Designing Intelligence into Door-entry and Security Systems
from Electronic Design Strategy News
Personal security at home, on the street, or in a military setting is a permanent and growing concern; as a result, the products and technologies that address this security continue to see rapid market growth. A significant part of this market uses IP (Internet Protocol) video-surveillance systems—from extensive camera installations in metropolitan areas to small businesses and residences. Door-entry and video-surveillance systems have become more realistic propositions at the low end of the market in both deployment and overall cost, mainly because of technological advances that support lower prices. These advances are largely due to both the widespread use of IP-based packet networks and the quality improvements in hardware and software. More

Door Keepers
from St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Your front door is the entree to your home, your first opportunity to make a good impression. In addition to being highly functional — you want to keep intruders out and warmly admit welcome visitors — your front door should make a statement, should say that this is a home of substance and style. One of the strongest trends in high-end doors is multipoint locking systems. These are locking systems that bolt at the top, middle and bottom with one simple turn of the key. Multipoint locking systems have been popular in Europe for years, but the concept has just gotten hot recently in the U.S. market. The majority of high-end doors now have multipoint locks. More

Locksmiths Thrive in Tough Economy
from KCRA
When the economy is down and people are losing their jobs, some businesses are thriving. Businesses that haven't been so lucky keep locksmith Bruce Guinn busy -- so do people losing their homes. "They're being locked out. They don't have the money -- pretty simple," Guinn said. More

Business Booms for Home Security Companies
from NBC Dallas – Fort Worth
Home security companies are seeing a big increase in business, as homeowners grow more concerned about protecting their families from home invasions. More

Schools Install Key Card System
from Daily Press
York County School Division officials in York, Va., are in the first phases of implementing a new access system at each school. All doors will be locked during the school day, with staff having access through key cards and visitors getting buzzed in after speaking through intercoms. Plans for the system started last year, and the goal is to get it installed at all schools by the end of this month, York schools spokeswoman Betsy Overkamp-Smith said. More

Small Business Advice: Tips to Keep Cash Flowing
from Cherry Hill Courier Post
SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business" offers tips on how small businesses can plan to preserve cash and map a plan for sales success in 2009: Focus on what you can control about your business such as cutting costs. More

Small Business Technology: Social Networking
from Financial Post
Web sites such as Facebook, YouTube, MySpace and Flickr are making it more affordable than ever for small businesses to leverage social networking tools online to markedly expand their reach. These sites allow businesses to visually communicate with prospective customers anywhere in the world and with new, inexpensive programs they can track solid sales leads. Such social networking forums are known as Web 2.0 tools or "wikis," and their content is augmented by public-user contributors. More