AT&T expands into wireless home security, automation

(CNN) -- AT&T is joining the expanding field of home security and automation, introducing a wireless service that will let homeowners use their mobile devices to remotely set alarms, turn on lights or even shut off water.

Called AT&T Digital Life, the service will connect users with a vast array of domestic devices and appliances, including cameras, door locks, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and thermostats.

It will run on AT&T's IP-based wireless platform and can be accessed via smartphones, tablets or PCs. And despite being from AT&T, it will work regardless of the user's wireless carrier.

The company plans to begin trials of the service in Atlanta and Dallas this summer.

"AT&T Digital Life will change the way people live, work and play -- and meets a clear need in the market," said Kevin Petersen, senior vice president of Digital Life for AT&T Mobility. "The service is smart, simple and customer-centric -- freeing homeowners to do the things they want to do without compromising on the things they need to do to care for family and home."

Digital Life joins other existing products and wireless companies that are taking advantage of people's increasing reliance on mobile devices.

Comcast offers a home-security feature through an iPhone app. Verizon offers a similar service, while home security market leader ADT features ADT Pulse on approved devices.

In a news release from AT&T, Larry Hettick, a research director for market-research company Current Analysis, says that Digital Life "promises to be as robust as anything in the marketplace today." He said he was impressed with the system's wireless platform and ability, unlike some existing services, to work with a wide range of different devices.

source: CNN

Some Important Points for Comparing Home Loans

Buying a house can be an exhilarating experience. Every home owner in NZ has felt the rush of surveying houses for sale, finding that perfect bargain and making the life changing decision to buy. The vast majority of us have then gone through the process of applying for a home loan to make that dream a reality. When deciding on a home loan, there are a number of factors that the savvy buyer should take into consideration before signing on the dotted line.

When finding a house, you will inevitably shop around until you locate the best fit for your needs. The same should always also be true for a home loan. Be sure to search far and wide for the most competitive terms and suitable structure for your financial situation. When buying a house, what you are really signing up for is a loan. It only makes sense then that you would apply the same level of care and reasoning to your choice of loan provider as you would to choosing your new address. Just as there are a plethora of houses for sale in NZ, so too are there an a number of reputable home loan providers who will be willing to talk you through anything you need to know and work with you to put you in your new home.

It is also important to take ownership of your own financial situation, and stay objective in deciding whether you can feasibly pay back the loan. Take any offer and work out what your monthly repayments would be, and be sure to include the possibility of interest rate increases if the terms include a floating rate. This will often seem cheaper in the short term, but you should also factor in the possibility of having to make larger repayments in the future. If you are sitting on the borderline of just barely being able to afford a loan then it is usually a good idea to take a step back and rethink whether you can actually afford this house.

Though you may be emotionally attached to a new property, there are plenty of lovely houses for sale within NZ and it is better to find one that you can definitely afford rather than signing up for an untenable loan. Your real estate agency can often help talk you through the home loan process, assisting you in drawing up a budget and facilitating a dialogue between you and your loan provider. So long as you stay smart and only sign up to what you can actually afford, you are bound to find long term happiness in the house of your dreams.

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