How to Turn an Old Smartphone Into a Home Security Camera

Devices like Nest Cam and Canary can keep an eye on your home while you're away, but all you really need to set up your own home security system is an old phone or tablet you're not using, an internet connection, and the right app. Here's how to get started and what you should know.

As is often the case, there are a many apps to choose from, with varying prices, features and levels of quality to pick from. Manything is one of the best choices for iOS and Android: the app is free to download and use, and you then pay more if you need extra cloud storage space or additional devices.

Presence (iOS, Android) follows the same freemium pattern as Manything (and includes web access too) while iCam (iOS, Android) uses a webcam attached to your computer as the feed source rather than an old phone or tablet—again, you can use it for free, then pay up a few pennies if you want the extras.

Those are three decent options but here we're going to take a deep look at Perch, a new service that's Android only (and still in beta) right now. It offers a bunch of features and a slick interface, and it should be somewhere near the top of your list if you're looking to keep an eye on your home when you're out.

Perch in action

Get the app installed on the device you want to use as your monitor camera first of all—set up a user account that will let you log into all your devices simultaneously (the Perch app can be used to stream video or view video from other cameras). From the opening screen, pick Set up as a camera and follow the instructions.

Give your camera a name to identify it, choose whether you want to include audio recording or not, and you're good to go. Once created, you can use the menu button (three vertical dots) on the camera page to turn audio on and off and to switch between the front and back cameras on the device.

The app is ridiculously easy to use, which is why we like Perch. Get your phone or tablet in position, preferably hooked up to a power source, and hit the red play button to start streaming. You can then log in using your Perch account on a different device or the web—select the camera name you chose to see the feed.

From your viewing device of choice you can get motion detection alerts, scroll back through the feed or even start a video chat with the other device (if you want to tell the dog to stop messing around, perhaps). Action zones are supported too (click the small plus icon by the camera feed on the web interface), so you can look for motion in specific areas of the video feed, and during the app's beta stage every user gets seven days of cloud video storage completely free of charge.

Source: How to Turn an Old Smartphone Into a Home Security Camera

A Step Ahead : Leading Parental Control App, FamilyTime Launches Cutting-Edge App Blocker for iOS

  March 23, 2016 --

SAN FRANCISCO, March 23, 2016 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Leading parental control app makers, FamilyTime, launch new feature, App Blocker today for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160323/347258

San Francisco: FamilyTime, makers of the best parental control software, releasestodayan innovative feature yet again, App Blocker, a feature that aims to empower parents to restrict built-in and 3rdparty apps on their children's iOS devices.

After a huge success of itsAccess Controls, FamilyTime is quick to launch App Blocker for iOS. It not only lets parents restrict the App Store and iTunes access, it also lets parents restrict in-app purchasing and also block iOS apps like Camera, Siri or Safari.

Recentstudyconfirms that screen time among teens has exceeded more than 9 hours a day while tweens spend around 6 hours on average. Furthermore, teen boys spend around 56 minutes playing games. All this can worry parents as it is almost impossible to get children off their mobile devices and focus on their homework or take ample sleep at night. With social media apps and teen's obsession with it, it is no. 1 concern among parents today to control and limit the device usage among children.

"Girls spend more than 1 hour and 32 minutes on social media in a day, which is alarming and dangerous. Our App Blocking feature puts parents in control so they can monitor and control."

And this is where FamilyTime comes in. With FamilyTime App Blocker, parents can easily block iOS apps that distract children during study or bed tine or the apps that parents think inappropriate for their kids. What sets FamilyTime apart from other app blocking applications is that it lets parents control all aspects of installed and iOS apps. When we asked about the feature in detail, the Chief Product Officer, Aziz Ahmed explained, "FamilyTime iOS App Blocker can let parents block iOS built-in apps like Safari, Camera, Siri, etc. It can also let them restrict in-app purchases on their children's iOS devices. Apart from that, parents can even restrict their children from downloading apps from the App Store. This way, parents have real-time control over what their kids can do on their iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch devices."

This is particularly significant for parents who are worried that their children may spend a considerable amount of money buying apps and games. Also, it is extremely useful when parents need to get their kids off their devices during exam season and meal times. One can say that FamilyTime is the most extensive and advanced app blocking software in the industry.

