AT&T lets you spy on your own home, remotely
AT&T has just announced a home monitoring service so that you can spy on your kids / housemates / spouse / pets while you're out and about in the wider world. For a one-time fee of $200, AT&T will sell you an "equipment package" that contains a tilt-and-pan video camera, a motion sensor for a door / window, a "central router" to connect those devices to the interweb, and "two power modules that enable device connectivity via home power outlets." (And shipping you all that to your door will cost you another Hamilton, don't forget.) Further, as you might expect, you can program various alerts or triggers (like turning on a light) if motion is detected. So for all of that (which will still cost you $10 per month to operate), how do you view pictures of people trying to do damage to your domicile? Well, the system transmits over the internet at 3-7fps or if you're viewing it on your Cingular handset, between a paltry 1fps or up to a smokin' 3fps (if you have HSDPA). However, The Associated Press provides one last caveat, though: "The system won't work if the power fails." Thanks, Sherlock.[Via The Associated Press]
Filed under: Cellphones, Household, Networking
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3rdsun @ Oct 27th 2006 6:29AM
nothing works when the power fails, unless u got backup
Tyler @ Oct 27th 2006 7:13AM
who's going to leave their two-year-old home alone?
Mischa Lockton @ Oct 27th 2006 7:40AM
Usually you guys have the scoop but this is old news.
Thats what I get for clicking on you at 4:37 am expecting some new plasma guided robot.
JP @ Oct 27th 2006 8:18AM
Do AT&T throw in government surveillance as well for free?
Ian Jardine @ Oct 27th 2006 8:37AM
This is very low tech stuff.
Surely there is better stuff around for home surveillance and security. I am trying to pt together my own system and need suggestions.Thanks
p.s. AT&T have NO ales sense their PR contains NO pathway URL to the website with all the product information.
Jon Kelly @ Oct 27th 2006 8:55AM
Hardly new for an ISP to offer this. RCN has been doing it for well over a year now, and I doubt they were the first ones.
http://www.rcn.com/internet/webwatch/index.php
studio @ Oct 27th 2006 9:17AM
I used to work for a company. www.cenuco.com who did and still does the same type of technology. What was cool about them is that while you could still do it from your phone, you could also view it through their website www.mobilemonitor.com or www.cenvid.com depending on your type of plan.
Until phones can them at 20fps or something I think its somewhat useless... still it will be a cool idea in a few years.
Russ Matthews @ Oct 27th 2006 10:42AM
Yeah, with their being in bed with the NSA and such... this whole idea just made me laugh out loud. Like I'm going to actually PAY for big brother to literally watch me in my home. They can go boil their heads.
Tommy Gun @ Oct 27th 2006 11:49AM
If you read the article that's linked it actually mentions a recurring fee of $9.95 a month. Not so one time "Thereafter, the service is provided for $9.95 a month." Here I thought Big Brother would come into my house for a flat rate. Damn these hidden fees.
Cronick @ Oct 27th 2006 1:40PM
I do that right now with SecuritySpy (securityspy.com) and my Treo - for no additional cost.
I control the picture. I control the server. I am BIG BROTHER of my own domain!
Cronick