Just before Christmas we had an interesting meeting with folks from Viridian Concepts. With high oil prices and global warming, there's lots of interest in domestic solar water heating solutions but it can take a long time for such systems to pay back their install costs. Viridian's novel approach is to avoid chasing every last percent of operating efficiency and focus instead on keeping the initial cost low, so payback time is short. Their "Solar House" report is a model example of how to gather and present data clearly, and a real treat for a graph-nut like me. They also taught us the important concept of Embodied Energy - the energy used to make a product, including all of its constituent parts.
If and when AlertMe integrates with domestic Heating controls, maybe we'll end-up working together - of course we plugged the benefits of ZigBee to them!
Monday, 7 January 2008
Thursday, 3 January 2008
Friday, 7 December 2007
Take our survey!
We want to know what our customers, and potential customers, would like in an AlertMe system. You can now take part in our survey and let us know! We're keen to hear your thoughts so we can make our service the best it can be.
There's also a prize draw to encourage you - if you are the lucky one out of the hat, you will win £200 cash.
Click now!
There's also a prize draw to encourage you - if you are the lucky one out of the hat, you will win £200 cash.
Click now!
Friday, 30 November 2007
2008 International CES
Come see AlertMe at the 2008 International CES in Las Vegas, January 7-10, 2008!!
We'll be exhibiting along with our partners in two locations: with Ember in the ZigBee Alliance area and in the Control4 Partner Pavilion.
Special thanks to Ember and Control4 for inviting us!
Thursday, 25 October 2007
Mobile Phone crime
Last week I went to a talk about mobile phone theft and misuse of electronic services, given by Shaun Whitehead from the Criminology and Criminal Justice centre at Loughborough University. There were lots of questions so he only managed to get through the mobile phone part of his research, but I thought some of his points were really interesting for Alertme customers.
You may know that there is a staggering amount of mobile phone theft in the UK - the most recent British Crime Survey (reported here by Halifax building society) reported that two MILLION mobile phones were stolen last year. Shaun and his colleague Jen Mailley have investigated ways of reducing this crime wave, by combining traditional criminology with modern technology.
One of the first things they did was to interview convicted phone thieves. Although most thefts are opportunistic, it turns out that thieves are keenly aware of risk and reward, just like everyone else. When they see an opportunity, they judge carefully whether it is worth the risk. Increase the risk to them, and the reward becomes less attractive. Another thing Shaun and Jen did was to look at ways of reducing those opportunities - if no opportunity presents itself, most thieves won't risk trying to create one.
Alertme helps protect your home in both ways. We give you some easy-to-spot (and rather smart) window stickers, so that potential thieves will have to factor in an increased risk to themselves. We can also warn you as you leave your house if you have left windows or doors open, helping you avoid giving thieves a chance.
Shaun's closing point put a great twist on the story. Phone insurance policies tend not to cover accidental damage or loss. That means that when someone has a problem with their phone, they've got to stump up for a new one, even though they've been paying to insure it. Although nobody can be sure, people who've studied the problem think that a lot of those 'stolen' phones actually went in the bin!
You may know that there is a staggering amount of mobile phone theft in the UK - the most recent British Crime Survey (reported here by Halifax building society) reported that two MILLION mobile phones were stolen last year. Shaun and his colleague Jen Mailley have investigated ways of reducing this crime wave, by combining traditional criminology with modern technology.
One of the first things they did was to interview convicted phone thieves. Although most thefts are opportunistic, it turns out that thieves are keenly aware of risk and reward, just like everyone else. When they see an opportunity, they judge carefully whether it is worth the risk. Increase the risk to them, and the reward becomes less attractive. Another thing Shaun and Jen did was to look at ways of reducing those opportunities - if no opportunity presents itself, most thieves won't risk trying to create one.
Alertme helps protect your home in both ways. We give you some easy-to-spot (and rather smart) window stickers, so that potential thieves will have to factor in an increased risk to themselves. We can also warn you as you leave your house if you have left windows or doors open, helping you avoid giving thieves a chance.
