Gizmag: Spy Gear http://www.gizmag.com/spygear/ (c) Gizmag Pty Ltd 2003 - 2009 gizmag.com covers the full gammut of emerging technologies, invention and innovation - from automotive to aerospace, from handhelds to supercomputers, from robotics to home automation, the site reports on all major announcements across 40 categories. en gizmag.com Spy vs spy – wireless camera detector lets you sleep easy or play hard (in privacy) http://www.gizmag.com/spy-wi-fi-signal-camera-detector-chinavision-cvmv-j19/13425/ http://www.gizmag.com/spy-wi-fi-signal-camera-detector-chinavision-cvmv-j19/13425/ The Chinavision CMVM-J19 spy camera and Wi-Fi detector

If you don’t trust that shifty-looking night supervisor at the motel or the suspicious-looking smoke detector in your room, or if you just value your privacy, help could be at hand. A quick scan of your room or surrounds with the Chinavision CVMV-J19 Spy Wi-Fi Signal and Camera Lens Detector should let you sleep easy or play hard – in privacy (I guarantee there are a few celebrities who wish they had one)...

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Related Articles: ]]> Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:25:01 -0600 GPS-based location devices: have we become too security-conscious? http://www.gizmag.com/gps-based-location-devices-security-conscious/13183/ http://www.gizmag.com/gps-based-location-devices-security-conscious/13183/ GPS tracking devices - where will it end

Gizmag has featured a number of GPS based location devices and concepts that are designed to keep track of your most loved people, pets and possessions. From the Nu.M8 child watch system, to a GPS dog-collar device or a range of tracking devices capable of following just about anyone or anything. The latest in an ever expanding range of these gadgets - the Ekahau wrist-tag, is a tracking device that allows monitoring via a Wi-Fi network. When will it end? Not anytime soon - Jude Garvey checks out three different tracking systems on (or soon to be released on to) the market. ..

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Related Articles: ]]> Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:51:21 -0500 Tiny Smart Dew sensors promise low-cost security solution http://www.gizmag.com/tau-smart-dew/11359/ http://www.gizmag.com/tau-smart-dew/11359/ Smart Dew security concept

The cost of securing large properties with physical barriers like fences or conventional electronic surveillance systems can be quite prohibitive but a new invention from Tel Aviv University promises a cheap, effective solution in the form of a network of tiny sensors as small as dewdrops. Called "Smart Dew", the devices can be scattered outdoors on rocks, fence posts and doorways, or even indoors on the floor of a bank to serve as invisible security guards with each individual "dew droplet" capable of detecting an intrusion within a parameter of 50 meters (165 feet). ..

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Related Articles: ]]> Tue, 31 Mar 2009 01:14:59 -0500 MP4 Watch records and displays video – and tells time! http://www.gizmag.com/mp4-watch-records-and-displays-video--and-tells-time/10829/ http://www.gizmag.com/mp4-watch-records-and-displays-video--and-tells-time/10829/ Thanko MP4 Watch

Watching the clock gets a whole new meaning with Thanko’s MP4 Watch. Seemingly straight out of Q’s arsenal the watch that features a full color 1.8-inch LCD screen as well as a voice recorder and tiny camera that can record video at 352 x 288 resolution and take photos at 640 x 480 resolution – perfect for any aspiring James Bond wannabes. ..

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Related Articles: ]]> Sun, 25 Jan 2009 22:28:23 -0600 LightSpeed binoculars transmit sound and video http://www.gizmag.com/lightspeed-binoculars-transmit-sound-and-video/10606/ http://www.gizmag.com/lightspeed-binoculars-transmit-sound-and-video/10606/ LightSpeed Binoculars

December 22, 2008 Torrey Pines Logic has designed an optical system that allows people to speak to the person they’re looking at. The LightSpeed uses infrared LEDs to transmit the wearer’s voice via a secure optical beam to another LightSpeed model. The data channel used by the binoculars can accommodate Ethernet, video streaming and multi-channel audio data, and the devices transmit data at 1Mpbs, at distances exceeding 5km. ..

