Snapchat Spectacles tips and tricks: Get creative with your new specs

Snapchat makes a pair of smart glasses you can use to capture snaps.

These glasses, called Snapchat Spectacles, come with two mini cameras situated on the side of each eyepiece. They can capture small bursts of video, from 10 to 30 seconds, which is then uploaded to the Snapchat Memories section of the iPhone or Android app via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, respectively. They can be purchased online in the US or from a vending machine in London for £129.99.

So, now that it’s a lot easier to get your hands on a pair of Snapchat Spectacles, we’ve decided to round up a selection of tips and tricks to help you get started with the right away. But first, if you want to know more about Snapchat or Spectacles, check out these in-depth guides:

• What’s the point of Snapchat and how does it work?
• Snapchat Spectacles: What are they and how do they work?

Snapchat Spectacles tips and tricks

Pairing Spectacles

You need to pair your Spectacles with your phone. Simply turn on your phone’s Bluetooth, then open the Snapchat app, and go to your Settings (swipe down and then tap the gear icon). From there, scroll down, select Spectacles. Under Pair new device, tap Pair Spectacles. Once paired, can choose the name for your Spectacles or just go with the default name. It’s up to you.

After that, the Snapchat app will display a QR code. Press the record button on your Spectacles and then look at the QR code for it to scan. Once it finds the code, you’ll be all set to begin recording snaps with your new glasses. Your friend can also pair Spectacles with his or her phone and Snapchat account and then they’ll be able to capture their own snaps, separate from yours.

Record snaps

To record a snap, tap the button the top left-hand corner of the glasses. It will automatically stop recording after 10 seconds, but you can tap again to add another 10-second increment (you can record up to 30 seconds at a time). You’ll see a inward-facing light when you’re snapping, while an outward facing-light to show others when you’re recording and they’re in your field of view.

Recording times

Spectacles record 10-second videos by default, but you can cut the recording time short, with a press-and-hold of the button before the time is up. Alternatively, you can record up to 30 seconds by pressing the button to extend the time to 20 and then 30 seconds. You don’t have to wait until the end of the video, though. You can triple-press the button at the start to record a 30-second snap.

Blinking lights

You’ll notice a blinking circle on the glasses when you press record. (It’s a good idea to explain to your friends what it means as a courtesy). You’ll also notice a light on the inside of the Spectacles when you’re recording, too. It starts off solid, but then it blinks when you have two seconds of recording time left. This signal is a warning, giving you the chance to extend the recording.

Snap playback

Snap Spectacles work with Android and iOS devices. If you own an Android phone, you’ll be able to automatically transfer your snaps over Wi-Fi, but if you have an iPhone, they’ll transfer either via a Bluetooth connection or Wi-Fi. Snapchat Spectacles store can roughly 10 videos until you have access to your phone. To play them back, you need the Snapchat app for Android or iOS.

They’ll be uploaded to Memories (swipe up from the main screen in the Snapchat app). Transferring videos to your phone can be weird. They wont always transfer if your phone’s screen is off or if you haven’t opened the app in awhile. To check the status of your videos, go to Memories, and then you’ll see a progress bar surrounding the story (a collection of the day’s snaps).

Sharing snaps

In Memories (swipe up from the main screen), you will see a search button in the corner, followed by a menu bar that consists of several tabs: All (shows all your saved snaps), Snaps (shows your snaps), Stories (shows your stories), Camera Roll (shows your phone’s camera roll), My Eyes Only (shows your locked memories), and Specs (shows snaps taken with your glasses).

Videos taken with Spectacles can be found under the Specs tab inside of Snapchat’s Memories section, where they’re all grouped by day into a single story. To share an individual video in a story, swipe over to the Specs tab and long press the most recent story. From there, select Edit story, then swipe over to the video clip, and tap on the blue arrow icon in the bottom right corner.

You can choose to share it to My Story (public) or directly with a friend (private) by selecting their boxes on the right. It’s also possible to share every video you’ve shot from throughout the day at once. Just long press the Story inside of Memories, then select the blue arrow icon in the middle of the screen, and choose where you want to send the story.