"We want to help parents guide their children with a balanced technology use. These days, teens are obsessed with social media apps with girls spending more than 1 hour and 32 minutes on social media in a day, which is alarming and dangerous. Our App Blocking feature puts parents in control so they can monitor and control what apps their kids use and which apps they shouldn't." explained Syed Waqas Javed, CEO at FamilyTime. "Our Android App Blocker has been very popular with parents and it's going to be a great hit among parents who want the same feature on iOS." Javed explained further.

FamilyTime's latest app blocking feature is sure to help parents in a variety of ways. The feature is not only well-thought out but is also well-developed. It works seamlessly on all iOS devices. FamilyTime is sure to help parents bring down their children's excessive screen time and to keep them away from age-inappropriate apps in an easy way. Parents can easily block apps from their online FamilyTime Dashboard or the designatedFamilyTime app. Children won't be able to access blocked built-in apps or the 3rdparty apps until parents unblock them again.

FamilyTime is a parental control app and can be installed on any iOS or Android device. If you would like to know more about this feature, you can visit theirwebsiteortalkto their customer support agent any time.

Media Contact: Syed Waqas Javed, FamilyTime, +92-343-4111-445, support@familytime.io

News distributed by PR Newswire iReach: https://ireach.prnewswire.com

SOURCE FamilyTime

Copyright 2014 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved

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Source:PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved

Source: A Step Ahead : Leading Parental Control App, FamilyTime Launches Cutting-Edge App Blocker for iOS

Windows 10 Mobile Camera App Updated; Performance Improved, Bug Fixed

The camera contributes to making phones a good device. The better the camera, the better the phone! With the launch of Windows 10, Microsoft is aiming towards completely giving up the old and bringing in the new. To meet this purpose, Lumia cameras were replaced by Windows 10 camera app. And now to enhance the user experience, Microsoft has now updated this new app.

As we know, crashing is a common Windows 10 problem; whether it's high-end Surface Book and Surface Pro 4 or desktops and mobile phones. The latest update aims at "bug fixes and reliability improvements" and "user experience improvements," which should solve the camera crash issues. The Windows 10 mobile camera app has not worked on pausing video recording or manual controls to force Rich Capture HDR. This app is also available for PCs and tablet, but for now, the update has come only to phones.

About the Windows 10 camera app, Microsoft said, "The redesigned Camera app is faster and simpler than ever. Just point and shoot to take great pictures automatically. The same great camera experience is available across Windows 10 PCs, tablets, and phones."

Listed below are the some of the things you should know about the app (as given on Microsoft's camera app page on the Store):

Requires hardware camera button

Available on HTC One M8

Available on Lumia 63X Series

Available on Lumia 640, 640XL, 830

Available on Lumia Icon, 930, 1520

Available on Lumia 950 and 950XL

Here are some of the key features of Windows 10 mobile camera app:

Self-timer

Video stabilization for flawless videos

Rich capture

Add movement to still pictures

Slow motion video recording

Let you shoot like a professional by letting you adjust ISO, exposure, etc

Frames available

Burst mode available

Allows you to save images from video with the help of 4K video capture

Do you use windows 10 mobile camera app? Let us know in the comments below. How do you like it?

Also Read: Windows 10 Mobile Release: OS Rolling Out On Windows Phones Now!

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Tags:Microsoft LumiaMicrosoft Windows 10Windows 10 camera appWindows 10 camera app features

Source: Windows 10 Mobile Camera App Updated; Performance Improved, Bug Fixed

Navy funds autism-screening app, hoping for help with PTSD

The Navy is paying for research into an app to screen for autism in the hopes that it could eventually be tweaked to look for signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

While developmental and trauma disorders might at first appear strange bedfellows, the researchers and a PTSD expert for the VA say it could be an exciting new direction.

Facial expressions can indicate the presence of autism, PTSD and other disorders. The Autism & Beyond app uses a smartphone camera and an algorithm to read children's facial expressions and assess their emotional responses.

The app, which uses a general algorithm, could be expanded to PTSD to monitor people over time if speech and other signals are taken into account, according to Pedja Neskovic, who oversees the project in the Office of Naval Research.

"It can find patterns, not just in facial expressions but in different kinds of data sets, such as brain signals and speech, and it can be used on a continuous basis," he said. "It's a completely new world."

