Sure, anyone with a tablet can ring up anyone else with a tablet using one of the many different messaging services out there. It's not that hard, and it's an easy way to have a fun, face-to-face virtual chat with someone. Yet, there are still some people that find this process difficult, if not downright impossible to figure out. And that's fine. Apps aren't for everybody, especially if you're trying to get someone from a generation not used to these sorts of things interested in video calls.

Starting today, a new device called the Nucleus is hitting both Amazon and Lowe's websites. It's sort of like a tablet, but a very simplified version. It's primary purpose is to serve as a home intercom of-sorts, which you can use to dial up other rooms in the house and talk to whoever is in there with a lovely little video call.

The Nucleus also doubles as a security camera for your home. You'll be able to set it up in a room (or multiple rooms) and dial in with a smartphone app to check up on your house's activity. (The Nucleus doesn't have any motion-tracking functionality built in, so you'll have to be actively watching in order to see anything going on.)

"I have three little boys and we always have to keep an eye on those guys. All I wanted was a way to easily check in on them when we're not in the same room. Everything on the market was complicated, outdated, and cost thousands of dollars. I couldn't believe it. So we got the best in the business together, and now Nucleus does more than I ever imagined to bring people closer to home and the people they love," reads a message from Nucleus founder and CEO Jonathan Frankel.

Each Nucleus device will cost $249 standalone. If you buy two or more at once, the price drops to $200 each. It's sensible, given that having just a single Nucleus intercom seems a bit silly. Silly, though not entirely out of the question, given that the Nucleus also comes with built-in support for Amazon's Alexa service. Not only can you video-call your friends from afar (if they also have a Nucleus), but you can then have a little digital assistant help you out with whatever it is you two talked about (like acquiring movie tickets for the following weekend).

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