Shaun's closing point put a great twist on the story. Phone insurance policies tend not to cover accidental damage or loss. That means that when someone has a problem with their phone, they've got to stump up for a new one, even though they've been paying to insure it. Although nobody can be sure, people who've studied the problem think that a lot of those 'stolen' phones actually went in the bin!
Monday, 1 October 2007
What's going through the front door?
Our first kits!
AlertMe is now shipping our first controlled release to eager customers. It's fantastic to see the kits going out, and we've already had some fantastic feedback. Home security is entering the 21st century at last.
Of course, there are always some rough edges with a new technology, but that's why we're so excited to get the product into the real world and keep improving it. AlertMe's culture includes an emphasis on co-production - a fancy term for working with our customers to build exactly what they want in their homes.
This is only the beginning....
For more information, see www.alertme.com.
AlertMe is now shipping our first controlled release to eager customers. It's fantastic to see the kits going out, and we've already had some fantastic feedback. Home security is entering the 21st century at last.
Of course, there are always some rough edges with a new technology, but that's why we're so excited to get the product into the real world and keep improving it. AlertMe's culture includes an emphasis on co-production - a fancy term for working with our customers to build exactly what they want in their homes.
This is only the beginning....
For more information, see www.alertme.com.
Monday, 24 September 2007
Who's hot in wireless automation?
Just back from Boston, USA, where AlertMe participated in the first ever Ember Customer Forum. The event focused on who was using ZigBee and how they might work together to offer world class solutions in wireless automation.
AlertMe showed off a new Corporate Video, to the great amusement of the audience, and will soon post it live on our website - check back soon and look for the dude in the cowboy hat!
Some of the best consumer oriented companies there included Control 4, Colorado vNet, and the Radio Thermostat Company of America. There were also some great commercial solutions from Indesign, LS Research, Saflok, Sensorswitch, Twisthink, and Trane.
Whether you want to control your lights, entertainment, heating and airconditioning, or monitor your energy consumption, ZigBee seems to be an essential ingredient.
AlertMe showed off a new Corporate Video, to the great amusement of the audience, and will soon post it live on our website - check back soon and look for the dude in the cowboy hat!
Some of the best consumer oriented companies there included Control 4, Colorado vNet, and the Radio Thermostat Company of America. There were also some great commercial solutions from Indesign, LS Research, Saflok, Sensorswitch, Twisthink, and Trane.
Whether you want to control your lights, entertainment, heating and airconditioning, or monitor your energy consumption, ZigBee seems to be an essential ingredient.
Monday, 3 September 2007
BarCamb 2007
A week ago, I was at BarCamb, the first BarCamp to be held in Cambridge! It was a good event, with a really interesting bunch of people from the local science and technology community talking about aspects of their work (and other interests). I spoke about AlertMe, describing our platform and some of the home awareness and other applications and services it enables. Everyone was really interested and had plenty of good ideas for future features (I wrote them all down!). Several of the people who blogged the event mentioned us, including Jim Downing, Michael Dales from Ndiyo, Rob Hulme and Ian Mulvany from Nature, who even links to a picture of our wonderfully tiny ZigBee tile!
Many thanks to Matt Wood, from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, for organising everything; and hopefully I'll see you all at the next BarCamb!
Many thanks to Matt Wood, from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, for organising everything; and hopefully I'll see you all at the next BarCamb!
Tuesday, 21 August 2007
Crime maps and home security
This post will be more speculation than announcement. I've recently been alerted to a number of new initiatives that mashup crime with maps. This isn't a totally new idea, my hometown of Berkeley, CA has had an interactive crime map for a few years now, and in the USA at least, newspapers have been reporting police blotters forever, but it does seem to have a new life.
Blog posts like this one from O'Reilly also look at the concept.
Taking it a step further are businesses like the exciting Terabitz are combining this information with real estate listing and other local detail.
What I wonder is how much that will influence people's decisions on how and where they live. I'm guessing it depends, but I've always felt you take the good with the bad. Living in NYC or London may occasionally pose risks, but that hasn't stopped people wanting to live in such vibrant cities.
I would think the best approach is to use these tools to be informed, but follow your heart (or job or school or friends) and live where you like. Better to take a few steps to protect yourself where you want to be, than to be afraid.