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Related Articles: ]]> Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:38:02 -0600 Super-Secret Spy Lens for your SLR http://www.gizmag.com/super-secret-spy-lens-for-your-slr/10575/ http://www.gizmag.com/super-secret-spy-lens-for-your-slr/10575/ Super-Secret Spy Lens for your SLR

Designed for capturing raw, natural images without the subject being aware that they are being photographed (and ruining that elusive photo-realism), or lets face it, for just plain snooping around, the Super-Secret Spy Lens allows you to take shots at right angles to the camera lens. Working like a periscope for your SLR, the lens adaptor also rotates through 360 degrees so you can snap subjects above and below you as well as to the left or right, all while you appear to be shooting directly in front...

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Related Articles: ]]> Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:25:55 -0600 Genuine Bond cars gathered for historic photo shoot http://www.gizmag.com/genuine-bond-cars-gathered-for-historic-photo-shoot/10240/ http://www.gizmag.com/genuine-bond-cars-gathered-for-historic-photo-shoot/10240/ Citroën 2CV, For Your Eyes Only (1981)

In some interesting news for Bond fans, the build-up to the latest film release in the long-running franchise has resulted in a photo-shoot featuring the largest number of genuine 007 cars ever captured in one location. The 19-page spread in the November issue of Octane magazine showcases nine cars that appeared in films shot between 1964 and 2008. Not surprisingly, the Aston Martin marque features heavily staring with the DB5 from 60's classics Goldfinger and Thunderball...

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Related Articles: ]]> Wed, 22 Oct 2008 01:33:21 -0500 Bullet-proof polo shirt http://www.gizmag.com/bullet-proof-polo-shirt/10187/ http://www.gizmag.com/bullet-proof-polo-shirt/10187/ The stylish Miguel Caballero bullet-proof polo shirt.

For those occasions when a bullet-proof gentleman’s square just won’t do, there is the bullet-proof polo shirt. The US$12,000 anti-ballistic shirt from Columbian designer Miguel Caballerois is made of ultra-lightweight, bullet-proof fabric and features removable ballistic panels designed to offer protection from weaponry ranging from a 9mm pistol to an Uzi. ..

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Related Articles: ]]> Tue, 14 Oct 2008 04:51:45 -0500 Finally, a bullet-proof handkerchief http://www.gizmag.com/finally-a-bullet-proof-handkerchief/10173/ http://www.gizmag.com/finally-a-bullet-proof-handkerchief/10173/ The Bullet-Proof Gentleman’s Squares - a must for any wardrobe.

Where would any discerning gentleman be without the humble handkerchief? They provide a fashionable place to deposit one’s nasal excretions, are a convenient place to dry one’s hands when caught without a towel, and are able to deflect bullets when one is caught in the middle of a gunfight. That’s right, the invention we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived with the release of the ‘Bullet-Proof Gentleman’s Pocket Square’. ..

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Related Articles: ]]> Sun, 12 Oct 2008 17:42:24 -0500 StealthVue Pennycam aids reliable surveillance http://www.gizmag.com/stealthvues-hidden-camera-surveillance/9512/ http://www.gizmag.com/stealthvues-hidden-camera-surveillance/9512/ StealthVue PennyCam

It’s frustrating when sophisticated surveillance technology is circumvented by robbers who use a not-so-sophisticated baseball cap to shield their face. Retailers can reclaim the edge with StealthVue’s PennyCam, a hidden camera that provides upwardly-angled pictures of anyone who approaches the counter, delivering a clear, identifiable view of their face. ..

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Related Articles: ]]> Mon, 23 Jun 2008 04:24:42 -0500 ZRAD covert digital video recording pen http://www.gizmag.com/zrad-covert-digital-video-recording-pen/9146/ http://www.gizmag.com/zrad-covert-digital-video-recording-pen/9146/ ZRAD covert digital video recording pen

Vavolo has released this pocket digital video recorder hidden inside a functional pen. The pen has a 1/3 inch CMOS camera that captures AVI video in 360 x 280 resolution and stores it on the built-in 2Gb flash memory. While it can record for more than six hours, the built-in rechargeable Li-ion battery limits recording to three hours per session, which is still likely to be more than adequate in most circumstances. When you’ve done your covert recording, you simply screw apart the pen and plug it into the USB port on your computer for playback. It functions in any recent Windows environment with no set up necessary, and the high fidelity microphone can capture audio from around 2-3 metres, ensuring you’ll get clear audio over a table or in near proximity to your target...

