Why Alarm Dealers Should Be Promoting Video Surveillance

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

In the earliest days of electronic home security, video cameras were considered an extra only the wealthy could afford. Times have changed. Video surveillance is now affordable enough that virtually any customer with a moderately-priced alarm system can include video surveillance. Alarm dealers should be promoting video cameras to take advantage of this market.

Video surveillance can be included in a base package with 24-hour monitoring. The local alarm dealer can also offer it as an add-on to a standard system that only provides burglary monitoring via window and door sensors. It's really up to the alarm dealer and the home security dealer program he or she is affiliated with.

Videos Offer Evidence

Thanks to the proliferation of video cameras, police agencies around the country are now having an easier time identifying and pursuing criminals. Simply put, videos offer evidence that can be used for investigative and prosecutorial purposes. This is a strong sell for consumers looking to protect their homes.

Every bit of evidence makes it easier for law enforcement to punish those responsible for crime. But there's an added bonus: criminals aware that video surveillance is taking place are further deterred from attacking a known target. For example, a burglar that knows video surveillance is monitoring his activities is likely to choose another target that appears more accessible.

Around-The-Clock Monitoring

Combining video surveillance with home automation gives customers the option of monitoring their own video cameras 24 hours a day. This is another strong selling point, especially for working parents forced to allow their kids to be home alone after school. With video monitoring, mom and dad can check in to make sure the kids arrive home safely. They can periodically check in on them to ensure they stay safe.

Video surveillance is also an effective tool for keeping track of your property while away on vacation. Again, this is another strong selling point. Owners can always know what is happening with their properties, even if they are thousands of miles away.

Front Door Monitoring

One of the latest video surveillance technologies to hit the market is the smart video doorbell. A smart video doorbell takes the place of a legacy doorbell and makes it possible to see who's at the door without having to actually open it. Homeowners can answer the bell whether they are home or not, simply by responding to a push notification that comes through their smartphones.

Monitoring the front door with a smart video doorbell adds an extra level of security that customers truly appreciate. The local alarm dealer can use the video doorbell as a means of providing a dual-purpose device that increases exterior surveillance and allows the video identification of visitors before opening the door.

Value for Money

When you add up all of the advantages of video surveillance, it becomes apparent that value is there. The local alarm dealer that encourages customers to add video surveillance to their packages is able to increase safety and efficiency through wireless technology. And because the cost of video cameras has come down dramatically in the last ten years, there really is no good reason not to encourage customers to include video.

Overall

Of course, affiliating with a nationally branded home security dealer program helps a great deal. But even so, pushing video surveillance with remote cameras and 24-hour monitoring is a good way to expand market share, drive revenues, and make customers safer all at the same time. If you are a local alarm dealer not yet on board with video surveillance, you need to be.

READ NEXT: Yes – Burglar Alarms to Work

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*by andreascy*

DIY Home Automation and Affordability

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Despite the fact that the home automation market is expected to grow by double digits every year through the end of the decade, there is still a reluctance among the majority of American homeowners to adopt home automation. Among the reasons for their hesitancy is the belief that equipment is too expensive. 

Until hardware manufacturers and retailers figure out how to bring prices down and make consumers comfortable with the cost of home automation, there will be ongoing challenges to making the technology as common as the smartphone.

A recently-released survey from International Data Corporation suggests that about half of U.S. consumers are reluctant to adopt home automation. The top five reasons for their reluctance are as follows:

• Too expensive (46%)

• No use for the technology (40%)

• Too little value (30%)

• Too complicated (18%)

• Lack of confidence in capabilities (12%)

Americans are undoubtedly consumers above all else. Therefore, it would seem that the two biggest hurdles for the home automation industry are bringing down retail costs and creating devices that people can find practical uses for. There are some companies already working on this.

DIY Systems Lower Costs

Bringing down the cost of home automation is more about eliminating labor than actual equipment costs. For example, a consumer who purchases a home automation system through a full-service company offering "free" installation still charges the consumer for the installation through higher hardware prices. So one way to bring down costs is to provide DIY systems.

