About a month ago The Ring Video Doorbell was brought to my attention and I was asked if I’d like to try it.
I love technology, particularly assistive and enabling technology.
What interested me about this particular doorbell was its easy wifi connectivity to both iPhone and Applewatch via an app meaning prominent haptics would alert me to callers at the door.
However, there is far more to this doorbell than prominent haptics.
Before having the Ring video doorbell I would feel quite anxious about opening the door when home alone. Most of my friends would text me to alert me they were at my front door, however if a stranger was calling I would answer the door and not know who was there for some time as I would have to scan for a face and then scan that face to know who I was facing. I felt very vulnerable.
The Ring video doorbell alerts me to callers in several ways, yes, haptics on my Applewatch but also my iPhone vibrates and on pressing the Ring app on my phone I get to not only see a wide angled live video of who is at the door and to press talk to speak to whoever is at the door and for the caller to speak to me.
In this day and age being home alone I did feel quite vulnerable to random door knockers, particularly at night so I feel a new sense of security having this video doorbell.
Along with the features described the Ring Video Doorbell has a motion function that can be adjusted. This function enables me to see and be alerted to various ranges beyond the front door just by looking at my iPhone having been alerted by my Applewatch.
In additional to this I can be alerted to callers even when I am out and for a very small annual subscription Ring keeps ALL recordings of people at my door for up to a year so in the event there are any unwanted visitors there would be records both on my iPhone and held by Ring, this makes me feel very safe and secure in my home.
After using the video doorbell for a couple of weeks I then received the Ring Chime, a wireless plugin connected by wifi to the doorbell, the benefit for me here is it makes the doorbell portable and in the event I do not have my hearing aids in or my Applewatch on the plugin has a small flashing light, this could be a touch bigger and brighter to be a perfect feature for the deafblind and the deaf but does work ok.
Additional chimes can be added to the system.
I love this piece of technology, it works brilliantly for me as a deafblind person, it would work beautifully for the elderly, those who feel vulnerable for any reason and if it works for those groups it’ll work for all.
It offers security, it offers piece of mind and safety and again all accessible to me because it is fully accessible on both iPhone and Applewatch so for those who think gadget and gimmick it’s really time to think outside the box.
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