There are many products on the market to make your home a little more kid proof. Things that lock your cabinets, keep your toilet seats down, and you know what? They're all expensive. This quick trick keeps the cost down and little fingers from being pinched. All you need is a pool noodle. More

The tongue-in-cheek musical Avenue Q insists that the Internet is for Porn, and the recent invention of leave-no-tracks Private Browsing Mode seems to support that notion. But even while you're surfing the web for more innocent activities, private browsing can have some really useful advantages. More

Not everyone may be clamoring for the newest iPhone or latest Android model, but it's advisable for everyone to have a basic cell phone of their own for emergency situations. "Dumb phones" aren't designed to impress, but are designed as dependable and easy-to-use communication devices ideal for emergency situations... More

Last week I went to see comedian Louis CK and he had a great bit about the fact that he no longer remembers his mother's phone number. I have to admit — I don't either. It seems memorizing phone numbers has become a thing of the past, but is this a good thing? More

Lockitron
• $149.00 (Pre-order price)
• Lockitron

A friend and I got into a debate this morning about the Lockitron, an add-on deadbolt system which allows for remote opening and locking of doors using an app. He proclaimed it a "necessity" for his extended family and friends who regularly drop by; I consider it an example of an "automated luxury". But we both agreed Lockitron could be very convenient for granting access remotely with just a swipe...the simple design is tempting whether a necessity or luxury. And the best part is it fits over your existing deadbolt rather than replaces it, making installation simpler than other keyless entry systems.
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IDEA Lite Plug
• $95.00
• Retail Facility UK

Blackouts, brownouts, and other emergencies where power goes out: these are times when you'll appreciate you thought ahead and purchased an emergency backup light. The Lite Plug from IDEA Japan also happens to be an unusually stylish rendition of the mundane sensor night light (with a price tag which reflects its boutique brand origins). Designed to work both in a hallway/room and also in times when you need a handheld flashlight, the Lite Plug will look great out in the open until its services are required. More

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell you most people are lax about password security...until its been compromised. Actually, it does take a (former) rocket scientist: Nick Berry formerly of Microsoft and current data privacy advocate crunched the numbers and discovered the sobering fact almost 11% of 4-digit PIN numbers rely upon "1234". He also discovered the least common 4-digit code, alongside some other unusual top #20 choices... More

As I was working on a project in my living room last night, I heard a knock on my window. I opened my front door to find a (wonderful, Good Samaritan) stranger who pointed out that I had left my keys in the lock. Unfortunately, it wasn't the first time. More

I'd like to move my 4.5 year old daughter to a loft bed to create more floor space in her tiny bedroom, but am feeling torn between a low loft which tends to average 45" off the ground and a higher loft which seem to average 70"- 72" high. Ideally, I'd love one that started low and could be raised - do these exist?

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Q: My brother and his girlfriend had a break-in Friday. Their little bungalow has a gate around it and a ton of morning glory vines that hide the house very well once you are in the gate. The vines make the house nice and private, but at the same time, once the burglar was in the gate he was free to dig through the house and steal away. Thought I would ask the Apartment Therapy peeps what might be some good security options for a single family dwelling on a quiet street with almost no foot traffic. Looking for both high and low-tech options. More