Remember this DIY camera? You can send it an email and it will promptly send back a picture of your space from its perch. Cool idea, right? But it takes a lot of electrical and coding know-how to get it set up. If you want something a little easier (and with streaming video) to keep an eye on your space, check out this Google+ hack.
You can easily set up a home surveillance system today. right now. Using gear you've already got lying around the house. One that accessible anytime, from anywhere in the world (with an internet connection). You just need a computer with a webcam and two Google accounts.
A Lifehacker reader posted this nifty tip, which uses the Hangouts feature of the tech behemoth's new social network, Google+, as a way to spy on your own digs:
"First, create a second Google Account, and put the alternate account in its own circle. Then, start a hangout with just that circle. When you want to checkup on how everything's going along in your house, you can just join the hangout with your alternate account, and you should see what's happening."
Lifehacker adds that this will work even if your screen saver has come on back at home. But it won't work if your machine falls to sleep, so change your settings accordingly.
(Images: Flickr member _StefwithanF licensed for use under Creative Commons, Lifehacker
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Google's already taken pictures outside my house with streetview. Do I really want them *inside*? Nope. No thanks. Really.
Nanny Cam 2011
Very clever!
If someone is going to break into your house, probably the first thing they'd steal is the computer-- the "Security."
Yeah, one of the reasons I never touched Gmail was because they can "read" your email and datamine it for ad suggestions. Granted, they may not actually read it but use a crawler bot for keywords but still--my email is my own private stuff, not for some creepy corporation to use to serve me custom ads.
Cue all the Google haters and Google paranoia.
/rolleyes
@Goosebucket, if they did steal it, the last thing on the camera would be a serious close-up of their face! Might actually help for getting your stuff back, if you were able to screenshot it.
@Sam I Am: don't be evil.