Export

When viewing a video, you’ll see it cropped in either landscape or portrait orientation. Tap on the share button to save it to your Photos app or camera roll. Remember that videos shared outside of Snapchat won’t look or work in the same manner. When watching exported snaps, you’ll notice a new “circular” format that is meant to display your footage the way the human eye sees.

Get HD video

If you have an iPhone, you won’t automatically get HD versions of your snaps. But you can take a couple extra steps to get it: when viewing your recordings in the Snapchat app, tap the Get HD button near the top. When prompted, leave Snapchat and open the Settings app. From there, go to Wi-Fi and tap the Spectacles Wi-Fi network, and then return to the Snapchat app.

For Android users, Snapchat will import HD videos by default.

Charging

You can charge your glasses via its case, which is able to hold somewhere around four full charges. It can be topped off using the included USB cable. The cable attaches to the connector on the outside of the case. To see how much of a charge is left in the case, press the button on the side. An LED indicator will show you the remaining charge represented in dots (four of them).

Battery life

To check the current charge of your glasses, you can either double tap the side and read the LED indicator on the front of the glasses or open the Snapchat app’s Settings menu for an actual percentage.

Settings

Spectacles has its own Settings menu, of course. To access it, open the Snapchat app. From Snapchat’s main screen, swipe down, then tap the Settings icon, and select Spectacles. You will see options to clear stored videos, view battery, change the name, and more.

Reset

If your Spectacles are acting buggy for whatever reason, you can reset them under settings. Open the Snapchat app > swipe down from Snapchat’s main screen > tap the Settings icon > and select Spectacles. You’ll see options to restart and reset.

Manage storage

Spectacles can store about 10 or so videos. If you ever want to clear the internal memory, there is an option inside the Snapchat app. Open Snapchat > swipe down from Snapchat’s main screen > tap the Settings icon > select Spectacles > go to Manage > tap Clear Spectacles Storage.

Update

You can check for a software update on your Spectacles by opening the Snapchat app, then swiping down, and selecting settings (gear icon). From there, tap Spectacles, go to Manage, and select Check for Updates.

Get creative

Keep in mind you don’t have to wear Spectacles. You can record video while holding them in your hand or after you’ve put them on a desk. Get creative with them!

‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Galaxy S8 comes with its own booty chest

Samsung’s Galaxy S8, released in April, was the success the tech titan needed after the Note 7’s spectacular (and flammable) failure. Now safely underway with high sales, the company has included its new smartphone in another time-honored Samsung tradition: Special movie editions. Why buy a boring regular Galaxy S8 when you can get a Pirates of the Caribbean-themed version for $880?

Unfortunately, the actual phone is just a standard Galaxy S8 wtih 4GB RAM/64 GB memory: Unlike the Iron Man and Injustice: Gods Among Us tie-ins of yesteryear, the Pirates edition isn’t stylized at all. The plain black device comes in fancy box with a ring fob and phone case styled for franchise’s latest movie, Dead Men Tell No Tales, which came out last week. To us, that’s a plank-walking offense. If your compass is still set on picking up this scurvy version, it’s available now on the Chinese retailer JD.com.

Via: PhoneArena

Source: Samsung (YouTube)

Gears of War 4′ retools its Horde mode in time for summer

Gears of War 4 dropped last October with more story, kinetic sound and a revamped version of its signature players-vs-AI Horde mode. Microsoft Game Studios has continued to refine the game in the months since to keep multiplayer fresh, from punishing rage-quitters to inexplicable DLC with rap duo Run The Jewels. But new gratis content is on the horizon: On June 6th, players get more goodies, maps and difficulty levels for Horde mode, along with a free trial for players on Xbox One or PC who haven’t yet tried the title out.

The Rise of the Horde DLC introduces 15 new skills (three for each class) and a new cap to level 6, as well as reward drops after every boss. Multiplayer gets two new maps: Avalanche, from Gears of War 2, and Rust Lung from the third game. Both Campaign and Horde Mode get two new difficulties: the harder Inconceivable and Ironman, which grants only a single life.

