Why Dome Cameras Are Always Preferred At Home As Well As In Business

Security has always been a major concern for  people lately, but thanks to technology several home security products have been introduced in the market that help customers choose the right kind of protection for their home or office. Although, a lot of new  security systems have been introduced lately it is extremely important that one knows and has tremendous knowledge on different type of security cameras and features they provide before one decides on their final product. While most of us have wondered what was that round ‘dome like’ thing on office walls or home interiors, today it has become evident that it is one of the best security devices one could ever have for complete protection.

For Those Who Were Wondering Why Dome Security Cameras Are Always Preferred At Home As Well As The Business, Here Are Some Simple Reasons For The Same:

The biggest advantage of using dome cameras indoor or outdoor is the ability to monitor inner 360° angle. No other camera can give you such kind of wide range angle viewing and motion detection, but dome cameras are the only security equipments that will ensure that all the areas of your house and outdoor is closely watched.

Since Dome camera provide a 360° angle view and motion detection, one need not spend money on multiple cameras for different viewing angles. This way a consumer can save a considerable amount of money on multiple cameras and its installations charges. A single dome camera does the job of 10 multiple cameras in the same location.

Dome cameras have been specifically designed to camouflage it wherever it is installed. This is yet another great advantage of dome cameras because they are easily capable of blending smoothly to the surrounding making it barely noticeable among other things. Installing these cameras is extremely easy anywhere in the house and you can be sure that not many people will notice that it is there.

Dome cameras today come with multiple units which can be installed in different areas of the house giving you the ability to view objects from different angles simultaneously without any extra effort. This way you can be sure that your house is completely protected and under your watch all the time.

A very smart advantage of using the dome camera is that it has been designed in such a way that burglars or intruders have no idea on which angle it has been focused on. Dome cameras today are packed with high-end features and extremely impeccable resolution with image sensors and weatherproof protection for complete security.

The generation that we live in today is extremely dangerous and we know how crime rates have been increasing every year. This makes it enormously important for every home to take up the responsibility of protecting their home under any circumstances. Dome cameras today are available in various features and the price completely depends upon the technology it brings along.

home security products, security systems, security cameras, security devices, Dome Security Cameras

10 Real #firstworldproblems for Spies

We have all seen spies in films, running around major cities, causing carnage and mayhem and then going home and leaving the mess for everyone else to deal with. They never seem to run into any of the daily mishaps or problems that a normal citizen would encounter.

Admittedly, there is a degree of artistic licence that you are granted when you produce any feature film. Spies don’t have to deal with any of the administrative issues surrounded with their activities. But imagine being a fly on the wall if they did, and seeing how they'd act when they're not being chased, shot at or seduced by femmes fatales...

Image via Koinos Zoi Photography

1. Running low on battery

In a scene from the Bourne Ultimatum, our eponymous hero walks into London Waterloo Station and purchases a phone from a kiosk vendor. He then proceeds to ring his target using said phone. There has been some, albeit less than fierce, discussion on the internet to why there was a charge in the mobile battery already.

Some people say there is already a minimum charge in a phone when you buy it. Maybe it’s a secret agreement with the government and phone manufacturers for just such an occasion. 

2.  Being ill (apart from being shot or stabbed)

Now, I know that it wouldn’t make for a particularly exciting scene of a movie, but James Bond has often been accused of hiding behind his manlihood, and his puns. Mostly his puns. Showing Bond buying a pack of Fishermans Friends at the local newsagents, I feel, would humanise him.  

3. Having an accident

Spies cars don’t get reversed into by unwary drives, they don’t slip on ice and they most certainly don’t burn themselves on anything. Mostly because you never see them eat, but that’s another story.

4. Getting something to eat and being disappointed with the service

Apart from never eating, spies never get anything less than world class service from anything that they do, whether it’s a valet service for their car or a cocktail that they want made in an exact way. Some say suave. Others say fussy. 

5. Forgetting someone's birthday

Do spies even have birthdays? I don’t know. If they do, then they don’t like celebrating them. They certainly never have to deal with any repercussions of missing a birthday of a family member. Heartless.

6. Running into old school 'friends'

I know that spies are supposed to be able to conceal and change their identity at will, but I always seem to bump into people that you don’t really want to talk to but feel like you have to.

“So, how is Matt doing in his new job?”

“I don’t know, he left me”

...Awkward

7. Burping in inappropriate situations

Everyone does it; it’s a perfectly normal natural occurrence. But maybe because you never see spies eat, they don’t have any gas to expel. Maybe they don’t have digestive systems at all?

