ISC East Takes Home Security to the Next Level
Braving NYC in the middle of winter? Not fun. But for home security buffs, boy, was it worth it.
International Security Conference East 2021 was like an early Christmas for the home security experts at Security.org. There was no actual eggnog, but there were plenty of presents: long-awaited upgrades to our favorite home security systems, next-generation security cameras that blew 2021 models out of the water, smarter door locks, and a bunch of other exciting stuff.
This past year was a little crazy, but we made it safely to the Javits Center in Manhattan and stayed for both tech-packed days (November 18-19). As expected, there was a blizzard of brand-new security tech, over 300 stands on the cutting edge of home and business biometrics, Internet of Things (IoT), and IT and cyber security.
Over two days, we had some time to really get into it with the brand reps — to hear what they had to say and take that just-dropped tech out for a test-drive. Here’s what we liked best on the home (and business) security tech front heading into 2022.
Ajax Professional Security
Dubai-based Ajax is already a household name in Europe, although not so much in the U.S. But that’s all going to change in 2022 when Ajax breaks out into the U.S. market. This is exciting news for a few reasons.
For one, like Apple, Ajax’s hardware and software are proprietary, which means no outsourcing of anything and total control over the tech we trust our homes with.
Second, Ajax really is a complete, integrated solution. With an Ajax hub, you can outfit your home with wireless motion detectors, door monitors, fire and leak protection, curtain motion devices, and a lot more. In other words, to all you dads of North America, your days of Frankensteining home security systems from Best Buy fire sales could finally be over in 2022.
Finally, but definitely not least, Ajax devices are sleek and minimal in design. This is tech you’ll want to look at on a daily basis.
We got hands-on with the whole Ajax line at ISC East. You can assemble your own virtual kit on their website to get an idea of what you might need for your space and how much it’s going to run you.
See our video interview with the Ajax folks below…
Kaadas Smart Locks
Kaadas, which is based out of Ontario, Canada, is another international home security player with a keen sense of design. The technology is a pleasure to look at and is going to make Kaadas the name to look out for in smart lock tech in the new year.
But Kaadas brings something else to the table we really liked: They’ve got a whole range of price points and levels of security. Because, we get it – not everyone needs, or has the budget for, a $1,000 face-reading smart lock. But a designer digital deadbolt for $289? That’s an investment a lot of us might be willing to make. Ditto for a Kaadas Wi-Fi lock you can hook up to your Apple HomeKit.
Big thanks to Leo Xu from Kaadas for letting us give those handles a spin!
Speco Technologies
Speco Technologies is a family-run business headquartered in Amityville, New York. They’ve been in the home security game for over 60 years. Today, Speco has carved out a name for itself in quality AI and analytics-driven smart security with a focus on access control and AV.
Speco has residential and commercial solutions, which — let me say — can get very techy. They manufacture servers and sell cloud storage, for instance. But our favorite Speco ISC demo was their Ultra Intensifier Outdoor Network Bullet Camera, a device that will saturate your view of your property in 2 MP of color, day or night.
Why do we love this? Because there’s nothing quite as bad as having a top-of-the-line outdoor security camera and not being able to tell if it’s a very large raccoon on your lawn or a thief casing the joint. (Hello, officer, I’d like to report something very grainy somewhere outside my window.)
Been there? You’re going to love Speco.
Genetec
Our final stop at ISC East was Genetec. Like Speco, Genetec specializes in AI-based physical security systems. But there are a few things that set Genetec apart.
First and foremost, Genetec is really a business solution, so don’t expect to replace your SimpliSafe home security system with a Genetec hub anytime soon. (And, frankly, why would you? SimpliSafe is great.)
Second — and this is the part we found absolutely fascinating — Genetec has positioned itself as an open architecture operational security platform for small businesses, enterprises, and even college campuses that want to unify their security ecosystems. This is actually pretty revolutionary because, with Genetec, organizations will have the freedom to build custom security systems based on their needs without having to redesign their infrastructure each time they add a new piece of hardware or change software.
So that’s the wrap on ISC East 2021. We walked away with a pretty good idea of what to expect home security tech-wise in the new year: snazzier home security hubs, smarter digital locks, and crisper home security cameras.
I’d also like to add better physical security systems for our businesses and schools to that list. Because, if 2021 was the year of the ransomware attack, 2022 is going to be a real and unprecedented test for our critical infrastructure, and we’ll need all the help we can get.