Uxari is one example of a company doing just that. They are a Florida company that has created a collection of wireless home automation devices that customers can use to build customized systems. They can build systems that meet their requirements and budgets, knowing that those same systems will be scalable should they be able to afford more in the future.

Moving beyond Thermostats and Lighting

The other thing the industry is working hard at is moving beyond just thermostats and lighting. They definitely need to. A person who wants to better control his/her thermostat can spend less on a programmable thermostat than home automation if he/she's willing to learn how to use that thermostat in all of its complicated glory. As far as lighting goes, the old-fashioned outlet timer is still a functional way to control lighting at a lower cost.

Home automation needs to go above and beyond lighting and thermostats to be more attractive. Remote door locks are one example of the industry moving in the right direction. With electronically controlled door locks installed, the homeowner can remotely lock and unlock doors to accommodate children coming home from school or guests arriving from out of town. Should a homeowner leave home and inadvertently forget to lock the door behind him/her, the problem can be solved with a smartphone.

This leads us to another factor that could help more Americans become interested in home automation: tying it into security. Companies such as Uxari are doing that, by offering video surveillance that can be monitored remotely. For example, place a camera just above the front door and you will be able to see the kids coming home from school every day. That's the kind of usefulness people want if they plan to spend the money.

The good news for the home automation industry is that half of Americans are interested in the technology. The bad news is that the other half are not. In order to change that, the industry needs to reduce the costs and come up with devices that have more practical uses.

RELATED: Go-Go-Gadget : Advancements In Home Technology

Thanks for visiting! Hope your week is spectacular!

*by andreascy*

Keeping Your Treasured Photos Safe

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Just imagine all the thousands of photos stored in phones, digital cameras and laptops. The Daily Mail estimates that almost 40 percent of such individuals have no backup of those files. 

These devices break, wear out or are damaged every day, and with them thousands of photos are lost. Make sure you have backup plan for your treasured memories. Those moments in time can be lost forever if you don't protect them.

Local Backups and Broken Hard Drives

Most people know they should back up their files regularly. This often happens at home to a computer hard drive or maybe to an external drive. Local backups are a good idea because it does make a copy of the files. However, it's not such a good idea for long-term storage because hardware does break.

Backblaze estimates that 22 percent of hard drives, on average, fail in the first four years of use. The failure rate is higher if the computer or hard drive is used continually, or is used in hot, dusty environments. You also could experience a failure if there is a sudden spike on the electric circuit, such as during a lighting storm. You could lose years of photos on one failed drive.

While there are recovery services who will attempt to retrieve files off of a dead hard drive for you, these are expensive with no guarantee the recovery will be 100 percent successful. A better option is to have multiple ways of backing up your photos.

Backing Up to the Cloud

Cloud Storage Services have matured into an easy way for people to save all types of files, including photos. Most are easy to set up. Some offer automated backup, so you don't even have to remember to do the backup yourself. Some vendors require you to load small programs onto your computer to do the backup while others rely on a browser-based online application.

Having a combination of backups is safest. Do a local backup of your photos from your phone or camera to the computer and a regular backup to your cloud storage. One way to use your cloud storage is as an archival system.

Since your files are in the cloud, you have access to them anywhere. For example, photos you take during a vacation can be uploaded to your cloud storage from your hotel room and then you can access them again when you get home. Or you can check on photos you took during your last trip to your destination to see if you already have photos of certain scenic spots.

The Safety of Your Photos

USA Today finds that cloud storage is as safe as other storage options. Most cloud service providers use encryption to store your files so they can't be viewed by others. Data is stored on huge disk farms, which are constantly monitored for potential disk failures. The systems cloud providers use allow the replacement of disk drives without creating any downtime. You don't have to worry about a drive failing and losing photos.