8. Poor phone signal

As with item one, mobile phone signal never seems to be a problem for spies. In fact no technical malfunctions of any kind. Funny that. Apart from security cameras, which they seem to disable with ease, although in actual fact are probably one of the more foolhardy and reliable pieces of kit featured in any spy movie.

9. Being rubbish at sport

If your arch nemesis decides to challenge you to a fencing duel, the you had better be ready.

10. Spies never get asked if they have a loyalty card

I know this last point isn’t going to keep you up at night, but sometimes I just wish more everyday activities happened in spy films. It would make them feel more real and it would make me feel a lot better about the mundanity of MY everyday life.

What normal, everyday situation would you like to see a spy in?

Mata Hari, The Femme Fatale Extraordinaire

Greta Garbo plays Mata Hari – image via Kndynt2099

We’ve all heard of James Bond, but there are some real-life spies whose lives have been just as dangerous and exciting. Espionage is not just for the boys either – one of the most famous spies ever to have lived is none other than exotic dancer Mata Hari, or Margaretha Geertruida Zelle as she was really called.

Not so Humble Beginnings

Hari was born in the summer of 1876, the first child to a successful retailer and investor who lavished her with generous gifts and an upper-class education until she turned 13, when he went bankrupt and Hari moved in with her godfather and then her uncle.

Her marriage is the stuff of history books, something that could never happen in today’s society – some years later and wanting some of her old, luxurious lifestyle back, she spotted an ad in a newspaper by a Dutch army captain who was ‘recruiting’ a wife!

They married in Amsterdam and went on to have two children, and as the new daughter-in-law of a baroness Hari found herself thrown back into the upper classes she had been born into.

Of course, as any modern girl could tell her, finding a husband in a newspaper is not the best of ideas. The captain turned out to be a violent alcoholic, twenty years her senior, and she eventually left him. Their son died from syphilis at a young age and their daughter later died too, aged just 21. Hari was alone in the world once more.

A New Life Performing

Utterly penniless, she found her way to Paris where she scraped a living as a circus performer and artist’s muse. It wasn’t long however before her seductive charm, stunning looks and breathtaking talent for dance was noticed. She became an instant success as an exotic dancer, as well as the mistress to a millionaire – this girl did not stay poor for long!

This was where she got her first taste for ‘espionage’, as she pretended to be a Java princess who had grown up practising the sacred art of Indian dance she was now famous for – most Europeans at the time were not so culturally aware as we are today with our exotic holidays and travel magazines, so her fans believed her lies.

Greta Garbo as Mata Hari – image via Cea

A Poor Career Choice?

A much darker side of espionage was about to find its way into Hari’s life however. At the start of World War I she was able to travel freely over national borders thanks to her home country’s neutral stance. Before the war she had added exotic courtesan to her list of careers, often travelling with high-ranking military officials and politicians from country to country, and this didn’t stop when the war began.

Her constant cross-border travels and her important companions soon raised suspicion and she was arrested in England in 1916. The English questioned her at length and Hari eventually ‘admitted’ to working for the French and was released.

This however was a lie – soon after the French intercepted coded German messages that identified Hari as a spy for them. The messages were in a code that Germany already knew France had cracked, leading many people to believe that the Germans were deliberately trying to give her up.

Was There A Mission?

Femme fatale or not, she couldn’t charm her way out of an arrest at her Paris hotel room. On trial, neither the French nor the British had any evidence, only a nagging suspicion, that she was a German spy until they found ‘secret ink’ in her room. Hari claimed it was part of her makeup but the French decided this was proof enough to sentence the seductress to death by firing squad.

So, was Hari really a spy or just an innocent woman caught up in events she couldn’t control? True or not, her ‘espionage’ story has captivated millions and cemented her in history. From the mystery surrounding her life to the way she used her exotic charm and wits to seduce many a high ranking official and get secret information out of them, then spy or no spy, Hari really was the epitome of the femme fatale!

What do you think – was Mata Hari a spy?

Estelle Page writes for Traders Warehouse, an online CCTV warehouse that sells a range of high quality security products such as the Texecom premier door entry system.

Smart or Downright Ridiculous? Real Life Tips Given to World War II Spies

Near the start of World War II, a Cabinet-approved organisation of spies known as the Special Operations Executive (SOE) was formed with the aim of spying on and sabotaging enemy missions, and aiding local resistance movements to succeed.