Those who haven’t touched Gears of War 4 can try the game out from June 9th to the 15th. Players can gun through the campaign’s first act or try out Horde mode or traditional Versus multiplayer for themselves, with progress carrying over if they decide to buy the full game.

Source: Xbox Wire

Apple to Expand Siri to Work With More Types of Third-Party Apps

At its Worldwide Developers Conference next week, Apple is expected to expand Siri’s functionality, allowing the voice assistant built into the iPhone and iPad to work with a wider variety of apps, reports Reuters.

Apple first started allowing third-party apps to interface with Siri with iOS 10, but Siri integration is limited to apps in the following categories: ride booking, messaging, photo search, payments, VoIP calling, and fitness. In iOS 11, that’s expected to expand to additional categories, but it is unclear which categories will be added.

Apple Inc is expected to announce plans next week to make its Siri voice assistant work with a larger variety of apps, as the technology company looks to counter the runaway success of Amazon.com Inc’s competing Alexa service.

But the Cupertino, California company is likely to stick to its tested method of focusing on a small amount of features and trying to perfect them, rather than casting as wide a net as possible, according to engineers and artificial intelligence industry insiders.

Expanded third-party app access to Siri is one of the few tidbits we’ve heard about Apple’s plans for iOS 11, which is also expected to feature new design elements and a revamped Apple Music app. Rumors suggest Apple has been working on significant improvements to Siri, so other Siri features could also be included.

Part of the reason behind bolstering Siri’s capability is likely Apple’s work on a Siri-based smart speaker designed to compete with the Amazon Echo and the Google Home. It’s not yet clear what the speaker will be capable of, and it isn’t included in today’s Reuters report beyond a brief mention, but to be competitive, the speaker will need to interface with third-party apps much like iOS.

Rumors suggest there is a chance Apple plans to introduce the Siri speaker at WWDC to allow developers time to create integrations and features for the device ahead of a fall launch, but whether that will happen remains to be seen.

Apple’s Siri and speaker plans will be unveiled on Monday, June 5 at 10:00 a.m., which is when the WWDC keynote event kicks off.

Related Roundups: WWDC 2017, iOS 11, Siri Smart Speaker
Tag: Siri
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The New 3D Printing Technique That Will Revolutionize Tech

Imagine 3D printed, wearable devices that soldiers can print and use in combat. Or health monitoring devices that sense your pulse, blood pressure, or temperature are closer to reality? A new achievement by a University of Minnesota team of scientists is on the verge of making both happen. This new 3D printing technique could revolutionize the tech industry, making wearable printables the next big thing.

Challenges of 3D Printing on Human Skin

Conventional 3D printers use molten plastic in the printing process. This type of material is super-hot and too rigid for use on curved surfaces. The University of Minnesota’s original concept uses materials that set at room temperature. They’re also safe for direct application onto human skin, although the team hasn’t attempted it yet.

This printer creates flexible sensors using layers of a custom material that functions much like ink. This is different from typical 3D printers, which use liquid plastic deposited on a flat surface.

Revolutionizing 3D Printing Tech

If this 3D printing technique catches on, the future of tech may lie in wearable chips for a range of uses. Consider a printable sensor that can detect if toxic chemicals are present. Even a wearable alert that tells a child when he or she is near a deadly allergen. For the military, this advancement is huge, because it could mean on-the-spot printable devices to ensure the safety of troops concerned about chemical warfare.

Similar advancements in the medical field include a 3D printer pen for inserting new cartilage into patients. Another example of flexible, temperature controlled 3D printing used in a revolutionary way. Emerging 3D printer concepts promise chemical-responsive bio-inks (developed by researchers at the University of California), 3D printed tattoos and smart device touch-tats that interface with your tech.