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Related Articles: ]]> Thu, 10 Apr 2008 02:18:09 -0500 Bluetooth enabled DVR pen http://www.gizmag.com/bluetooth-enabled-dvr-pen/8296/ http://www.gizmag.com/bluetooth-enabled-dvr-pen/8296/ Pen-shaped DVR

November 6, 2007 Details are still scarce on this upcoming DVR pen that crams a wireless, low-power, digital video recorder - including microphone – into a 0.55 x 5.7inch (1.4 x 14.5cm) form that also works as - yes - a pen. Although the specs are not yet finalized, the device is expected to capture real-time video at 30 fps (320x240) with the ability to activate based on a motion detection system that allows for five different sensitivity levels along with the ability to select specific areas and send an alarm wirelessly to a remote site in the event that motion is detected. There’s also an audio detection capability that triggers the sound recorder and the media is flash memory or Micro SD, with Bluetooth wireless transfer back to PDAs or PCs included...

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Related Articles: ]]> Mon, 05 Nov 2007 22:21:17 -0600 Intellivid Video intelligence software streamlines in-store security http://www.gizmag.com/go/8052/ http://www.gizmag.com/go/8052/ Video Investigator screen

September 19, 2007 We’ve all seen the seemingly ubiquitous eye in the sky cameras watching us from store ceilings and most of us have probably wondered if anyone actually monitors those things. In an effort to improve the efficiency of such surveillance, Intellivid has developed a Computer Aided Tracking (CAT) tool that incorporates a newly patented adjacency algorithm. The technology uses sophisticated video analytics to streamline video surveillance, giving the ability to seamlessly track in-store movements and create complete end-to-end footage. ..

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Related Articles: ]]> Wed, 19 Sep 2007 02:29:55 -0500 Spying via mobile phone http://www.gizmag.com/go/7782/ http://www.gizmag.com/go/7782/
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Related Articles: ]]> Mon, 13 Aug 2007 04:58:03 -0500 How do you know when you are being bugged? http://www.gizmag.com/go/1419/ http://www.gizmag.com/go/1419/
Related Articles: ]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 Lipstick Pistol - The Kiss of Death http://www.gizmag.com/go/1512/ http://www.gizmag.com/go/1512/ Lipstick Pistol - The Kiss of Death

The link between the international espionage and outlandish gadgetry that continues to inspire Mr. Bond and co. is no accident - assassination devices like this KGB issue Lipstick Pistol from the mid-60's are proof of this deadly Cold War ingenuity. Part of the new International Spy Museum collection in Washington, D.C., the 4.5mm single shot weapon disguised as a tube of lipstick was referred to as "The Kiss of Death. Used by KGB operatives during the Cold War, the existence of the weapon was first detected at a border crossing into West Berlin...

Related Articles: ]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 40 years of Bond gadget's on show http://www.gizmag.com/go/1521/ http://www.gizmag.com/go/1521/ 40 years of Bond gadget's on show

An exhibition featuring the greatest-ever collection of memorabilia from 40 years of James Bond movies was held at the British Science Museum in 2002. Rosa Klebb's Flick-Knife Shoe, Oddjob's deadly Bowler Hat and of course, Q's gadget workshop feature.....

Related Articles: ]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 KGB Spy Shoe with Heel Transmitter http://www.gizmag.com/go/1576/ http://www.gizmag.com/go/1576/
Related Articles: ]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 International Spy Museum opens its doors http://www.gizmag.com/go/1914/ http://www.gizmag.com/go/1914/ Coat with buttonhole camera

June 3, 2004 There is no richer source of speculation and intrigue than the realm of international espionage. The deadly real-world ingenuity that inspired 007 and an entire genre of literature can now be seen at the International Spy Museum. The museum is the first dedicated to espionage and provides a global perspective on the craft, practice, history, and contemporary role of the espionage profession. The KGB issue Lipstick Pistol, "Through the Wall" surveillance, tracking devices concealed in shoes and overcoats equipped with button cameras form part of the the extensive collection developed over 30 years and housed at the Museum in Washington, D.C...

