News - 2016051002 - Roost unveils smart smoke detectors to take on Nest
Roost's smoke detector smart battery is one of those rare, genuinely useful, connected home gadgets. It plugs into any smoke detector to give you alarm notifications on your smartphone, and it costs a paltry $35. Now, the company is adding two new smart products to its lineup: the $60 RSA-200 smoke and fire detector, and the $80 RSA-400, which adds carbon monoxide and natural gas detection. Both devices also use the existing Roost battery, but they can detect fires even faster than a typical smoke alarm.
Gallery: Roost smart smoke alarms | 7 Photos
The alarms are using Universal Smoke Sensing Technology, which relies on a microprocessor to quickly detect "fast flaming" fires, as well as those that smolder slowly. It's up to 87 percent faster than the current smoke alarm standards, the company says.
It might seem crazy to expect consumers to pay a premium for smoke detectors, which typically cost anywhere from $10 to $30. But Roost's smart functionality is genuinely useful, especially if you have a family to worry about. Its smart detectors are also cheaper than $99 Nest Protect(which is admittedly a lot more stylish).