So I'm hoping these tools deliver the information as just that - information. People shouldn't live in fear, they should have peace of mind about their homes. And I guess AlertMe might just be a useful tool in this respect.
For more information, see www.alertme.com
Blog posts like this one from O'Reilly also look at the concept.
Taking it a step further are businesses like the exciting Terabitz are combining this information with real estate listing and other local detail.
What I wonder is how much that will influence people's decisions on how and where they live. I'm guessing it depends, but I've always felt you take the good with the bad. Living in NYC or London may occasionally pose risks, but that hasn't stopped people wanting to live in such vibrant cities.
I would think the best approach is to use these tools to be informed, but follow your heart (or job or school or friends) and live where you like. Better to take a few steps to protect yourself where you want to be, than to be afraid.
So I'm hoping these tools deliver the information as just that - information. People shouldn't live in fear, they should have peace of mind about their homes. And I guess AlertMe might just be a useful tool in this respect.
For more information, see www.alertme.com
Tuesday, 14 August 2007
Home security and AlertMe computing security
AlertMe.com takes security seriously.
Our revolutionary approach to intelligent home security will be backed by a hardened approach to datacenter server and network security. We've spent the last six months designing a robust and resilient infrastructure to deliver our service without interruption.
Our computer wizard says:
Our email and webservers are migrating into the nuclear bunkers now, and our full application will also be hosted there.
Our revolutionary approach to intelligent home security will be backed by a hardened approach to datacenter server and network security. We've spent the last six months designing a robust and resilient infrastructure to deliver our service without interruption.
Our computer wizard says:
"The AlertMe system utilizes techniques and technologies developed by the military and the banking industry. A resilient, multiple layer firewall system combined with a military designed datacentre, manned by ex-military personnel, ensures the continued security of your personal data."And given his spotless track record defending a leading internet-based payment processing company, he should know how it's done.
Our email and webservers are migrating into the nuclear bunkers now, and our full application will also be hosted there.
AlertMe manufacturing goes live!
AlertMe.com is now bringing online our state of the art manufacturing operation.
We have completed build out of the pilot manufacturing facility in our Cambridge headquarters and produced the first run of beta kits here already. All of the kits for the first controlled release will also be hand built in Cambridge by our own crack team of hardware experts. As they assemble the components, they are conducting extensive quality control testing and looking for future improvements and efficiencies.
At the same, we’re also spinning up activity for full scale production with a truly world class consumer electronics manufacturing partner. We’ve had their first samples back and they look really spectacular – just can’t wait to show them off! Even the packaging itself has received rave reviews from those who’ve seen sneak previews of the kit.
FUN FACT: there are over 300 unique parts in a single AlertMe home security kit.
For more information, visit www.alertme.com
We have completed build out of the pilot manufacturing facility in our Cambridge headquarters and produced the first run of beta kits here already. All of the kits for the first controlled release will also be hand built in Cambridge by our own crack team of hardware experts. As they assemble the components, they are conducting extensive quality control testing and looking for future improvements and efficiencies.
At the same, we’re also spinning up activity for full scale production with a truly world class consumer electronics manufacturing partner. We’ve had their first samples back and they look really spectacular – just can’t wait to show them off! Even the packaging itself has received rave reviews from those who’ve seen sneak previews of the kit.
FUN FACT: there are over 300 unique parts in a single AlertMe home security kit.
For more information, visit www.alertme.com
Monday, 23 July 2007
AlertMe first controlled release - taking pre-orders now!
As we're now getting very close to our first controlled release, we've decided to open the gates.
We’re now taking pre-orders for a limited release, exclusively to friends and family of the AlertMe team in the UK. If you are interested in hearing more about this, please send a note to "sales at alertme.com" and tell me who you know here and I’ll tell them you’ve said “hi!” Then I can also share more details about our service and the coming release. The response has been great so far, and supplies are limited, so act quickly if you want to be one of the first to enjoy intelligent home security, control, and monitoring.
If you don’t happen to know us personally, but want to learn more, let me know the nature of your interest. We would be happy to have a chat on a variety of topics once we know a bit more about you. To misquote Bogart: I think this may be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Cheers.
