Home8 prioritizes security with its Smart Garage device

Many people use their garage as much as their front door, so buying a device to remotely control or automate it seems like a pretty logical investment. But a new company called Home8 says simple app-connectedness isn't enough -- security is just as important. Enter the Smart Garage Starter Kit.

At $230, the Starter Kit costs about $30 more than Garageio and $100 more than the Chamberlain MyQ. But unlike both of those competitors, Home8's kit includes security gadgets, like a camera and an alarm. For anyone worried that the garage isn't just another door, but also another home security vulnerability, the Home8 Smart Garage Starter Kit could be a useful solution.

The Kit will contain three devices. First, you'll get the garage door opener itself. This will connect with the electric opener already in place, adding smarts retroactively. The second device is the Shuttle Intelligent Hub, which will act as a bridge between your phone and the opener. That means you'll be able to control your garage remotely. In addition, the Hub contains an alarm, so you'll be alerted in the case of a break-in.

The final device in the package is a Mini Cube HD camera. The camera itself is proprietary, so how well it works remains to be seen. But with 720p resolution, a ball-and-socket mount for manual swiveling, motion detection, night vision and two-way audio, it seems to have its bases covered.

While the $230 price tag feels a little high at first glance, for a high-quality cameraand a connected garage door opener, it could be a great deal. The Starter Kit also works with integration platform IFTTT, and Home8 is working on Amazon Echocompatibility as well.

Between these strategic smart-home integrations and the security-centric approach to garage door automation, Home8 is taking a big step in the right direction. Now the question is whether the Smart Garage Starter Kit's performance will match the idea behind it.