Article Xanboo is one company involved with the property monitoring technology business. Xanboo technology is generally used in home monitoring , vacation property monitoring and business property monitoring applications. The Xamboo products are available to monitor many events including:
• observation of equipment and operations from any computer in the world via the Internet
Xanboo users can be notified when sensors are triggered by their choice of e-mail, pager, text messaging cell phone or PDA.
Xanboo also has plans to expand it's product line to perform even more functions such as:
Xamboo costs include equipment purchased by the piece as well as monthly fees for membership. The basic plan offers 5 megabites of data storage while space upgrades are available from 100 MB to 1 GB at an additional charge.
The products are meant to be installed by the homeowner or worker without professional help. The system includes software, a system controller, and one or more accessories which communicate to the controller via a wireless link. System requirements include a broadband Internet connection and a web browser.
X-10 is another company offering web based tools. The product is directed at the homeowner market and is meant to be user installed and operated. X-10 offers software which allows the user to view live color video from wireless cameras on a local PC or view snapshots with a remote PC via the Internet. The utility can e-mail images or update a website at intervals from 10 seconds to 2 hours. It can also be configured to take snapshots only when motion has been detected. The system does not require a web server or a permanent Internet connection. The hardware consists of a PC, video adapter, cameras and optional sub components. The video adapter receives video from the cameras over a 2.4 GHz wireless link. The unit processes the video signal into digital form and sends it to the PC via a USB cable. The system is expandable to 16 cameras.
The system will also communicate to many other X-10 compatible devices, allowing the user to remotely control electrical devices in the home. The applications are extensive and cover a wide array of needs. Some examples of functions are:
• switching lights
The X-10 wireless products have been utilized in home automation for a number of years. Generally, the products are either inputs, outputs or combination devices. Input devices in the X-10 system are products like motion sensors, remote controls and software manipulated controllers. All these devices send digital commands over the standard home electrical system. The output devices, also connected to the electrical system, receive the commands and perform an operation such as switching a light or electrical output. Output devices come in a number of forms and can be simply plugged into a standard electrical receptacle or hard-wired in. Products are even available to handle heavy tasks like switching large appliances using 120 or 240 volts. One advantage of the X-10 system is that several companies produce products which are capable of working with the protocal.
These products are examples of the many web based tools the property owner has available to monitor and manage homes, business property and even moving vehicles. Each system incorporates local electronics, wireless data links and an Internet path to move information. A trend toward the increased use of these technologies is likely to gain popularity as society becomes more computer literate.
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