you're not home and take a message for you or perform more complex tasks by asking, "May I know the purpose of your visit" For instance, it can tell delivery people where to leave packages, after asking whether they require a signature or not.

This feature seems particularly promising but only works with Ring Video Doorbell Pro devices purchased after 2017 combined with a Ring Protect subscription.

Quick Replies

The second feature is relatively simple yet helpful, as it lets you choose from six preset responses to use when you can't get the door. It's not as customizable as Alexa Greetings but still lets you interact with people if you're away, using messages like “We can’t answer the door right now, but if you’d like to leave a message, you can do it now,” or “Please leave the package outside. If you’d like to leave a message, you can do it now." There's also an option to ask the visitor to wait a bit longer, which is particularly handy if you're stuck on the toilet bowl for some reason.

Quick replies work with all Ring Video Doorbells, except the Video Doorbell Wired, and don't require a subscription, making then more accessible. If someone leaves you a message, you'll be able to watch it in real-time. You can even review the video in your history, but you'll have to be a Ring Protect subscriber for that.

Motion Warnings

Most security cameras and doorbells let you know when they sense motion. Ring ones are even smarter, as they support customizable motion zones, allowing them to only monitor specific areas. However, once you've been warned that motion has been detected, it's usually up to you to take action. Well, not anymore, as all wired doorbells (except the Ring Video Doorbell Wired), the Spotlight Cam Wired, Floodlight Cam, and Indoor Cams can now say “Warning - you are now being monitored and recorded by Ring” to potentially deter intruders.

These features are particularly exciting, as they add yet another level of security to your house. They also take the trouble away of having to catch up with missed deliveries and let people interact with you even when you're busy.

Source: Ring