The Future of 3D Printing

As 3D printing becomes cheaper and more mainstream, it’s hard to imagine the advances that are yet to come, but all signs point to endless practical and entertainment uses. Sure, building a 3D model of the Eiffel Tower is great. But remotely diagnosing health conditions and preventing allergic reactions are tremendous technological advancements.

New 3D printing techniques and adapted printing materials are changing fast. Luckily, there’s no shortage of brilliant minds to keep pushing forward. We’ve already seen 3D printed artificial limbs, entire houses, and handy household gadgets. It’s anyone’s guess where it will take us to next!

App Highlight: Airport Guy Airport Manager

The App

Developed by Rottz Games, Airport Guy Airport Manager is a new app with only around 100,000 installs. Having been updated on April 8, the developer is constantly fixing various bugs. Airport Guy Airport Manager is a game where your mind will be put to the challenge to manage an airport.

What it does

You’ll be put in charge of an airport responsible for building new terminals and runways in order to land multiple incoming aircraft. Get them refueled, refilled with passengers and send it on its way. Sounds easy right? Multiple runways and terminals means you’ll need to keep on your toes to avoid any collisions.

Expanding your airport will see new buildings and research capabilities to make your airport more streamlined and increased traffic flow. There are two game modes: sandbox where you have unlimited lives no matter how many collisions occur, or hardcore where you only have 5 lives.

• Build: Build Air Traffic Control Towers to increase the airflow and unlock VIP airplanes.
• Research: Use the research lab to improve your airport and unlock airplanes.
• Fires: Build fire stations to put down fires during emergency landings.
• Collisions: Avoid collision between airplanes, and land them before they run out of fuel!
• Vultures: Kill vultures to keep the airspace safe and make an extra cash.
• Visit: Visit airports from other players, and share your airport design to the world.

Why we like it

It’s no secret that I love simulation games that require you to think on your feet. This is a perfect title to have stored on your device for when you have time to kill. It is incredibly challenging on its easiest setting so there is certainly scope as far as longevity of keeping you interested in the game.

How to get it

Airport Guy Airport Manager is available for free from the Google Play Store. You can download it right here.

V-MODA Crossfade 2 Wireless Headphones review

V-MODA, a brand who specializes in high-quality headphones and audio equipment, recently launched its first Bluetooth speaker in the REMIX (read our review). But, that’s not the only thing that V-MODA is releasing this spring. Indeed, it’s back with a new set of Bluetooth headphones in the form of the Crossfade 2.

What’s in the box?

• Crossfade 2 Wireless
• Exoskeleton carry case and 2 V-PORT Vents
• Carabiner clip
• Reinforced 1-Button SpeakEasy™ Microphone cable
• Elegant V-Micro USB Cable
• Gold plated 1/4″ Pro Adapter
• V-MODA sticker

Design

As we’ve seen time and time again, V-MODA knows how to craft a solid product. The same can be said here as the Crossfade 2 Wireless is built with premium materials that are both lightweight yet sturdy.

From the moment you take them out of the box you know you’re not getting a cheaply designed set of cans. In fact, the attention to detail starts at the box and its thicker cardboard with hints of fabric and leather. Interestingly enough, you have to cut a small section of ribbon to get into the box.

The Crossfade 2 Wireless features a soft padded headband; the ear cups have a memory foam wrapped in a soft (“durable vegan”) leather padding. These are over-the-ear headphones but they don’t come across as being too big. We found them to fit comfortably enough and just big enough to cover the ear.

V-MODA, as it is often wont to do, sticks with the industrial design and uses its fair share of visible metal and screws. The headphones look all at once very modern but also somewhat foreign. There’s plenty of the Milano studio and its Italian influence present but it’s balanced very well.

The left ear cup houses a microUSB port for charging, which we found somewhat odd. Given it was already turning to USB Type-C for the REMIX speaker, we figured V-MODA would opt for it in the Bluetooth headphones.

These are the type of headphones that you will want to hold onto for multiple years. Take care of them and you’ll have them at least five years. At that point, microUSB will no longer be near the standard it is today. Minor quibble? Sure, but it could be more of a nuisance or inconvenience down the road.