Keeping Those Non-Digital Photos Safe

If you have a number of regular film photos, you can keep them save as well. CNET shows how you can scan those photos to create digital copies. Or you can have a service do that for you. A digital copy of a film photo is easier to store, doesn't fade, or get damaged by water or fire. You could scan your print photos and store the originals in a fireproof box or in a safe deposit box with your bank.

RECOMMENDED: 5 Ways to Preserve Precious Family Photos

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*by andreascy*

5 Ways to Preserve Precious Family Photos

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

It's worse than a punch in the gut—that awful realization that your computer has crashed and your wedding photos are gone, your beach vacation photos are gone, and your baby's first birthday photos ... gone. 

You scold yourself for not backing them up, saving them to a disk, or leaving them on your memory card. You swear you'll never make that mistake again, but how can you prevent a virus from wiping out your priceless photos again? Here are a few ways to make sure they're stored safely and securely.

1. Keep them in the Cloud

Upload your precious photos to cloud storage where they'll be safely stored until you need them again. Accessing them at any time is easy, and you'll never again experience that sinking feeling that comes with knowing you've lost an entire year's worth of memories to one annoying computer crash. Different features and fee structures are available at the various providers, so do your research—decide what type of storage you need and research cloud storage rankings for dependability.

2. Save them to Disc

Another efficient way of saving your digital memories is to burn them onto a disc. According to the International Journal for the Preservation of Library and Archival Material, CD-R discs made with phthalocynine dye are the ones that stand the test of time. They're less likely to exhibit laser rot and deterioration over time. The fact that the disc is a CD-R instead of a CD-RW, also means you can't accidently copy over the photos you have stored.

If you choose this method of storage, it's still a good idea to have a backup system in place. Even the best CDs deteriorate over time, so have an alternative storage method.

3. Use an External Hard Drive

Although external hard drives can be susceptible to viruses, they're a good back up to discs and to the regular hard drive on your PC. External hard drives hold a ton of photos without slowing things down and they're easy to retrieve when you need them. PC Magazine recommends the top five external hard drives, which include: 

•  LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt (1TB SSD) 

•  LaCie Rugged USB 3.0 Thunderbolt (120GB SSD) 

•  Lenovo ThinkPad USB 3.0 Secure Hard Drive 

•  Seagate Backup Plus 

•  Seagate Backup Plus Portable Drive for Mac (1TB) 

4. SD Card

SD Cards are the small memory sticks that go inside your camera before you leave on a photo expedition. These are a viable option for storing photos, except that they have a size limit and can fill up quickly if you're not cautious of your volume of large file sizes. These are also not foolproof for life, but they'll do until you have a chance to upload your memories to the cloud.

5. Combination Storage

Of all these options, cloud storage is the safest file storage method of hanging onto precious digital files. Be extra safe, however, by using a combination of storage solutions. With more than one dependable storage solutions in place, your cherished memories will be safe and secure for years to come.

SEE ALSO: Keeping Your Treasured Photos Safe

We’ve shared our ideas, now we want to ask you – how do you preserve your family memories and not lose them forever? Share them with us in a comment below!

*by andreascy*

How To Shop Black Friday Like A Pro

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Black Friday is a great day to get huge TVs, powerful laptops and an array of other products for incredibly low prices. 

If you're new to Black Friday shopping, or if you just want to learn how the pros do it, then follow these tips. You'll be finding the best sales without breaking a sweat.

Be Focused

The first thing that you have to do is being focused. Most people who shop on Black Friday love the amazing sales, but they are just going to buy anything that's cheap. This approach makes it difficult to find the best stores with your favorite products. What do you really want to buy? For example, let's say that you want a new laptop. After figuring out what you want, you can then compare the different stores that offer good laptops to see which one has the best price. Researching the price shouldn't be hard. You can check flyers and inserts, the store's website or check online for the latest Black Friday deals. You should bring the flyer or insert with you to ensure that you get the right price.