We’re now taking pre-orders for a limited release, exclusively to friends and family of the AlertMe team in the UK. If you are interested in hearing more about this, please send a note to "sales at alertme.com" and tell me who you know here and I’ll tell them you’ve said “hi!” Then I can also share more details about our service and the coming release. The response has been great so far, and supplies are limited, so act quickly if you want to be one of the first to enjoy intelligent home security, control, and monitoring.
If you don’t happen to know us personally, but want to learn more, let me know the nature of your interest. We would be happy to have a chat on a variety of topics once we know a bit more about you. To misquote Bogart: I think this may be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Cheers.
Sunday, 22 July 2007
AlertMe website relaunching
Is "relaunching" a word? Oh well.
Just a quick note to let you know we'll be relaunching our website sometime in the next couple of weeks. This is the big moment, when we'll open the curtains and show you just what it is we've built. It's been a major effort in developing comprehensive content and a friendly, intuitive design. We're hoping you'll like it!
Sections will include:
I won't spoil the surprise, but be sure to check back often at www.alertme.com and be the first to know.
Just a quick note to let you know we'll be relaunching our website sometime in the next couple of weeks. This is the big moment, when we'll open the curtains and show you just what it is we've built. It's been a major effort in developing comprehensive content and a friendly, intuitive design. We're hoping you'll like it!
Sections will include:
- "Why AlertMe?"
- "What is it?"
- "Who is it for?"
- "How does it work?"
I won't spoil the surprise, but be sure to check back often at www.alertme.com and be the first to know.
Saturday, 21 July 2007
Home trials of AlertMe
Over the last few weeks, AlertMe has been busy with a number of home trials of our home security, control, and monitoring service. A range of people with a variety of homes and living situations have been able to set up the kit, show it off to their friends and family, and find out what's it really like.
The trials have gone very well so far. People outside the company have been appreciative of the design elements and interested to learn more. Perhaps more importantly, we've collected a ton of feedback on areas for improvement and future enhancements.
The trials will be ongoing right up through sign off of our first controlled release, and we plan to never stop learning from our customers. When you get your kit, be sure to drop us a line and let us know what you love about AlertMe, and where we might do better.
Cheers.
The trials have gone very well so far. People outside the company have been appreciative of the design elements and interested to learn more. Perhaps more importantly, we've collected a ton of feedback on areas for improvement and future enhancements.
The trials will be ongoing right up through sign off of our first controlled release, and we plan to never stop learning from our customers. When you get your kit, be sure to drop us a line and let us know what you love about AlertMe, and where we might do better.
Cheers.
Tuesday, 3 July 2007
Business Weekly reports on AlertMe.com
Business Weekly covers news, feature and analysis on business issues for senior decision makers in companies across the East of England. It has reported on our business this week.
US investors alert to home security venture
By Lautaro Vargas, 07 March 2007
Two of the region's top entrepreneurs are promising to revolutionise the home security market by launching a new generation of internet and mobile-enabled monitored alarm systems.
Backed with £5 million from entities affiliated to one of the USA's biggest hedge funds, Tudor Investment Group, Pilgrim Beart and Adrian Critchlow will trial AlertMe's first products in Cambridge this summer prior to a national roll-out before the year's end.
The Series A financing follows initial seed funding from the co-founders and business angels and will be used to complete the final stage of development and testing, build brand partnerships and bring the product to market.
Details of the technologies that will be used to underpin the new products, as well as the actual products themselves, will not be released until after the trials, though Beart insists that the AlertMe system will produce a step change in home surveillance.
"In contrast to many older alarm systems that use a phone dialer, the AlertMe system architecture is bang up-to-date; however we are not releasing any details of it yet" said Beart."Suffice to say that a large US hedge fund has invested in us on the basis of its potential."
AlertMe's next generation home security offering will use internet and mobile technology to connect people with their homes and alert them immediately to any unauthorised entry or fire.
The company's intention is to provide a major challenge to traditional monitored alarms by using the latest technology to offer enhanced functionality at a fraction of the current cost.
Increased functionality will free users from a prickly relationship with alarm firms according to Critchlow.
