Special Report: DIY home security cameras popular on the market
As time goes on, technology continues to show its usefulness -- not only in the form of hand-held devices, but in technology for your home. One particular home-owner-operated tech trend -- security camera systems, controlled through the touch of an app.
"You never realize how people behave whenever people aren't watching them until you have something that monitors it for you," said Haliee Hadley, a member of Bowling Green’s Best Buy Geek Squad.
Local tech retailers say they've recognized an increase in interest for DIY home video security systems.
"Unfortunately, bad things do happen to people," explained Thomas Crossland, general manager for Bowling Green's Best Buy, "and this is just another way to protect their property and protect their loved ones at home while they're away."
The days of the typical subscription-based security systems seem to be fading away. Now, it's as simple as attaching a doorbell camera to the front door. The interface is made easy-to-install and controlled through an app and a connection to Wifi.
"Yeah, most of our lives run through apps now. I know I pay my bills, I do my banking, I keep in touch with family through Facebook or social media, so most things are moving to apps just for the convenience and it's no different with our home security systems," said Hadley.
It's a human need to feel secure where you live. When someone unknown comes to your home, you want to be ready.
Brian Edwards of Veteran Security Consulting LLC performs house calls to assess his clients' home security and what they can do to improve. He too protects the exterior of his home with an app-controlled security camera.
"Mounted high, where they can't get to it," Edwards described for the proper position for the camera. "But at that point, when it senses motion, it will alert you when someone's at your house. From there, you can talk to them through it. 'Hey, can I help you? What are you doing?' So if you're laying in bed and you don't want to answer the door, it's that simple."
Floodlights, high decibel alarms, a neighborhood watch through the app -- the options available through the camera systems are seemingly endless.
As this year's season of holiday shopping sweeps in, making sure your packages arrive safely can be even more of a concern.
"This time of the year, certainly, that awareness goes up because people are getting their packages delivered to the house, dropping it at the doorstep," said Ronnie Allerkamp, a sales manager at Lowe's.
Having the capability of knowing who's outside your home isn't just to prevent a potential break-in -- it can offer another level of accountability in an ever-changing society.
Many of those who work with customers seeking these types of equipment have had their own encounters with utilizing their home security cameras, or even wishing they had had one when they needed it.
"A trophy was actually being delivered to the house, and I saw the postman throw the trophy over his shoulder rather than place it on the doorstep," Crossland remembered. "So it was real easy to take it to the postmaster and say, 'Hey, this is what's going on.'"
Sellers and consumers call it easily-accessible. As technology continues to improve, new equipment to make life more efficient and solve problems keeps finding themselves on the market.
"Because news is online, and everything has the ability to go viral, I think we're just more aware of it. We're more hypersensitive to what could happen to us, and we just want to be prepared for that," said Hadley.
Offered at many retailers and online are other types of home technology making waves -- new uses for smart speakers and Wifi-connected appliances are sure to continue to develop and launch into the marketplace.