Security Systems Becoming More Popular

I went to my local library for a few hours today, and finally got a chance to look around the place. They remodeled it and added a whole new wing over the summer. I was rather stunned to see a bastion of security cameras and a TV monitoring station behind the front desk. High-tech wireless security camera systems are becoming more and more popular, even with smaller organizations like my local library, which supports a rather small clientele. Wireless are the most convenient systems, and are becoming the most pervasive. I think to a certain extent, wireless camera systems do deter theft. The presence of cameras in large cities (New York City is the best example in my area) has had an effect. And of course, with a camera aimed at a crime scene, thieves are caught in the act! I’ve often considered getting wireless cameras mounted around the house, as the crime rate appears to be rising. Even dummy cameras would do the trick, I suppose.

One good online resource for security hardware is ITPlanet.com. I have browsed the selection; they have very comparable prices on security cameras, security systems, and other electronics like touchscreens for POS, barcode scanners, and more. They offer great information as well as sell equipment. For the budget-minded business or individual, they offer a lowest-price guarantee and free shipping; but they don’t scrimp on customer service– call 866-468-6044to speak with a customer representative, or visit their website, itplanet.com.

Laptop WebCams - Not a Good Idea

As much as I like technology, I never liked the idea of automatically-inserted webcams in laptops. Kind of like DVD players in vehicles– it sounds really neat and is probably very convenient, but it creates a whole new bag of problems what go with it. Like this one:

Peeping Geek Arrested for Using Laptop Webcams to Spy on Women

A Gainesville [Florida] man has been arrested for allegedly installing software on a woman’s computer, then using the software to remotely control the camera on her computer to take videos of the woman and her friends…

The alleged victim is a Hialeah woman who told police she had a man perform some maintenance on her computer in early July. The woman told police she discovered the program on Monday along with about 20,000 photos of herself and her friends that had been made from the videos taken with the camera.

The man arrested in the case was identified as Craig Matthew Feigin, 23, who was charged with modifying computer data and disrupting or denying computer system services. He was arrested at 2 p.m. Thursday and was being held at the Alachua County Jail Friday night on a $20,000 bond.

Makes me want to puke. There’s a mugshot of the slimeball, too. What a CREEP! He needs a serious slathering of some acne cream, not to mention, several years in the penitentiary. YUK. :-p

ATM Security

As with “rap music” and “government intelligence,” I’ve discovered another oxymoron for ya: ATM security. Not! Watch this ‘expose’ and fasten your seatbelts. I never use ATMs anymore, and watch cashiers like a hawk when they take my card. And I always cover the numberpad when I punch in my PIN.

Watch this video. It’s a little lengthy, but a good one.

Beware of those ATMs, folks! Remember the good old days when theives were only interested in your designer jewelry? Now they want everything.

Hat tip Daily Tech Impressions.

Taking Google Maps Too Seriously

The Internet is a wonderful thing. So is information. But some things we do not want plastered all over the Internet, like our health records, and the floor plans to the Pentagon. Right? Google thinks otherwise.

Pentagon Bans Google Team from Bases

WASHINGTON (AP) — Citing security risks, the Pentagon banned Google teams from making detailed street-level video maps of U.S. military bases after images of a Texas base ended up on the popular Internet site.

A message sent to all Defense Department bases and installations around the country late last week told officials not to allow the mapping Web site to take panoramic views inside the facilities. Google said taking such pictures is against its policy and that the incident was a mistake.

Air Force Gen. Gene Renuart, chief of the U.S. Northern Command, said Thursday that that the decision to issue a formal ban was made after at least one Google crew requested and then was permitted access to a base, identified in the message as Fort Sam Houston. He said he was concerned that allowing the 360-degree, street-level view could provide sensitive information to potential adversaries and endanger base personnel.

It’s a worry, Renuart said, because such views can show ”where all the guards are, it shows how the barriers go up and down, it shows how to get in and out of buildings, and I think that poses a real security risk to our military installations.”

The story gets weirder and weirder. Especially the part about where Google shrugs shoulders and says “Oops.”

Google spokesman Larry Yu said a Google crew mistakenly asked for access to a base.

”It is against our policy to request access to military bases for the purpose of capturing imagery in Street View,” he said, adding that when Google was contacted, the imagery was taken off the site within about 24 hours.

Street View is a feature on Google Map pages that allows viewers to click on a location and see a panoramic view of that spot.

The issue emerged just a few days after published reports suggested that protesters used Google Earth to help plot their access to the roof of the Parliament building in London.

