[Macworld]

Post your comments for People Power turns old iOS devices into surveillance equipment here

[rthuringer]

Just hooked up several iPhones and iPads around our office to test, really slick. the possibilities are endless. really cool that you can switch between front and rear cameras, strategic placement can get you a lot of coverage. Cool stuff.

[flowney]

Confusing. There is a MacOS/iOS combo called "Presence" by FlyingMac Software. Maybe they'll be changing the name pretty soon.

[flowney]

The URL for Flying Mac's Presence: http://flyingmac.com/presence/

[rdtj]

Unfortunately, this software does not work with iPhone 3s. If you're not running the newest iOS, your old phone (which this would be a great use for) does not work.

[rdtj]

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Unfortunately, this software does not work with iPhone 3s. If you're not running the newest iOS, your old phone (which this would be a great use for) does not work.

That should have been iPhone 3. We have two of them sitting here doing nothing.

[TeaEarleGreyHot]

This free app looks nice. Does it record the video, or does it just create a live cam?

Also, how does the company make money from it? Are they selling email addresses? Are there adverts inserted over the video feed? Do they send advertising email? Will it begin nagging the user to upgrade to a premium version? Or is this just a trial version that stops working after a while?

[calguy]

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This free app looks nice. Does it record the video, or does it just create a live cam? Also, how does the company make money from it? Are they selling email addresses? Are there adverts inserted over the video feed? Do they send advertising email? Will it begin nagging the user to upgrade to a premium version? Or is this just a trial version that stops working after a while?

Your iDevice becomes a live cam, but if you have motion detection set to trigger the camera, when motion is sensed the app e-mails you a 5 second video of what was detected.

The money making aspect is the ability to make in-app purchases of equipment to hold, mount and position your iDevices as cameras.

For a free app that uses surplus equipment, it is well done and cool.

[TeaEarleGreyHot]

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Your iDevice becomes a live cam, but if you have motion detection set to trigger the camera, when motion is sensed the app e-mails you a 5 second video of what was detected. The money making aspect is the ability to make in-app purchases of equipment to hold, mount and position your iDevices as cameras.

Cool. Thanks for the details. The PeoplePower site doesn't really spell out much at all, except to offer a video. This might stimulate the market for used iDevices on auction sites.

[awlabrador]

How does battery life factor into this? Old iOS devices are often those whose useful battery life is significantly diminished, but the usefulness of this application might also be affected with newer devices, if they have to be recharged each day or so. I would see using it -- as implied in the article -- as an occasional device for remote monitoring and not for, say, long-term home surveillance.

[DCJ001]

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This free app looks nice. Does it record the video, or does it just create a live cam? Also, how does the company make money from it? Are they selling email addresses? Are there adverts inserted over the video feed? Do they send advertising email? Will it begin nagging the user to upgrade to a premium version? Or is this just a trial version that stops working after a while?

Are you afraid to install it and answer these questions for yourself?

[TeaEarleGreyHot]

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Are you afraid to install it and answer these questions for yourself?

No... but in response to your flippant question, in my case, I would have to buy a secondhand iPhone or iDevice to use the product. And set up a WiFi router so the device could contact my iPhone. It's better to make queries before making investments. Not fear. Experience.

[toad]

We use an old iPhone as a music source in our baby's room, mounted atop a docking clock/radio. We used to use a similar app (iVigilo) as a video monitor, without sound. Unfortunately, neither app will now allow the Music app to play while sharing video, as they both now phase out the music as soon as the connection is made. There doesn't appear to be any setting to fix this issue. iVigilo USED to allow this, but a recent update has made it similarly useless as a video monitor while playing music. I am rather bummed to have lost that great functionality. The music stays, so no more free video monitor... I'd pay a few dollars for that functionality, but I don't see any app that would do this now...