SecurityCameras
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Ring reportedly gave employees access to customer video feeds
Ring's privacy practices have come under scrutiny in recent months and the latest report from The Intercept details just how lax the company has been when it comes to users' personal video feeds. Ring's product lines include security cameras, video doorbells, lighting and alarm systems and the company was acquired by Amazon last year. But recent reports have shown that a large number of Ring employees, both in the US and abroad, were granted unlimited access to the video feeds collected by Ring products, and for the most part, it appears that the company never made its customers aware of such a practice.
Arlo cameras will soon detect animals, vehicles and packages
Arlo's cameras are getting more AI-powered features though the Arlo Smart subscription service, which will soon detect packages, animals and vehicles. The features arrive later this year and will work with all Arlo cameras.
Swann TrueBlue 4000 series D1 DVRs pack up to 8 cameras, 1TB of storage for home security
Home security may not have reached all-seeing aerial eye proportions, but Swann's TrueBlue 4000 series of D1 DVR systems can place up to eight digital peepers throughout your island fortress or humble abode. With a resolution of 480 x 704 pixels, the cameras offer "DVD-quality" video and feature night vision with up to 65 feet of visibility. Those hankering to remotely keep tabs on their homestead can load up the free SwannView app for Android, BlackBerry, iOS, Windows Mobile 6 and Symbian to watch live video on mobile devices. Footage can also be viewed on monitors using HDMI or VGA connections and can be backed up through USB, eSATA or over a network. The maximum one terabyte of storage space nets continuous recording for up to 30 days -- or longer if the device's motion detection settings are flipped on. A 500GB base model with a quartet of cams rings up at $549.99, while the more expensive $649.99 and $749.99 models each pack 1TB hard drives and eight channel support. However, only the priciest of the trio comes packaged with the octet of cameras. Head past the break for the full PR and a glimpse of the rig in action.
Logitech Alert Video Security System gets Dropbox support, lets you park 100GB of footage in the cloud
We liked Logitech's Alert Video Security System when we took it for a week-long spin last year, which at that point allowed remote access to live HD camera footage, and video stored on your PC. But a new partnership with Dropbox adds cloud storage to the equation, letting you boot video directly to the web to supplement the PC- and microSD-based options already in place. Packages are available today, and come with 2GB of storage for free, 50GB for $10 per month or 100GB for $20 per month -- Logitech isn't exactly giving away the service, but when you consider that a bare-bones Alert system costs $300, those virtual add-ons sound a bit more reasonable. Jump past the break for the full rundown from Logitech, and get ready to beef up those passwords -- having your email account hacked is one thing, but you certainly don't want anyone watching you at home, in real-time or the past.
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me monitor security video from my iPhone
Dear Auntie, Hey Auntie what's up? I would love if somebody over there can point in the right direction of the best iOS-friendly business security system. I would love to be able to control my security DVR and view it remotely on either my iPad or iPhone so I can keep an eye on my small business when I am away..... Love the site and keep up the great work, Jay-G
Dropcam app comes to Android, lets you monitor your security cameras from afar
iPhone users have been able to keep watch on their Dropcam security cameras from the convenience of a dedicated app since the Dropcam Echo launched last summer, but Android users have unfortunately been left with no other option than to simply use the standard, less-than-mobile-friendly web interface. The company's now finally corrected that oversight, however, and released a full-fledged app for Android smartphones running Android 2.2 or higher. The key advantage with a Dropcam setup -- as we noted in our review of the camera itself -- is that it's entirely cloud-based, and doesn't need to be connected to your home computer to record or share video (unfortunately, that convenience comes at quite a cost). As for the Android app, it will let you receive things like motion and audio alerts, and of course let you check in on a live stream or access recordings -- those just looking try the service can also simply access some public webcams to test it out.
Scallop Imaging wide-angle security cams look to the sea for inspiration
We're not too sure what's up with New England-based institutions and inspiration from the depths, but the two seem to have some kind of intrinsic connection. The latest company to prove such a wacky assertion true is Boston's own Scallop Imaging, a Tenebraex subsidiary that has developed a "low-cost" security camera that sees 180 degrees of view without fisheye distortion or the lag present in pan-and-tilt alternatives. Additionally, the multi-eyed cam automatically stitches and downsamples images, and can capture a new 7-megapixel still to transmit over Ethernet "every second or two." It's small enough to be placed into a light socket-sized hole, and it's powered by the same Ethernet cable that links it into a building's surveillance system. Of course, the fun won't stop there, as the outfit is already looking at automotive applications of the Digital Window, including "distortion-free backup cameras for the rear ends" of vehicles.
China outdoes itself with unprecedented surveillance initiative
The Chinese government, long-renowned for its tolerance, unobtrusive law-making, and general good vibes, has announced plans to begin outfitting its citizens with a new kind of ID card; one with an embedded chip that will include the holder's name, address, work history, educational background, religion, ethnicity, police record, medical insurance status and landlord's phone number. The cards will also carry reproductive history information, to further aid authorities in enforcing China's "one child" policy. Ostensibly, the cards will keep track of the large influx of peasants moving to cities, though Michael Lin, VP of China Public Security Technology, went on (in Orwellian fashion) to say; "If they do not get the permanent card, they cannot live here, they cannot get government benefits, and that is a way for the government to control the population in the future." Additionally, authorities are aggressively installing new security cameras around cities like Shenzhen, which utilize sophisticated recognition software co-developed by US companies like IBM, HP, and Dell. When reached for comment at the Ministry of Truth, the Chinese version of Big Brother was unavailable, as he was busy rationing out Soylent Green, Soma, and Ludovico technique treatments.[Via Techmeme]
British mulling security cams that see through clothes?
There's no two ways about it: the British love their security. And when it comes to employing technology for keeping the streets clean (and Segway-free!) and the terrorists squirreled away, the Brits put the rest of the world to shame, what with their four million CCTV cams (some with mic's and speakers, but no aggression detectors -- yet), head-mounted bobby cams, rolling license plate scanners, and heck, even their camera-watching cameras. So it should come as no surprise that the government's latest idea for ensuring total citizen compliance putting safety first involves the deployment of security cams that have the ability to see through people's clothing, among other high-tech surveillance devices normally confined to your favorite airport. According to a leaked memo supposedly seen by The Sun -- they of the journalistically-dubious "Page 3" -- Home Office officials presented Tony Blair's working group on Security, Crime and Justice with a proposal to install what are technically known as "perv cams" to facilitate the detection of weapons and explosives at strategic locations around the UK, along with millimeter wave imaging and THz imaging and spectroscopy systems. The Sun's George Pascoe-Watson goes on to note that proponents of the plan are aware of the likely public backlash over such a Sliver-esque scenario, which is why some officials have suggested that only females be allowed to monitor the "dirty" feeds; whew, what a relief -- women would certainly never abuse a power like this for personal gratification. Anyway, we're not putting much stock in what is little more than a rumored pitch to a bunch of bureaucrats at this point, so it's probably okay to put away those lead-lined Jockey's for the time being.[Via Yahoo]