…According to the message sent by U.S. Northern Command to military installations around the country, Google representatives requested access to Fort Sam Houston and were granted permission.

”Once given access they took panoramic images of the area with roof-mounted recording equipment,” the message said. ”These images were placed on the Internet for public access.” The imagery included views of entry gates, barriers, the headquarters and other facilities.

Ummmmmm…. how can you “mistakenly” ask to see a base? I’m no military girl, but when I ask to see a base, I know that it’s a base. What did they do, call a wrong number and get Fort Houston instead? And the guys who make Google maps don’t know it’s a base?? Come on! They knew what they were doing.

Anyway, the government made sure to emphasize that their protest has nothing to do with making Google look bad.

Renuart stressed that this was not an attack against the Internet giant, and that it was more a concern about secondary effects of an otherwise good technology.

That’s right. You don’t want Google after you, man. Could be World War 3 or something. Google did, by the way, willingly remove the information at the military’s request. But wow.

Hat tip: NYCO’s Blog:

Eye in the Sky, My Eye!

Forget all that “eye in the sky” stuff. The Big Brother and Inc. want to follow you everywhere, watching everything you watch! This is unbelievable.

What better way to track people’s video consumption than to have someone follow them around all day — literally from the time they wake up until they retire at night — making detailed notes about when and how they watch, listen, surf, read, play video games, download, text and talk on the phone?

That’s exactly how a new $3.5 million study–funded by the Nielsen Co.–will track the media usage habits of a panel of some 450 consumers in separate phases throughout this year beginning next month.

Some people will do anything for a buck. This is creepy. Do you think there’s anything wrong with being completely monitored for marketing purposes?

TracFone

I finally broke down and bought a cell phone last year. It’s a TracFone, the cheapest I could go. I’m not away from home too often, but when I am, it’s very handy. However, I have to renew my airtime and minutes before February 1st. Does anyone have any tips or know of any discounts? The airtime card is going to cost me $100! That’s a lot!

Did you know that every cell phone has a SIM card in it? It has all sorts of information in it, including your name, your phone account, etc. It is also used as a tracking device. The government can tell where you are at all times by tracing the wireless signals coming to and from your phone, even when your phone is off. How do you feel about that? If you’re like me and you don’t like it, wrap your phone up in aluminum foil. Your phone cannot be detected, even if it is on. Be aware that you won’t receive any calls until you unwrap the phone from the foil.

Just a handy helpful tip from the kinder, gentler computer geek.

This is Over the TOP!

OK, didn’t we all just know this was coming, whether you’ve read Orwell’s 1984 or not?

Microsoft Seeks Patent for Office Spy Software

Microsoft is developing Big Brother-style software capable of remotely monitoring a worker’s productivity, physical wellbeing and competence.

The Times has seen a patent application filed by the company for a computer system that links workers to their computers via wireless sensors that measure their metabolism. The system would allow managers to monitor employees’ performance by measuring their heart rate, body temperature, movement, facial expression and blood pressure. Unions said they fear that employees could be dismissed on the basis of a computer’s assessment of their physiological state.

Just in time for the new slave labor class of people (that’s you and me and anyone else who is at the bottom of the employee food chain). This control-freak patent could be issued to Microsfot in a year.

Microsoft last night refused to comment on the application, but said: “We have over 7,000 patents worldwide and we are proud of the quality of these patents and the innovations they represent. As a general practice, we do not typically comment on pending patent applications because claims made in the application may be modified through the approval process.”

Yeah, modified like in a VeriChip or something.

Am I the only person who finds this not only creepy, but an absolute outrage? What is happening to our liberty in this country?

Face Recognition Software

I was sifting through my email this evening and came across a Tiger Direct email ad. I usually check them out even though I rarely buy anything, because I love to see what the latest techno-gadget is. I was floored when I saw a deep discount for a Lenovo notebook. It has face recognition software. Yowsa. I’ve seen the fingerprint identification models, but not the face thing.

The notebook has:

Integrated 1.3 Megapixel Camera
An integrated 1.3 megapixel camera combined with Lenovo’s VeriFace face recognition software can help control access to your notebook by recognizing when you are sitting at the keyboard. It can even lock the system if it determines you’ve stepped away!

I don’t know if I’d like that too much. What if you were in a fight and your face was puffy? You’d be locked out of your notebook!

Besides, I’ve read Orwell’s 1984. This is getting creepy, folks!