Over on the right ear cup, we locate the power and Bluetooth button, playback controls, the 3.5mm input, and microphone.

The headphones, while very comfortable to wear, can get a little sweaty after extended listening. We had these on when mowing the yard with a riding mower and using a weed trimmer and ended up needing to take them off a time or two. This was in late April and early May so we can only imagine things could get warmer in the heat of the summer. Summarily, we could not envision wearing these for workouts or in an active manner.

Generally speaking, we found the headphones to fit snugly without being too tight. Listening around the house and office was pleasurable, even for longer periods. We would have liked having full rotation on the ear cups but it’s not a deal-breaker.

Sometimes we like to put one cup up to our ear. DJ’s, for instance, need this in their headphones and will have to look elsewhere. The Crossfade 2’s, however, do fold up nicely and tuck away in the carrying case, a welcome difference from its predecessor.

As is the case with other products in the V-MODA portfolio, you can customize the headphones with 3D printed covers and materials.

Materials for 3D printed shields

• Fiber – 9 colors available
• Steel – Matte Black, Stainless Steel, Polished Gold, Polished Bronze, Matte Bronze
• Raw and Gold Plated Metals – Raw brass, Raw bronze, 14k Rose gold plated brass, 14k gold plated brass and Rhodium plated brass
• Precious Metals – Sterling Silver, 14k Solid Gold, 14k Solid Rose Gold and Platinum

Connection, Setup, and Controls

Connecting and pairing the headphones to a phone is as simple as powering them on and holding the button down for a moment. They’ll immediately seek for a device to connect with and you’re seconds away from listening to music.

As far as connection goes, the Crossfade 2’s didn’t stutter or start to disconnect until we tested for it. In other words, we had to put our phone down and walk away from it to figure out what sort of distance we could expect. Indeed, you’ll get about 30 feet from the source, which is par for the course.

When it comes to playback controls, you’ll use the right ear cup and its three buttons. One is your general multi-function while the other two are used for volume. Tap once and you can pause/resume playback; tap twice for skipping to the next track; tap three times to go back one track. A long press of the button will access Google Now (or Siri) for voice commands. We liked the response to the buttons as they definitely provide enough tactile feedback to know they’re pressed.

Battery Life

The V-MODA Crossfade 2 Wireless headphones include a 430mAh battery which claims to provide up to 14 hours of playback. This might be the case, but we typically found ourselves charging up every 2-3 listens just to be safe. In essence, this would amount to at least ten hours between charging with us getting upwards of 12 hours a few times. Could you squeeze more out? Probably, but that will depend on your preferred volume level.

Sound

We tested a black pair of the Crossfade 2’s. Why does this matter? If you opt for the Rose Gold version of the headphones, you’ll get aptX support (HD audio) over Bluetooth. Nevertheless, the standard models are certified Wi-Res Audio in wired mode, and deliver “super-human” frequencies beyond 40kHz.

For those of you who like bass in their music, these are your cup of tea. Lows are very solid with a tight sound across various genres. In fact, some of you may find that bass somehow overshadows mid-range stuff like vocals and guitar. It’s not terrible, but there were occasional instances where we might have liked more clarity and space. We’ve certainly heard much, much worse and in headphones that aren’t all that much less expensive.

Highs came across very clear with a nice, balanced feel. You’ll pick up a lot of detail in your music, regardless of genre. Spoken word (audiobooks, podcasts, etc) is crisp and offers a good degree of pop to it.

When using the headphones for phone calls, the Crossfade 2’s performed as expected. Callers could hear us without difficulty — we didn’t have any complaints from people on the other end. The same goes for what we could hear in that it was loud and clear with only the rare instance of oddball noises or feedback.

Conclusion

Taken as a whole, we really like the V-MODA Crossfade 2 wireless headphones. They’re built with excellent hardware, are comfortable to wear for longer periods, and offer up solid sound.

