(ARA) – As more home security applications become available for mobile phones, a growing number of homeowners are making the switch to monitoring their home security while they are on the go.
Leading home security providers, notably ADT and Alarm.com, have tossed their hats into the ring with some simple iPhone apps in recent months, and customers have responded by downloading tens of thousands of copies of the apps within a matter of weeks. Similar applications have been available for any Web-enabled phone for some time. These applications allow a homeowner to monitor all points of entry and other security devices with real time updates whenever security in a particular part of the home has been breached.
Alarm.com was the first major security company to release a successful application for the iPhone back in December 2009. This app lets homeowners adjust, arm and disarm their home security systems while they are on the go and provides up-to-date notifications the moment that any security trigger has been breached. When a user receives a notification, he or she can click through to the Alarm.com Web site and access detailed information regarding the event. In addition to entry points to the home like doors and windows, the application can also be set to provide notification whenever other triggers are set off in the home, such as kitchen cabinets, bedroom doors, closets, etc.
In early March, ADT released a beta version of an iPhone app of their own called Pulse Interactive Control that gives homeowners even more control over their home security system. Pulse Interactive Control has almost all the same features as the Alarm.com application with even more customization. This application lets a homeowner access live video feeds from their home, adjust their lighting and home appliances and even change the temperature of their home from virtually anywhere in the country. Pulse Interactive Control has received positive reviews from early testers and will be released to the general public by the early summer of this year.
As popular as these new iPhone applications have become, it is not necessary to have a smart phone in order for a homeowner to monitor their home on the go. Major security companies like ADT have had mobile surveillance options available for some time through products like Safewatch VideoView. Safewatch VideoView lets homeowners monitor their home from up to 12 indoor and outdoor cameras that can be accessed from any computer or Web-enabled mobile phone. Homeowners can pull up the feed from certain cameras on their own or receive alerts whenever an access point has been breached.
As much ease of mind as these applications may offer homeowners who are concerned about the security of their home, industry experts have indicated that there are a number of other uses for this new technology. Many homeowners are using mobile security applications to confirm that their teenage children have made it home from school safely or to keep an eye on babysitters or contractors when they have to leave home for a few hours. Security companies also suggest that these applications could be very useful for homeowners to monitor the security of a vacation home or investment property. For more home security tips, visit Home Security Team's Tip Center.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