He said: "Many people use alarm companies but are not happy with the service."
AlertMe's system is expected to provide significant savings to users over existing systems.
Critchlow added: "Over the lifetime of our products we would hope to strip a significant amount of cost off existing systems, up to 50 per cent. But the comparison is really chalk and cheese as the amount of functionality would be far beyond what you can get at the moment."
The teaming of Beart and Critchlow could prove to be the masterstroke behind the success of the new venture, bringing an expert in wireless and RF technology start-ups together with one experienced in the rapid exploitation of a highly successful internet firm.
Beart has 20 years exp-erience in establishing ground-breaking high-technology companies including ActiveRF (which was sold to US-based Gatekeeper) and Antenova, which is heading full-throttle towards its goal of becoming the global supplier of choice for integrated antennas.
Critchlow co-founded online reservation service Active Hotels in 1999, helping it become one of the UK's fastest growing companies before it was sold five years later to Priceline for £90 million.
"The intention is to get a leading edge product up fast and one of the reasons for taking this on is that the technology already exists," said Critchlow.
True to its word, AlertMe, which was founded in April 2006, not only has 12 employees working in Cambridge on hardware and software R & D and commercial, but it already has a team of five doing software R & D in India.
As it finalises its commercialisation strategy, AlertMe is now seeking to develop partnerships with a number of different sectors including Internet Service Providers, mobile operators and insurance companies.
US investors alert to home security venture
By Lautaro Vargas, 07 March 2007
Two of the region's top entrepreneurs are promising to revolutionise the home security market by launching a new generation of internet and mobile-enabled monitored alarm systems.
Backed with £5 million from entities affiliated to one of the USA's biggest hedge funds, Tudor Investment Group, Pilgrim Beart and Adrian Critchlow will trial AlertMe's first products in Cambridge this summer prior to a national roll-out before the year's end.
The Series A financing follows initial seed funding from the co-founders and business angels and will be used to complete the final stage of development and testing, build brand partnerships and bring the product to market.
Details of the technologies that will be used to underpin the new products, as well as the actual products themselves, will not be released until after the trials, though Beart insists that the AlertMe system will produce a step change in home surveillance.
"In contrast to many older alarm systems that use a phone dialer, the AlertMe system architecture is bang up-to-date; however we are not releasing any details of it yet" said Beart."Suffice to say that a large US hedge fund has invested in us on the basis of its potential."
AlertMe's next generation home security offering will use internet and mobile technology to connect people with their homes and alert them immediately to any unauthorised entry or fire.
The company's intention is to provide a major challenge to traditional monitored alarms by using the latest technology to offer enhanced functionality at a fraction of the current cost.
Increased functionality will free users from a prickly relationship with alarm firms according to Critchlow.
He said: "Many people use alarm companies but are not happy with the service."
AlertMe's system is expected to provide significant savings to users over existing systems.
Critchlow added: "Over the lifetime of our products we would hope to strip a significant amount of cost off existing systems, up to 50 per cent. But the comparison is really chalk and cheese as the amount of functionality would be far beyond what you can get at the moment."
The teaming of Beart and Critchlow could prove to be the masterstroke behind the success of the new venture, bringing an expert in wireless and RF technology start-ups together with one experienced in the rapid exploitation of a highly successful internet firm.
Beart has 20 years exp-erience in establishing ground-breaking high-technology companies including ActiveRF (which was sold to US-based Gatekeeper) and Antenova, which is heading full-throttle towards its goal of becoming the global supplier of choice for integrated antennas.
Critchlow co-founded online reservation service Active Hotels in 1999, helping it become one of the UK's fastest growing companies before it was sold five years later to Priceline for £90 million.
"The intention is to get a leading edge product up fast and one of the reasons for taking this on is that the technology already exists," said Critchlow.
True to its word, AlertMe, which was founded in April 2006, not only has 12 employees working in Cambridge on hardware and software R & D and commercial, but it already has a team of five doing software R & D in India.
As it finalises its commercialisation strategy, AlertMe is now seeking to develop partnerships with a number of different sectors including Internet Service Providers, mobile operators and insurance companies.
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