Battery life is good enough to get us through a few days of listening without charging, which all we really need at the outset of a standard work week. If you’re more active and want to wear them for workouts or extracurricular stuff, you’ll need to keep a charger close by. Fortunately, the carrying case houses the headphones and the 3.5mm cord as well as the USB charging cable.

You might find the bass a little stronger than what you’re used to, especially if you’ve only owned cheap (lesser quality) headphones in the past. They’re certainly no worse than previous V-MODA models; a lot of listeners tend to appreciate that sound, anyhow.

If there’s a reason to pause when considering the Crossfade 2’s, it is going to be the cost. Not many people want to spend that much money on a pair of headphones. But, those who have before, or want to invest in something quality, the $330 price tag isn’t bad at all. Treat these nicely and we bet they’ll outlast most competitors. Factor in that you also get free engraving and customization with either 3D printed fiber or laser engraved aluminum and it becomes even more of a value.

App Highlight: Cookie Jam Blast

The App

Developed by Jam City, Inc, who is tagged as a top developer, Cookie Jam Blast is an established app with well over 1,000,000 installs. Having been updated on May 23, 2017, the developer is constantly fixing various bugs with the latest update seeing 20 new levels. Cookie Jam Blast is a bakery adventure where you can create new recipes across a number of challenges and game modes to earn rewards.

What it does

From the makers of Cookie Jam, the game has a number of challenges and game modes that require you to match colored treats to earn points. With over 200 levels the challenge inevitably gets harder where you rely on getting multiple matches to get boosters and help you clear the board. A number of excellent bakery themes islands await where if you’re lucky you’ll collect limited edition airships.

Features:
– Brand new game modes! Hundreds of new puzzles!
– Match 4 to create a Jelly Bee! Use it to shake up your board!
– Reveal the Yumsicle! Swap macarons to uncover hidden treats!
– Oh la la! Make matches to move the cupcake towards it’s box! Get it out for delivery!
– C’est Magnifique! Break the Waffles before you’re out of moves!
– Quick, get the Topplers! Make matches next to a Toppler before they move! Capture them all to win!
– Jam through levels and earn 20 stars to open a special prize!
– Spin the wheel to earn daily rewards!
– Connect with Facebook to sync your progress and share lives with your friends!

Why we like it

Anyone that is familiar with Candy Crush will appreciate Cookie Jam Blast. It takes the popular concept of matching multiple items to clear a board and gradually becomes more challenging as you progress. The themeing is a nice added touch and round off this well designed title. It’s definitely one to have a go. My concern is the longevity of the app as to keep it current and feel this one map slip off the radar after a few plays.

How to get it

Cookie Jam Blast is available for free from the Google Play Store. You can download it right here.

T-Mobile slashes the iPhone 7 by $100, offers family plan for $35 per line

Why it matters to you

T-Mobile’s summer promotion may be the cheapest way to get a 256GB iPhone 7.

If a cell plan with a decent amount of data, flexible terms, and a killer smartphone sounds appealing, here’s some good news: T-Mobile has your back. The self-coined Un-carrier’s new summer promotion slashes the price of Apple’s iPhone 7 — and lets new customers pick up a second handset at no extra charge.

Starting June 2, T-Mobile will begin selling the 256GB iPhone 7 for $700 — $100 off, or the same price as the 128GB iPhone 7. And subscribers who opt to pay with T-Mobile’s no-interest Equipment Installment Plan get an even sweeter deal: A free iPhone SE in the form of a $400 rebate.

T-Mobile’s offering cheap accessories alongside cheaper phones. This summer, it is discounting the price of all Mophie Juice battery cases and screen protectors (if you buy two or more). And ahead of Father’s Day, the carrier is knocking 30 percent off the price of screen protectors, anti-fingerprint phone cases, wall chargers, and more.

To coincide with the phone deals, T-Mobile is offering a limited-time break on rate plans. This summer, new and existing customers can sign up for a 4-line unlimited text, talk, and 4G LTE data plan for $35 each (including taxes and fees) after bill credits and with AutoPay enabled. Alternatively, they can reserve Alcatel Linkzone, a 4G LTE hot spot which supports up to 15 devices simultaneously, for $48 (normally $72).