Make a Plan

Most people don't just visit one store on Black Friday. If you want to do a lot of shopping, like early Christmas shopping, then you'll want to make a plan to ensure that you visit every store on your list. You should organize your list based on which products you want the most. If you want a laptop, then visit a store with computers before going anywhere else. This ensures that you get the things that you really want, and anything else is just a bonus.

Small Stores

The big brands always advertise Black Friday sales, which causes a lot of people to visit them. Best Buy, Target and other similar stores have lots of sales, but they also have long lines. Consider visiting smaller stores. Due to public demand, nearly every store will have deep discounts on this day. You can call the store or visit the website to see what sales will be offered.

Social Media

Social media will be your best friend on Black Friday. Many retailers will issue last-minute coupons to ensure the highest number of sales. You should follow any retailers that you plan to visit on Black Friday. This will ensure that you get these coupons if they are issued, and you might get updates about new discounts.

Join Forces

Do you have a friend, spouse or child that loves shopping just as much as you? Then join forces to make Black Friday that much easier. For example, you can run to the cheapest product while the other person gets a cart or rushes to find another cheap product that you both want.

Be Comfortable

If you're going to be out all day, then ditch that bulky winter jacket for something more comfortable. It's a much better idea to dress in layers so that you can just remove one or two things to get comfortable. Those bulky jackets will make you feel tired halfway through your shopping because you'll be sweaty and uncomfortable.

SEE ALSO: Four Interesting Graduation Present Ideas

I love to blog about mobile phones and shopping tips. I recommend buying a smartphone from AT&T on Black Friday to take advantage of the biggest holiday saving.

*by andreascy*

Five Modern Car Safety Technologies That Make Safer Roads

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

The roads today are safer to drive on as compared to the past years. With the advancements in technology, car manufacturers are now equipping cars with high-end safety features that can prevent and lower the risk of car accidents. While purchasing a vehicle with these safety features can keep you and other people around you safe, it is still important to be a responsible driver when you're on the road.

The latest car safety features are very intelligent. It can even help impaired drivers avoid car collisions and other road hazards. But despite the modern cars' ability to reduce car accidents, this doesn't give drivers the excuse to drive recklessly on the road. More importantly, these car safety features don't encourage driving under the influence and driving while intoxicated.

Automatic Seatbelts

This feature may not be the latest in car safety equipment, but it is still very important. Drivers and passengers are required to buckle-up once they get on the vehicle; however, this can be easily forgotten. This is where the automatic seatbelts come in handy. It serves as a guarantee that the driver and passengers are strapped in once the vehicle is in motion. You should know that the use of seatbelts have saved over 15,000 lives every year. To this end, automatic seatbelts should not be taken for granted.

Cruise Control And Collision Monitoring System

The latest cruise control not only maintains constant speed, it also uses sensors that can detect when a collision is imminent. In fact, the cruise control in modern vehicles can adjust the throttle and brakes to ensure that the vehicle is always at a safe distance from the car in front of it. If the car senses a possible collision, it will either warn you or it will brake hard, tighten the seatbelt, and veer your vehicle to its original cruising speed to avoid getting into an accident. All these are done by the system without your input.

Lane Departure Warning System

This system judges the incoming traffic's speed and distance and warns you of possible danger if you change your lanes. It also warns you if your vehicle is veering off the right lane, which is very useful when you are distracted or if you are drowsy. The warning may come in the form of a seat or steering wheel vibration, or an alarm. Remember that drifting away from the right lane can result to fatal accidents. If your vehicle is equipped with this latest car safety feature, you can be assured that your vehicle will stay in the right course.

Driver Status Monitoring

This system works hand-in-hand with the lane departure warning system. It monitors your head position, eye activity, and your body posture to determine whether you are falling asleep and the car is behaving erratically through the use of sensors in your seat and internal camera. This system will then give a warning if you take your eyes off the road or if you fall asleep.

