If you’re like the rest of us, you’re probably on the road a lot. And when you’re on automatic pilot to get to work in the morning, you might not recall whether you activated your home security system before you left the house. Fortunately, the ever-evolving security industry is determined to provide homeowners not only with protection from criminals looking to enter their homes, but also with peace of mind. To this end, two companies, iControl and Alarm.com have recently partnered with phone providers to offer consumers apps for their mobile phones that enable remote monitoring of their home security systems, no matter where they are in the world.
iControl’s mobile phone app combines with compatible home security systems to allow homeowners to remotely control their burglar alarms, as well as their homes’ locks, thermostats and lighting. In order to target a bigger market, a recent partnership between iControl and ADT was announced that will allow even more homeowners to use iControl to monitor their homes.
Alarm.com has developed apps for the iPhone and the Blackberry, which enable to users to be in real time control of their home security systems wherever they are. These apps enable homeowners to activate and deactivate their burglar alarms, watch and record video footage of their homes, check to see which doors and windows are open, and check whether any motion has been detected on their property and if so, where. In addition, homeowners can use these apps to view a record of all events their home security system has reported, including water leaks, alarms, power failures, windows and doors opening and motion activity. iPhone users can download the iPhone app, which can also be used on the iPod touch, from the iTunes App Store, and Blackberry users can download the app directly to their Blackberry by going to a restricted URL offered to customers of Alarm.com by authorized Alarm.com dealers.
In a world where mobility and convenience are as important as up-to-date information and the power to take action accordingly, more and more people are turning to apps that connect their home security systems to their mobile phones in order to increase their personal safety and that of their possessions. Until the apps for the iPhone and Blackberry were developed, most homeowners left their home security systems to the touch of control panels and the alertness of their monitoring companies. Now, homeowners can take their control panels with them in the form of their mobile phones.
Photo via Panduka Senaka