William Unger, a PTSD expert and clinical psychologist at the Providence VA Medical Center, sees potential for an app to be used to help screen for PTSD if it can prove reliable for a large population over time. It's always good to have additional tools, he said.

"This is a technology in its infancy. You don't know where it will go," he said. "So does this science and this study really then lead to additional questions, additional technological developments which help us to move forward? It very well may. So I'm very excited, even though I'm saying it's very far off from having utility."

M. David Rudd, an expert in suicide prevention and PTSD in military personnel, is skeptical. Rudd said he can't see the extrapolation to PTSD, calling it "a pretty big gap to leap." He worries about an app rendering erroneous results, a concern Unger also expressed.

"It's the introduction of technology where technology is not particularly needed and not particularly useful," said Rudd, president of the University of Memphis. "As a society, this is what we do. It's kind of the medicalization of a problem that's emotional and interpersonal in nature. I just don't get it."

The Navy has been working with the researcher who developed the algorithm for the app, Guillermo Sapiro, for about 20 years, supporting his research on image processing and data analysis. The Navy has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in the app, Neskovic said.

PTSD often goes undiagnosed. Patients may not recognize the link between their symptoms and a traumatic event they experienced or may not be willing to talk about that event, while sometimes symptoms are obscured by other issues, according to research published by the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Some veterans don't want to feel like there's something wrong with them and try to cope on their own, Unger said.

The app, as it's designed for autism, shows funny videos designed to make children smile, laugh or express emotions. The way their head, lips, eyes and nose move is recorded, encoded and analyzed with the camera and app. If a child isn't responding, that's also classified.

Duke University is studying whether it's feasible for caregivers to screen kids for autism using a mobile phone at home. The app can be downloaded for free.

Unlike a tool like WebMD, where the user needs to identify their symptoms and know the right questions to ask, the app does the behavior analysis automatically. The user just has to watch the videos, said Sapiro, an electrical engineering professor at Duke. He stressed that the app isn't meant to replace specialists; it's a pre-screening tool.

The institutional review board at Duke approved the research. The initial results show that people are willing to use the app and they're sending high-quality, usable videos, Sapiro added.

Neskovic and Sapiro envision developing a PTSD app within five years. They're investigating whether it could also possibly reveal signs of mild traumatic brain injury and depression.

Source: Navy funds autism-screening app, hoping for help with PTSD

Camera app for Windows 10 Mobile snags performance improvements

The Camera app has updated for Windows 10 Mobile and while there doesn't appear to be any major changes to the app, the official version notes for version 141 do mention improvements to the user experience and "Bug fixes for reliability and performance".

The Windows 10 Mobile Camera app replaces the Lumia Camera app which was used on Windows phones running Windows Phone 8 and other previous operating systems. It's also functional on Windows 10 PCs however the app update doesn't seem to have rolled out to PCs just yet.

Here's the official Camera app description:

The redesigned Camera app is faster and simpler than ever. Just point and shoot to take great pictures automatically. The same great camera experience is available across Windows 10 PCs, tablets, and phones.

Recently, it was revealed that the Camera app would be getting a Force HDR option in a future update but users are still waiting for that to appear. Do you use the Camera app often on your Windows 10 device? Let us know about your experiences with it in the comments below.

Developer: Microsoft Corporation

AppsCamera AppMicrosoftWindows 10 Mobile

Source: Camera app for Windows 10 Mobile snags performance improvements

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Source: Ricoh Theta S 360 camera hands-on at SXSW 2016

Samsung Galaxy S7 Bugs Plague New Device: Camera, Wi-Fi, Overheating

The newest and hot Samsung Galaxy S7 and Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge are already out in the market and many consumers, Android loyalists or not, are eager to get their hands on the new Samsung offering. The Samsung Galaxy S7 is beautiful, powerful, and hard to resist with its incredible camera, new features and astounding water-resistance.

While the device comes with all these exciting new features, users are still encountering many problems tainting the overall Samsung Galaxy S7 experience. These bugs could be as rare or as common as any other bug in any other phone; but, fret not, since there are a couple of workarounds to these Samsung Galaxy S7 problems.

Wi-Fi Not Connecting Or Keeps On Disconnecting

The Wi-Fi issue is a very common problem among the Samsung Galaxy S7 units and some people have found that the problem could be related to the Galaxy S7's Bluetooth function. A quick restart of the phone and of the router could be a possible workaround for this Wi-Fi situation. Also try toggling the Bluetooth off, if it's turned on, from the notification shade.

