New products: Camera sees what you don't
— -- This weekly roundup takes a look at the practical and sometimes quirky aspects of tech products. First up this week is a look at a network camera from D-Link that lets you monitor things at home when you're not there.
Whether you want to monitor your baby's nap or watch the dog bark at the mailman, a network camera can make it happen. The latest network cameras deliver video to computers as well as mobile devices via home and cellular networks. The Wireless N Day/Night Network Cloud Camera from D-Link, for example, lets you monitor your home from afar on a computer, an iPad, an iPhone or a compatible Android device through the mydlink.com site.
As is often the case with network cameras, D-Link's DCS-932L model can be connected to your home network wirelessly or via an Ethernet cable. Unless the area you want to monitor is near an Ethernet port, wireless makes more sense. If your router is equipped with WPS (for "Wi-Fi Protected Setup"), setting up the connection promises to be a cinch: Press a button on the camera and then press a WPS button on the router. If your router is set for WEP, the process becomes more complicated. For starters, the Quick Install Guide doesn't address this issue, leaving frustrated users to dig around for the answer. (You can adjust the camera's settings for WEP when you install the software on your computer.) Set-up also requires you to link the camera to a personal mydlink.com account, and if you want to use it with a mobile device, download a free app.
Doing all this isn't as easy or quick as the "Quick Install Guide'' implies. Nevertheless, once you're done, the payoff can be rewarding: Depending on your needs, you can check the kids' playroom from a computer in your home office or look in on your dog from an iPhone while at work. Better yet, because the camera is equipped with automatic infrared technology, you'll be able to take a peek, even when the room is totally dark. Too busy to remember to check? You can program the camera to start recording and e-mail an alert whenever it detects motion.
You can set the camera to display a 640 by 480 video at 20 frames per second or a grainier 160 by 120 video at a faster 30 frames per second. While the video quality isn't high-def, it will be sharp enough to give you a sense of what's going on.
Priced at about $120, the camera includes a built-in microphone, a 4x digital zoom, an Ethernet cable and an AC adapter.
Go ahead and 'hit' your iPad
Fans of GarageBand can take their musical talents one step further with Pix & Stix, a package with two "drum'' sticks and a "guitar" pick for your iPad. Made with conductive rubber tips, the miniature weighted drum sticks and moulded guitar pick have been designed to provide a natural touch-screen pickup on the iPad while playing GarageBand. More important, they have a soft finish that will leave your iPad's screen unscathed. Created by Studio Proper in Australia, a set can be purchased and shipped to the United States for about $30.
Server connects phones, printers
Lantronix takes the hassle out of printing favorite photos from Apple's ubiquitous devices. With the company's xPrintServer: Home Edition, you can wirelessly print pictures, e-mails and Web pages from your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch on most any USB or networked printer in your home. The server also gives networked computers wireless access to USB printers. The server costs about $100.
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E-mail new product suggestions to techporterfield@gmail.com.
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