Related Articles: ]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 Jamming device disguised as Mobile Phone http://www.gizmag.com/go/2386/ http://www.gizmag.com/go/2386/ Jamming device disguised as Mobile Phone

A jamming device that looks like a mobile phone has gone on sale via an electronics supplier in the UK. The jammer - which would be illegal in Australia - blocks signals in a range of up to 15m in optimum conditions and is being promoted for clandestine use on public transport and restaurants...

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Related Articles: ]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 SENTRI surveillance http://www.gizmag.com/go/3560/ http://www.gizmag.com/go/3560/ SENTRI surveillance

December 14, 2004 A microphone surveillance system based on brain cell research is being used to combat shootings on the streets of Chicago and Los Angeles. The SENTRI system developed by Theodore Berger, director of the University Southern California's (USC) Center for Neural Engineering, has been trained to instantly recognise the sound of a gunshot within a two-block radius with high accuracy. SENTRI can then tag where the shot was fired, zoom in and photograph the shooter with it's built in camera and even make a 911 call to the police station. Police can then remotely control the camera to track the offender and dispatch officers to the scene in an integrated human-computer crime response...

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Related Articles: ]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 Rare Enigma Machine for sale http://www.gizmag.com/go/3658/ http://www.gizmag.com/go/3658/ Rare Enigma Machine for sale

February 5, 2005 One the most significant machines in the history of computing, not to mention the world of espionage and counter-intelligence, the German Armed Forces during World War 2 relied on the Enigma machine to encrypt the most important and sensitive communications before transmitting the messages by radio. The code was cracked by the allied forces in what has become one of the most celebrated espionage stories ever documented , enabling access to much critical information and shortening the war by several years. there is one of these exceptionally rare and historically significant machines for sale...

Related Articles: ]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 Cold War Spy Recorder Watch http://www.gizmag.com/go/3659/ http://www.gizmag.com/go/3659/ Cold War Spy Recorder Watch

February 5, 2005 When German company Protona announced its Minifon P51 portable dictation machine in 1951, it caught the world's imagination and was seen as a solution for myriad problems. The Minifon directly catalysed the invention of the "Black box" flight recorder, was used in countless commercial processes around the world and was a natural for the Cold War espionage activities of every intelligence agency in the world. When the upgraded P55 was realeased in 1955, it was available with a microphone designed to look like an expensive wristwatch, and was clearly designed for the clandestine recording of conversations and its use can be traced in many of the espionage trials of the late fifities and early sixties. This week Gizmag came across a complete, mint condition P55 with watch accessory - a fascinating example of just how far leading edge technology has progressed in the last half century...

Related Articles: ]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 Taking Night Time Surveillance to a New Level http://www.gizmag.com/go/3955/ http://www.gizmag.com/go/3955/ Taking Night Time Surveillance to a New Level

April 19, 2005 There is no room for error when dealing with the night-time surveillance of large areas such as property borders at ranges 800 meters and beyond, fence lines and large public works expanding over 15 acres. Gaps or weaknesses in any security framework, especially those designed for these types of wide area applications, could result in substantially reduced protection, with the potential for costly and irreversible damage. Ensuring the optimal performance of large area security systems under low-light conditions has been both difficult and cost prohibitive, until now … the ALS-20 line of infrared illuminators deliver high power levels of invisible illumination so that near-infrared capable CCD cameras can maintain a clear, sharp view of large areas at night. ..

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Related Articles: ]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 North American Biometrics Market http://www.gizmag.com/go/5043/ http://www.gizmag.com/go/5043/ North American Biometrics Market

January 19, 2006 There’s an excellent article been posted on findBIOMETRICS this week which will be useful to anyone interested in biometrics and its future. It’s an interview with Frost & Sullivan analyst Rob Allen about the research company’s latest report on the North American Biometric market and it yields a lot of very useful information. The major take-outs are that the U.S. Biometrics Market generated US$527 million in 2004 and is projected to generate US$1.4 billion in 2008 creating many entry and exit opportunities...

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Related Articles: ]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600