Blind Spot Alert System

Every car has some form of blind spot. This is the area where driver has reduced visibility; thus, they are unable to see vehicles that are traveling in adjacent lanes. Thankfully, more and more vehicles now have a blind spot alert system which uses a sensor to warn you if you are about to hit another vehicle. This system will prevent you from changing lanes if there is an incoming vehicle in your blind spot.

We've listed some of the latest car safety technologies that promote safe driving. We hope you liked our post so please, let us know your story down below in the comments and subscribe on our Newsletters to get cool stuff, gadgets & digital news straight to your inbox. We scrape the net for the best and gather all those goodies in one place.

*by andreascy*

Four Creative And Truly Inspiring Photographs

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Cameras are everywhere these days. This access to photography, coupled with the rise of social media, means that not only can everyone shoot photos, but they can also share them with a lot of people. 

There are so many beautiful/captivating/amazing things going on in this world and our friend Brebenel Silviu is just opening that magnificent window. 

One Picture, Many Words...

Innovation doesn't just come out of nowhere... you need a creative spark before you can fan the flames! So we scoured the web looking for some of the coolest photos.

Without further ado, here we are sharing some of his creative, as well as expressive, stunning and mind-blowing images-pictures for you to get inspired. Hope you enjoy!

1.

Image: Early Autumn

2.

Image: Sensual Rose

3.

Image: Purple Desire

4.

Image: Summer Gold

Want more of Silviu in your life? Then check out his cute Google Now Desktop Wallpaper Collections.

If you think we missed something really awesome, then we’d love to hear about it. Also, if it’s worthy for you to be featured in our exclusive lists, then keep sending us your suggestions on Twitter. 

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*by andreascy*

Four Interesting Graduation Present Ideas

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Graduation can be one of the most important times in the life of a young person. Whether it is commencement from college, the end of high school or even the last day of elementary school, graduation represents a turning point in one's life that should be celebrated. However, sometimes giving a gift isn’t so simple. 

It can be difficult to find a creative gift to present to a recent graduate, however, and many givers opt for money. This list is a great utility for any type of occasion, but especially recent graduates. But if you are looking to give something truly meaningful, here are four creative gift ideas that will send your graduate off to the next phase in life with a smile on their face. 

1. Decorate a New Apartment 

This gift works well for a recent high-school or college graduate who plans on living away from home. It serves as a much-welcomed surprise to a young person without a lot of money. Instead of gifting money, offer to help purchase items for their new apartment, decorate it with them or even hire a professional decorator to truly create a beautiful atmosphere in their new abode. The graduate will be thanking you all year! 

2. Membership to a Gym 

Many recent graduates discover the stresses of real life once they graduate from high school or college. Often, gym memberships, which can actually serve to help relieve stress, are passed up due to how expensive they can be! Don't let the recent graduate in your life fall prey to a sedentary lifestyle. Purchase them a gym membership and help start their new life off on a healthy track. 

3. A Case for Business Cards 

If the recent college graduate in your life is off to start a new job, they will soon have business cards that represent their new status in the world. If this is the case, the graduate will need a place to put them. While a wallet is a convenient carrying pouch, it can easily get cluttered with a variety of cards and papers. Help solve the problem by gifting them a case for their new business cards. Your present will help send them into the working world in style. 

4. Camera 

As the young graduate you know takes the next step toward their future, they will likely begin to make a host of new memories that they will want to capture forever. Help them save all of the moments they treasure with a new camera. You can purchase them a digital camera, a disposable camera or even a Polaroid camera; any sort of camera is fine, as long as it is fits into their new life. 

Moving on After Graduation 

Graduation is a culmination of one portion of life and a chance to peek into a future to see what it holds. Receiving a thoughtful gift in a transitional phase of life is a very heartwarming thing to experience. With these four great gift ideas, you can give a creative present to the recent graduate in your life and help them begin their future in happiness and style.

 Need an event planner? Our community has some good experience in planning events and giving gifts! Make some research on different gift ideas and let us know how it goes.

*by andreascy*