TECH THAT CUTS BILLS
PAMPER YOUR PETS ... BY REMOTE CONTROL
PET lovers occasionally find it hard to give their cat or dog the attention they deserve – and are forced to pay others to keep an eye on them.
But new remote control gadgets now allow you to watch your pet from a smartphone when it is at home – so you can talk, feed and even play with it.
The £140 Petcube is a box that sits in your property and enables you to observe and speak to your pet when you are out and about, using a smartphone app.
It also has a remote-controlled laser beam you can control by moving your finger on the phone screen to bring up a light in your home that moves around on the wall or floor – and cats can chase in a game.
Assistant arts editor Keeba Roy, 29, of Greenwich, South East London, shares a flat with boyfriend Ben, 28, and their cats Max and Harry.
Keeba says: ‘It is great to have a camera to keep an eye on them. At Christmas time I was watching and saw that the tree had got knocked down so knew they were up to no good.’
She adds: ‘They both love playing with the laser but if you try talking to them it can be a bit of a shock – we drew the line at buying a model that feeds the cats as well because they get greedy.’
Other devices to keep an eye on the pet include a £250 Furbo that has a camera and also throws out snacks. A £ 140 programmable feeder from PetSafe puts the pet food out at a certain time.
LOWER INSURANCE WITH HOME SECURITY
THERE is a growing number of security devices that monitor what is going on inside the home that complement traditional burglar alarms.
They are unobtrusive devices about the size of a handheld camera and sit in prime spots around the home, such as a kitchen.
If they spot anything out of the ordinary going on in the house a text alert is sent to your mobile. You then have the option to set off a noisy alarm back in the house to hopefully frighten off any potential intruders.
By adding a layer of security these devices can also cut the cost of building and contents insurance. The average cost of buildings and contents cover is £291, according to the Association of British Insurers. A burglar alarm can cut premiums by 10 per cent.
Among the devices on the market is the £159 Cocoon. It picks up lowlevel sound waves and notifies you through an alarm sent to your smartphone if it hears something out of the ordinary. The device only operates when you are out of the home and quickly learns to ignore the usual movements, such as a pet walking around.
Other security devices that can help keep insurance premiums down by linking a home camera to a smartphone include the £200 DLink Omna 180; the £160 Canary; and the £159 Nest Cam Indoor. All these cameras can be set up to record unusual movement and include night vision.
PLUG A LEAK TO SAVE MONEY
A DRIPPING tap might not look like an emergency, but if not dealt with it can cause costly damage to the home. According to the Association of British Insurers, the industry pays out £2.5 million a day on water damage claims. A burst pipe causes on average £2,700 of damage – wrecking floors and carpets, damaging walls and destroying favourite furniture. Often the first tell-tale signs you have a problem is the sound of dripping water – and fixing it early can mean you do not suffer a burst pipe.
Devices such as the £149 LeakBot keep an eye on your entire plumbing system and if a leak is spotted will alert you via a text message. The device is clipped on to a water pipe situated by your mains stop tap – usually under a kitchen sink.
Remote apps can also be used to look out for emergencies such as fires or carbon monoxide poisoning. Companies such as Roost sell a £25 smart battery that can be fitted into existing smoke or carbon dioxide alarms. It can send a text to your phone if the alarm goes off.