Very few people knew of the SOE’s existence, also nicknamed the Baker Street Irregulars and the ‘Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’ by those who did, so when the official SOE training manual for spies was published in 2004 it provided a never-before-seen glimpse into the inner workings of a real espionage agency.

From the clever to the downright crazy, here are some of the lessons the SOE taught their spies in training, extracted from the book How to Be a Spy: The World War II SOE Training Manual...

Master of disguise – image via Tim Simpson

Hiding Secret Messages

Many high-tech methods of creating and transporting secret messages have been developed over the years, from the ink-dot printer that can shrink an A4 document down to the size of a full stop, to secret inks that are only visible under certain conditions.

The SOE however had some rather more crude methods of keeping their secret documents safe – they instructed their agents to “use edible or soluble paper for messages” and to hide them in amongst things they would be carrying in bulk “such as tobacco shreds [or] potatoes”.

It’s a good thing the paper is edible, so if you forget you’re carrying it and accidently turn it into a plate of chips along with those potatoes you’re lugging around everywhere, you won’t get indigestion!

Observing Without Being Observed

The life of a spy was not all glitz and glamour – imagine lying on your stomach for hours on end watching your enemy, under orders to keep still... very still. The SOE agents were instructed to keep their heads “as still as is humanely possible” and if they absolutely had to move it, to do so “an inch or less at a time”. You had better hope no one was sneaking up on you from behind because at that rate, they’d have shot you before you even saw them coming!

For optimal disguise when carrying out observation, agents were also told to cover their head with “a bunch of herbage held before it”. And you thought it was only in cartoons that people snuck around holding branches over their face!

A lamp-post does not have arms... image via Anonymous9000

Stating the Obvious

The guide continues on the subject of camouflage by describing how to blend in with your surroundings by making yourself look like a rock or a tree. Again, the somewhat amateur use of trees and plants is given – “pockets, button-holes, waist-band collar – all these can receive and hold pieces of vegetation”.

The guide does note however that on a hot day these plants will wither and become useless. Can you imagine the look on your enemy’s face when he sees you standing there right in front of him, covered in wilted flowers like a sad clown pretending you’re invisible?

When it comes to role-playing a rock or a tree the SOE guidebook gives some very useful tips such as the wonderfully informative, “rocks do not have branches, therefore when among rocks keep your arms close to your body. Trees do [have branches]”.

Your head should be made to look like something completely unlike a human head, such as “a tiny bucket or pile of horse dung”. I wonder what you have to put on your face to achieve that disguise?

Sending Sound Signals

Sometimes as a spy you’ll need to send messages to your nearby comrades without arousing suspicion if the enemy is nearby. There’s no secret ink or sacks of potatoes here – you’ll have to rely on sound, probably by imitating a bird call or other animal. Sound simple enough?

Apparently not – SOE agents had to be reminded that they had to pick an animal call that was local to the area and “not choose a hyena for use in Europe, or a cock crowing in the middle of the desert”. I would have loved to see the guard’s face in Berlin if he suddenly heard a hyena across the street at night!

I could go on – the book is absolutely full of ‘useful’ advice and guidance. It’s hard to believe that these tips were actually taught to professional detectives. 

What do you think, are they smart moves or downright ridiculous?

Estelle Page writes for Spy Camera CCTV, an online retailer of security camera systems including hidden spy cameras for the home and other gadgets for the wannabe spy!

So, You Want to Be a Spy?

Image via AJC1

The movies would have you believe that being a spy is all about cool gadgets, fast cars and showing off your martial arts skills. Unfortunately, in reality you’re more likely to be sitting behind a desk or, if you’re very lucky, travelling to some very nasty places and getting in some serious danger.

Still want to be a spy?

For those of you determined to worm your way into the MI5, here’s a step by step guide to giving it your best shot....

1.       Get a Degree

They don’t hand over the responsibility of national security to just anyone, y’know! MI5 recruit the top graduates from across the country in a range of disciplines, but for your best chances of nabbing an interview you probably want to study something relevant such as Politics, Economics, Geography, Law or Criminology.

According to the MI5 website, many successful applicants also have a Masters degree and a few even have a PhD. However, if you’ve already started on your degree course and think you’ve chosen the wrong one, don’t worry – if you can prove you have the skills and abilities they need in other areas of your life, you’ve still got a shot. They’ve employed graduates of everything from Architecture to Zoology!

2.       Be Discreet

So, you’ve made it into the MI5 but you’re stuck doing office work. If you want to get in on the real action, you’ll need to prove to your seniors that you’re worthy of being a front-line spy. The first step is to show them how discreet you are – if you’re given a secret to keep, keep it. It’s not called being a secret agent for nothing!

