Author: Tim

Ways to Preview Short Links

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A short link is a URL with fewer characters that redirects to a longer destination URL. There are several reasons for wanting to shorten a link. They take less time to type, are easier to remember, easier to share, and allow click tracking. You may see short links from services like T.LY, Bitly, TinyURL shared around the web. Shortening a link masks the original link, and its true destination becomes unknown. It’s important to know the destination when clicking on a link, especially if the short link is on an untrusted website or email.

Most popular link shortener services show the final destination by adding a + to the URL. Here is an example: https://t.ly/c55j+ Read More

Wyze Cam v3 Released

Tim 2 Comments

Wyze just released the V3 of their camera “The Next Generation of Wyze Cam is Here.” I believe this will make the outdoor camera obsolete except in rare situations. I preordered one with the hope of replacing my DIY outdoor camera as soon as it supports RTSP firmware. You can preorder it now and it ships in November 2020. I believe this is the camera everyone has been waiting for. The best part is they were able to keep the $20 price point with so many great features added.

  • 1080p Color Night Viewing
    • See more clearly at night in full color.
  • Indoor/Outdoor
    • Capture moments indoors and outdoors with IP65 weather resistance.
  • No subscriptions required
    • Free 14-day rolling cloud storage + MicroSD card slot for 24/7 continuous recording.
  • Fully upgraded
    • More processing power.
    • More mounting options.
    • More frames per second.

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Ring’s Security Camera Drone

Tim 1 Comment

Amazon’s security camera company Ring just released an indoor flying security drone. I immediately had to check if today was April fools day. To my surprise, this appears to be a real product Amazon is planning to release in 2021. So many questions and concerns come to mind. Who will actually buy this? It is expected to cost $249.99 when it starts shipping next year. The Always Home Cam is fully autonomous, but owners can tell it what path it can take and where it can go. When you first get the device, you build a map of your home for it to follow, which allows you to ask it for specific viewpoints such as the kitchen or bedroom. This sounds similar to a robot vacuum. Is this the future or signs of the Terminator? My current hardwired ring doorbell rarely loads live videos so I have my concerns if this will actually work. Read More