Home Security - The Gadgeteer

See people moving around inside your home without using security cameras

Most home security systems involve setting up cameras and a variety of sensors like motion detectors, door and window opening/closing sensors, temperature sensors and more. The Xandem system is more like something straight from a Mission Impossible style movie. Xandem uses a gateway and a set of modules to create a mesh network that puts a […]

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Blink adds home security products to their growing line up of monitoring gear

By Julie Strietelmeier / January 2, 2017 / News / Home and Kitchen, Home Security / Leave a Comment

Only one month after announcing their new wireless outdoor camera, Blink is expanding further; this time into the home security products and services space. Later this week at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas, the company will be showcasing their Blink Seecurity™ systems and monthly service plans which will be available this year in

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Vimtag Outdoor Security Camera and CloudBox review

By Smythe Richbourg / November 14, 2016 / Reviews / Camera gear, Home and Kitchen, Home Security / Leave a Comment

Security cameras are nothing new. Even internet connectable cameras are pretty easy to find at this point. What can a new company bring to the table? Vimtag has put together a handsome weatherproof cloud-based IP camera that can be set up by most anyone. It offers 2-way voice, compatibility with a private cloud server, and

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Swann introduces their new Smart-Series video surveillance and home security system

By Dave Rees / September 14, 2016 / News / Do-It-Yourself, Home and Kitchen, Home Security / Leave a Comment

Swann’s new Smart-Series do-it-yourself security system combines wired video surveillance and wireless smart home technology into one integrated solution engineered to deter break-ins and detect intrusion within your home or business. The system includes four weather resistant, 1080p HD wired cameras with 80° viewing angle and night vision with set and forget recording onto the pre-installed 1TB hard drive.

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Kwikset Kevo Smart Lock review

By Julie Strietelmeier / August 10, 2016 / Reviews / Home and Kitchen, Home Security, Locks / 21 Comments

Picture this scenario. You’ve just been to the grocery store and spent eleventy billion dollars on Honey Bunches of Oats cereal and BBQ potato chips. You get home and are one of those people who can’t make multiple trips to the house with your bags. You MUST carry in all the bags at once or

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Logitech is giving away Circle cameras to San Francisco and Massachusetts pet adopters

By Julie Strietelmeier / May 1, 2016 / News / Home and Kitchen, Home Security / Leave a Comment

To bring awareness for National Pet Month, Logitech is gifting on-site cat or dog adopters at San Francisco SPCA and Massachusetts’ MSPCA-Angell with a FREE Logi Circle Home Security Camera (valued at $199.99) throughout the month of May. Then, between June and October, Logitech will provide on-site cat or dog adopters at San Francisco SPCA

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Canary all-in-one security camera review

By Dennis Moore / February 11, 2016 / Reviews / Camera gear, Home and Kitchen, Home Security, security camera / 5 Comments

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again…I love security cameras. There is a certain peace of mind in knowing that if someone breaks into your home, you will know about it instantly. Additionally, most newer cameras have some type of DVR function, allowing you to provide Police with footage if bad guys ever break into

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Samsung SmartCam HD Plus review

By Julie Strietelmeier / February 7, 2016 / Reviews / Camera gear, Home and Kitchen, Home Security, security camera / 2 Comments

Samsung isn’t a name that normally comes to my mind when I think about security cameras brands, so I was surprised when I was offered the chance to review their SmartCam HD Plus. Since this camera is made by Samsung, it has to be good right? Let’s find out if Samsung is the next big thing in wireless security cameras.

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Logitech Logi Circle camera review

By Julie Strietelmeier / December 4, 2015 / Reviews / Home and Kitchen, Home Security / 10 Comments

Home security cameras, IP cameras, cloud cameras, Wi-Fi cameras, no matter what you call them, they are handy gadgets that can help you keep an eye on your property, pets and loved ones when you can’t be there with them. Now more than ever, there are so many choices when it comes to these types

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Guardzilla all-in-one video security system review

By Dennis Moore / October 16, 2015 / Reviews / Camera gear, Home and Kitchen, Home Security, security camera / 3 Comments

Since becoming part of the Gadgeteer team, I’ve had the opportunity to review a few wireless security cameras. As I’ve said before, I love the peace of mind they bring my family. I’ve attempted to use these cameras to create a patchwork home security system – with varying levels of success. What I truly need

