http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/ Engadget Comments for The Lockdown: Lasershield - convenient, cost effective, potentially vulnerable http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/Jan 31st 2008 2:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/Jan 31st 2008 2:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/Jan 31st 2008 2:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/Jan 31st 2008 3:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/Jan 31st 2008 3:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/gadgets/wireless-jammer-114698.php

http://www.magnumtelecom.com/Pages/jammers.htm

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DOG

Not one of those little yappers a real dog, a German Shepard(mix) can easily be found in the pound and you get a great companion! I have three dogs so I am a bit crazy, but let me tell you I can leave the house wide open and no robber is coming near me.
]]>Jan 31st 2008 3:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/
Some quick research:

"In another study, the following question was asked of 589 convicted property offenders:

How effective is each of the following likely to be in preventing burglary, breaking and entering and grand theft?

0 - not effective 1 - somewhat effective 2 - very effective

Monitored burglar alarms[8] 1.51
Electronic sensors in windows 1.35
Closed circuit TV cameras in stores 1.31
Private security patrols 1.14
***DOG IN HOUSE 1.11***
Weapons in home 1.10
Guardhouses protecting homes 1.07
Random police foot patrols 1.05
Better exterior lighting 1.02
"Neighborhood Watch" programs 0.98
Safes/strong boxes 0.83
Local burglar alarms 0.83
Deadbolt lock 0.79
Timed interior lights 0.78[9]"]]>Jan 31st 2008 4:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/Jan 31st 2008 4:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/Jan 31st 2008 3:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/Jan 31st 2008 4:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/
US Constitution, two amendments in. ]]>Jan 31st 2008 3:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/Jan 31st 2008 4:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/
I guess you get to feel like John Wayne though.]]>Jan 31st 2008 4:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/Jan 31st 2008 4:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/Feb 4th 2008 1:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/
How cheap do you think a Motorola radio + programming cable and software is? Plus you probably want a 5watt model instead of a 1watt to ensure that you overpower the transmitters. I imagine you would easily pay $400+ for that. The demonstration in the video is something a career criminal would do. How would a casual thief know to look in to the frequency used and get a radio and program it to that and then use it to break in to your house? ]]>Jan 31st 2008 6:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/Jan 31st 2008 6:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/Feb 1st 2008 11:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/
I almost bought an ADT system, and I'm glad I didn't. I replied to one of those ADT postcards that says it cost less than $100, and it would be installed for me. A sales guy showed up, and by the time he was through, he had me convinced that I needed a $1800 system or I wouldn't be safe. And I had to lock in to a 2 year contract for about $40 per month. I have to admit, the guy was a good salesman. But when the installer showed up (10 days later), I was having buyers remorse. And the installer looked like he had just been released from prison - tattoos all over his arms, etc. I got the feeling that he installed alarms by day and broke into houses by night. I called the ADT sales guy and cancelled on the spot.

I'd heard an ad for Lasershield on the radio, so I went out and bought one. I have to agree with the author of this article - this was really easy to set up and install. I was mentally prepared for an afternoon of frustration and calls to customer support. It honestly took less than ten minutes to set up. I tested it, and an alarm went off that made me want to get out of the house. I took about ten more minutes to sign up for monitoring (I did it online - not using the paper form that came in the box). After you sign up for monitoring, you have to test it by pushing the panic button. The siren went off. a call came about 20 seconds later. I answered the call, entered the password, and bingo! I had a monitored alarm system in my house. It took about 10 seconds to teach my wife how to use it. If you can use your car alarm, you can use this. Honestly, my thought was "Why didn't somebody come up with this about 20 years ago?

The cost for the hardware was about one-tenth what ADT had racked up on me, and the monthly fees are about half of what ADT was going to charge. And I feel really safe. I suppose the author of this article has a valid point - he seems to be pretty knowledgeable - but I just don't imagine people in my neighborhood walking around with walkie talkies trying to break into houses. There have been a few burglaries in my neighborhood in the past two years - but it's just been punks taking advantage of an unlocked front door, and running in and grabbing something.

I suppose the author has a valid point, but I guess that every alarm system out there has weaknesses that professional thieves can take advantage of. I'm not trying to protect Fort Knox. I'm trying to keep the punks from grabbing my home theater or my laptop. Now I arm the system every time I leave the house - even if it's just to walk the dog. Sorry if I sound like a salesperson or something, but after _almost_ buying from ADt, and then the experience I had with Lasershield, I really like this product. I feel very safe with it. And my home owner's insurance went down by $80 per year. In a few years, that will pay for the system. (BTW, after I set it up, I bought two more of the motion detectors to guard my back door and garage door. Now that I knew how to do it, it took about one minute to set up each one.)]]>Feb 1st 2008 11:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/Feb 5th 2008 10:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/Feb 6th 2008 4:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/Feb 13th 2008 5:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/the-lockdown-lasershield-convenient-cost-effective-potentia/
The research about what thieves avoid is interesting, especially since "monitored burglar alarms" is at the very top, way above "weapons in home" (of course, the study only included robbers who had been caught-- we don't know about the more skilled or lucky ones)). Given that fact, the LaserShield does seem like an inexpensive way of keeping at least a large percentage of thieves from robbing your house.

Of course, the only way that a monitored alarm will deter burglars from trying to break into your house is if you have a sign or stickers saying that you have a monitored system (the signs needn't specify which system, to avoid 2-way radios). Given the research cited, there's something even cheaper than the LaserShield, though.

Just put up some nice, professional-looking 'monitored alarm' warning signs, and if you want to get fancy maybe a little box with a battery-powered flashing red LED that can be seen through a window. It'll cost you maybe $20. The amateurs will hit your neighbor's house instead (why risk the monitored alarm?)-- the real pros will get through any alarm you've got, if they want to badly enough, or else go in (ignoring the siren), grab the computer and wide-screen TV, and be gone before the cops get there anyway.

As long as we're only keeping out the amateurs, the teenages punks, and the whacked-out looking for something to pawn for drugs, the plain sign seems as effective as anything else, and is certainly the cheapest way to go!

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