Providing Market Intelligence for 40 Years

In The News

One nation, on camera: Internet-connected doorbells promise security but raise privacy alarms

Once a futuristic luxury, internet-connected home cameras have become reasonably common — and relatively cheap. Around 33 million American households — 27% — now use the cameras, according to an estimate from Parks Associates, a consumer technology market research firm.

For consumers, the benefit is clear: Constant or near-constant surveillance that can catch burglars in the act and provide clarity on anything that happens outside their homes. But with these systems almost always relying on cloud-based storage and analysis, many technologists have noted that they are ripe for abuse, particularly as they become more complicated and attached to increasingly advanced analysis systems.

In Guthrie’s case, it appears that even without the requisite subscription plan to have the Nest camera fully operational, it did record and transmit video of someone coming to her door the morning of her disappearance.

From the article, "One nation, on camera: Internet-connected doorbells promise security but raise privacy alarms" by Kevin Collier

Previously In The News

FCC Plan Would Give Consumer Control Of Set-top Box

And cable industry analyst Brett Sappington, of Parks Associates in Dallas, said that companies like Tivo already offer third-party cable set-top boxes, but few consumers purchase them. “Many don’t...

Action Cams Are For Birthday Parties Not Bungee Jumping

Wearable cameras such as the GoPro may be advertised as the must-have audio-visual accessory for extreme sport thrill-seekers, but according to new research, their most common uses are much more munda...

Amazon's New Netflix Competitor Is A Bad Deal For Most People

This move brings Amazon's video service into more direct competitor with services like Netflix and Hulu. But a little simple math shows that it actually isn't a great deal unless you plan on cancel...

Netflix Need Not Fear New Amazon Prime Spinoff Service

For those who think Amazon has the clout to steal away Netflix subscribers, the logic there isn’t too easy to follow: the $9 price point for the new service simply isn’t compelling enough to siphon aw...