$300 & up • www.logitech.com
Logitech has a line of new home-monitoring webcams, available in September, that are easy to set up and deliver high-resolution video for a consumer-level camera. The cameras come in two versions -- the $300 Alert 750i Master System for indoor use and the weatherproof $350 Alert 750e Outdoor Master System. Once the "master" camera is installed, up to five more cameras can be installed at a cost of $230 each for indoor and $280 each for outdoor models.
Each camera comes with its own networking kit, which uses existing electrical wiring and outlets to connect the camera to a home network. They require broadband Internet.
The cameras capture video at a resolution of 960 by 720 pixels at a maximum 15 frames a second.
They have motion sensors and dispatch an e-mail alert when they detect activity. The live video, but not recorded events, can be viewed via a secure, and free, website. The cameras also have a built-in microphone.
Setup is a simple three-step process. After installation, the camera records video to an included two-gigabyte MicroSD memory card when it senses motion.
The recorded video is automatically backed up to the PC connected to the network.
TWO POWER PACKS FOR IPHONES
$30-$40 • www.mophie.com • www.konnetonline.com
Mophie, maker of the $40 Juice Pack Reserve, a new battery charger for an iPhone, says its external battery is so small (it is roughly the size of a Zippo cigarette lighter) that you could carry it on your belt. To help you do that, the package includes a carabiner clip. Three LED lights illuminate to tell you when it is fully charged. And when you are not using it to charge your iPhone, it functions as a small LED flashlight.
Another new charger is the PowerEZ Plus, from Konnet, which sells for $30. Its small pull-out frame props the phone into the landscape position, so you can keep watching a movie or playing a game while you recharge your battery.