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Piper nv security camera review

By Julie Strietelmeier / August 20, 2015 / Reviews / Camera gear, Home and Kitchen, Home Security, security camera / 4 Comments

Products like the Dropcam, now called Nest Cam, have made home security cameras a very popular gadget category. I have a Dropcam Pro that I have really really enjoyed using, but since they switched hands to Nest, the web-based viewer feels sluggish and there’s also the monthly cloud subscription cost which makes it prohibitive to

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Notion home monitoring system is not your dad’s home security system

By Larry Geisz / August 2, 2015 / News / Android, Home and Kitchen, Home Security, iOS / 2 Comments

As technology gets smarter and smarter so do our home security systems. One example of this that I have recently come across is the Notion system, formerly a successful Kickstarter project. Like most home security systems, Notion relies on sensors, but unlike most security systems, the Notion’s single sensor is built to do the job

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Protect your property with a network of light

By Janet Cloninger / June 15, 2015 / News / Home and Kitchen, Home Security, LED lighting, Outdoor Gear / 1 Comment

netbright wireless network security lighting

Motion sensors are great in concept – illuminating your property when they sense nearby motion – but they can lack in execution. Normal motion sensors light up only a relatively small area around the light when they detect motion. This isn’t a problem when the motion is from an animal, but could allow a more

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AVANTEK Plug-In Wireless Doorbell review

By Julie Strietelmeier / June 10, 2015 / Reviews / Home and Kitchen, Home Security / 5 Comments

We spend a lot more time in our basement than we do the main floor of the house, so it’s often difficult to know when someone comes to the front door if we can’t hear them knocking. Sometimes they don’t even knock because they press the doorbell which has had a dead battery for over

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iHome announces their HomeKit-enabled iSP5 SmartPlug

By Janet Cloninger / June 5, 2015 / News / Home and Kitchen, Home Automation, Home Security, Wireless / Leave a Comment

Apple’s HomeKit is expected soon, and HomeKit-compatible devices are hitting the market in anticipation of this. iHome has just announced their iHome iSP5 SmartPlug, its first entry in a planned series of products from the new iHome Control line of smart home accessories. The SmartPlug is a WiFi-connected smart power outlet that lets you control a

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Leeo Smart Alert Nightlight review

By Janet Cloninger / May 25, 2015 / Reviews / Home and Kitchen, Home Security / 2 Comments

We live in a condo building that was built in 1963. It’s a 14-story building with more than 100 units in it. In addition to each unit having their own fire alarms, there is a central fire alarm system for the entire building. Because the building is older, the systems in the individual units aren’t

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A smartlock that unlocks your door for you…There’s an app for that.

By Leslie Hosmer / May 9, 2015 / News / Android, Apps, Home and Kitchen, Home Security, iOS / Leave a Comment

No need to give a friend the key to your home so they can let your precious pets out anymore. The Danalock Bluetooth Smartlock can be programed to lock and unlock at any specified time to allow entry at your digression, AND it logs any entries and exits so you know when someone is coming

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Replace your door’s deadbolt key with Sesame and a smartphone app

By Janet Cloninger / March 20, 2015 / News / Crowdfunded, Home and Kitchen, Home Automation, Home Security, Locks / 2 Comments

There are a variety of ways you can open and lock your home’s door without using a key. I tried a WiFi-connected deadbolt that didn’t work, no matter what type of interpretive dance I used to approach it. I’ve been intrigued by other Kickstarter products that still haven’t made it to market long after the

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DoorBird is your smartphone connected doorbell

By Julie Strietelmeier / February 24, 2015 / News / Home and Kitchen, Home Security / 6 Comments

The DoorBird is a smartphone connected doorbell that will allow you to see who is at your door with a 180° motion detecting camera. Receive alerts on up to eight iOS or Android devices when someone is at your door and then see and talk to them through the app even if you’re not at

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This nightlight will alert you when your smoke or carbon monoxide detectors are triggered

By Janet Cloninger / February 1, 2015 / News / Home and Kitchen, Home Security / Leave a Comment

There are a lot of smart, connected home automation and security devices on the market today, but what if you don’t want to replace all your detectors but still would like to be able to monitor them from anywhere you are? After all, your smoke alarm is only effective when you can hear it. Plug a

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