It’s a good idea to minimise your online profile too. We live in a technological age where it’s easy to find out about someone by pulling up their Facebook profile, Twitter page or their blog. The greatest spies of all time are those whose identity was shrouded in mystery – very little is known about the real life of Sydney Reilly, the inspiration for Ian Fleming’s famous James Bond character.

3.       Hone Your Skills

As a spy, you’ll need a multitude of skills from observation to lie-detection and quick thinking. Practise eavesdropping on conversations in noisy, crowded areas, or go one better and learn to lip-read (watching DVDs on mute can help) so that you never need to put yourself too close to the person you’re spying on, risking detection. Train using gadgets such as a motion detector or binoculars, but don’t rely on them – in the heat of the moment you may have nothing but your wits about you to escape unharmed.

Train your brain with memory-enhancing puzzles – as a secret agent, you’ll need to pick up every detail of a scene or conversation and then be able to recall them when needed. No spy worth his salt will take notes as they can incriminate you if caught! If you do get caught up ‘behind enemy lines’ you’ll need to know how to act cool, casual and as though you’ve done nothing wrong. A discreet DVR to store encrypted files on is a possible alternative.

Try the MI5 online listening test to see if you have what it takes!

Image via Anonymous9000

4.       Get the Look

Fashionistas beware, spying is probably not the career for you. As a spy, you need to be able to blend in with any crowd, so a desire to stand out is a very undesirable trait as far as the MI5 are concerned!

Of course, if you have any stand-out features you can also practise until you become a master of disguise – when you’re needed to go undercover, hide bright red or very long hair under a nondescript, brown wig, wear coloured contacts to hide bright blue eyes and dress like the locals, even if it’s not particularly flattering!

5.       Learn the Lingo

Finally, if you’re determined to get into espionage, it helps to know the different terms that are going to get thrown around. Here are just a handful of the key ones but make sure you do your research, especially if you speak a foreign language and want to spy abroad as there will be a whole new set of words and phrases to learn!

• Dead Drop – a secret location known to 2 or more agents, where they can leave items for the other to collection without having to physically meet
• Double Agent – an agent who appears to work for two different governments, but is in fact giving false information to one to aid the other
• Hard-Target Country – a country that it is difficult to spy on, such as Russia or North Korea
• Rabbit – the person being spied on

Do you have any of your own tips you’d like to share with aspiring spies?

Why You Should Look into Wireless Home Security Gadgets

People who want to find the best home security systems and alarms out there usually prefer to get immediate alerts if an unexpected situation comes up. After all, a lot of home break-ins or invasions usually occur too fast for the authorities to do anything about it by the time they get there. However, if you have personal access to your own security system because of various wireless devices, then you can be sure that your home is always kept safe even when you aren't there.

Other benefits of wireless home security services include the facts that they can maximize your home's security and that of your family; they can reduce your home's overall insurance premium rates; they provide you with 24/7 surveillance; they are easy and convenient to view live footage with; and they get alerts of various situations that might be going on inside or outside of your home.

Yes, aside from providing your home and your family with the utmost safety, you can also save a lot of money on your insurance rates due to the added home security - believe it. The best part is that home alarms are so much better now compared to before, so you actually can get alerts the minute a home intrusion occurs. If you want, you can even sign up for 24-hour surveillance to set your mind at ease.

There are also a lot of different kinds of wireless security gadgets to choose from out there, such as constant or motion-activated surveillance. Depending on your personal needs, there are various functions that will suit your personal standards, too.

Another good reason why you should opt for wireless home security systems is because you won't have to break any pipes or known down any walls to set up a home alarm.

Now, it is true that if you opt for a traditional security system with complicated wires, you can simply hire a technician and pay him to install it for you. However, when it comes to performance and costs, wireless systems provide various benefits.

Since there aren't any complex wires involved, you can place your security cameras anywhere that you want. With traditional systems, the distance to do this in was usually limited since you had to connect all of the wires to the main base in order for it to work.

Just because you know that wireless home security systems are good, though, doesn't mean that you can just go to an online store or to a mall to buy one. Make sure you check out various product reviews first before you commit to anything. There are a lot of home security companies out there, but very few actually have the reputation and the experience to make them trustworthy. One company that you should definitely check out, though, would be Spyville.

Spyville provides reliable wireless home security systems and alarms that are long-lasting and are easy and convenient to set up in any home. Naturally, it would still be advisable for you to do your research online to find the best products and prices for you, though. Happy shopping!