You may also try Settings > Wi-Fi > More > Toggle Smart network switch off. Or, Settings > Backup and reset > Reset network settings > Reset Settings.

Digital Trends also found that you can try wiping the Galaxy S7's cache partition using the following directions.

Turn the S7 off by holding the Power button and selecting Power off. Hold the Power, Volume up, and Home buttons together. When you see the Samsung logo, you can let go of Power, but wait until you see the Android logo to release the other two. You should see the recovery menu. Use Volume down to highlight wipe cache partition and then Power to select it. Once it's done, press Power and select reboot system now.

If all else fails, you can always try a good factory reset, but proceed with caution to ensure important files are backed up.

Warning, Camera Failed

Error messages could be infuriating and Samsung Galaxy S7 users have seen this error message pop up quite a few times. Users will fire up the camera app but will be met with a black screen and a crash message saying, "Warning, Camera failed." How to work around this bug? Try a simple restart.

If a simple restart of your Samsung Galaxy S7 doesn't quite cut it, try toggling off Smart Stay because some users have found it has something to do with the Camera problem.

Clearing the cache and app data might help, too. To do so go to Settings > Applications > Application manager > Camera > Force stop. Then, proceed to Storage > Clear cache and Clear data.

If these don't work, try wiping the Samsung Galaxy S7's cache partition as mentioned above. Or watch Concise Reviews' video below.

Galaxy S7 Too Hot For Comfort

Overheating has been seen as an issue in quite a number of new Galaxy S7 devices. But do note that heating up could be normal for hot-off-the-shelves Samsung Galaxy S7 units. The device will overheat a bit for a while when you first buy it since it will download, install, or update a few apps upon the first boot. If, after a while, your S7 unit is still to hot for comfort, then that's a problem.

Try a simple reboot to solve the problem. Hold the power and volume down buttons at the same time for 10 seconds and your Galaxy S7 should restart.

Some apps could also be the culprit of your overheating woes. Trusted Reviews notes a simple workaround.

"Luckily, the Battery optimiser setting allows you to stop apps from sapping energy when the phone isn't in use. Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Usage > More > Optimise battery usage, and tap 'All Apps'. Doing this will stop apps from working in the background even when you're not using the phone."

The Samsung Galaxy S7 also uses Samsung's Adaptive Fast Charging technology. You can try toggling off the fast cable charging feature through Settings > Battery, but that would very much defeat the fast-charging purpose, wouldn't it?

Having problems with the Samsung S7? [Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images]Sound Distorted By Wet Speakers

If you're noticing that the sound coming from your Galaxy S7 is a bit distorted, it could be that your unit has recently been wet and the speakers are still quite damp. The Samsung Galaxy S7 has an impressive water-resistant technology and uses a rubber seal around the charging port and headphone jack to keep the water out. There is also a screen behind the speaker holes to keep water from entering the device.

The culprit behind your Galaxy S7's distorted sound could be that the screen behind the speaker holes isn't quite dry yet, or some water has pooled after a recent water encounter. If this is the case, you only have to wait a while to let the water completely evaporate from the Galaxy S7, or help it by gently dabbing with towel or tissue. Do not blow-dry at any cost since this may cause unnecessary heat damage to your Samsung Galaxy S7.

Or have you tried submerging your Samsung Galaxy S7 in boiling water?

Unresponsive Volume And Power Buttons, Too Sensitive Edge Display

We have found that there are a number of users having problems with the volume and power buttons of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 Edge. With the Galaxy S7 Edge, the edge display becomes too sensitive and is unable to differentiate palm from finger. So if you hold the phone, Galaxy S7 Edge detects it as a finger input and it's quite irritating.

Updates for the Samsung S7 Edge coming soon hopefully (via Samsung.com)

These, Android Police reports, are software issues. And if a quick reboot or restart does not fix the problem, you will have to wait for a patch from Samsung. Tech Times notes that Canada variants of the Samsung S7 Edge are already receiving an update to fix the issues. Basically, consumers just have to wait for their carriers to roll out a patch.

Have you been experiencing more Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge bugs? Let us know below.

[Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images]

Source: Samsung Galaxy S7 Bugs Plague New Device: Camera, Wi-Fi, Overheating