The new promotions, discounts, and sales follow T-Mobile’s “Thankiversary.” In June, the Magenta carrier launched an event celebrating the one-year anniversary of T-Mobile Tuesdays, a weekly promotion that gifts customers free movie tickets, ridesharing credits, takeout pizza, and more. It launched a Twitter contest — The T-Mobile “Thankathon” — that let tens eligible T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T customers bid for “tens of millions of dollars” in prizes, including Lyft tickets, Baskin-Robbins ice cream, gas for a year, a $2,000 StubHub gift card, and a trip for four to any event at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The freebies don’t stop there. On June 6, existing T-Mobile subscribers get a free T-Mobile trucker hat, 25 cents per gallon off Shell gas, and two free movie or game rentals from Redbox. And this summer, they will get four movie tickets for $4, free Baskin-Robbins ice cream up to $4 in value, and a Baskin-Robbins sundae for $1 when they buy one at the regular price.

“Thanks to Un-carrier benefits like T-Mobile Tuesdays, unlimited data with taxes and fees included and the nation’s fastest LTE network, T-Mobile now tops customer satisfaction scores and net promoter scores, and Un-carrier customers are more likely to recommend T-Mobile,” T-Mobile said.

After a long wait, we are finally able to purchase the Dojo for ourselves

Why it matters to you

Protecting your home from digital invaders is no small task, but luckily, the Dojo can help.

Updated on 06-01-2017: The Dojo is now available. 

In 2015, an HP study found that all the connected home security systems it tested had critical flaws — from encryption issues to a failure to require strong and complex passwords — that left them vulnerable to spying. In the wild west of the smart-home landscape, the responsibility of policing our devices rests on consumers’ shoulders, and most of us do not know where to begin.

Luckily, there is Dojo from Dojo-Labs (acquired by U.K. security company BullGuard last year), a two-device system that monitors all your connected equipment for cyber attacks. One part connects to your router; the other, which looks like a smooth, black rock, sits out in the open and flashes different colors based on what is happening on your network. Green means good, orange means something is happening but the system is taking care of it, and red means you need to intervene. The display unit is battery powered and connects via Bluetooth. “This pet rock can be located anywhere at home and give you in the blink of an eye the overall situation of your home security without giving you all the details,” CEO and co-founder Yossi Atias told Digital Trends.

But red is not necessarily a danger sign. It could just mean your mom is trying to access your living room camera, so she can see the cute trick your dog is performing. The Dojo knows the difference between “human behavior” and “device behavior,” Atias said. “Only the human behavior scenarios will give users the choice to decide how the day-to-day interactions with the device is going to look.” You will get an alert on your phone asking if you want to keep blocking the camera or if you want to allow access just this once or all the time. You decide how often Mom gets a view of your living room.

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There is a certain way your security camera should behave and things it should never do. The cloud-connected Dojo analyzes all your devices’ metadata to build profiles of how they communicate. It can then keep a lookout for deviations from these profiles, without you having to do anything, except occasionally grant permission to people you know who want to access your devices.

As Dojo-Labs’ machine learning, algorithms, and cyber team learn new threats, it can deliver updates through the cloud connection. There is also multiple layers of profiling, Atias said. Your Nest’s behavior is analyzed based on the fact that it is a thermostat, it is made by Nest, and it is a specific model. It is normal for the thermostat to connect to Google’s cloud. “If this device suddenly connects to a server in Russia, in China, that’s an additional layer of deviation from its expected behavior,” Atias said.

Atias said the Dojo can even tell if your camera has already been hacked and help fix the problem. “Every device is suspect until proven otherwise.”

After a couple years of finessing and testing, Dojo finally began shipping to customers in the U.S. It will set you back $199, which includes your first year of service. From then on out, you can choose to pay $99 every year for continual service, or pay $10 on a monthly basis. So if you are looking to safeguard your house in the digital arena, this may just be a good shield to have in your arsenal.