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February 28, 2007 1:14 PM PST

Spy clock feeds paranoia

by Mike Yamamoto
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(Credit: WiLife)

Here at Crave, we stay paranoid so you don't have to. Where else, for example, can you find cautionary notes about an eavesdropping table lamp and a spy-cam clock in one place?

The latter was brought to our attention by Chip Chick, who says the "WiLife Spy Camera" is the "only networked camera concealed in a digital alarm clock." (Talk about esoteric claims.)

So far as we can tell, it's pretty much like other Wi-Fi spy cams we've seen that send video feeds back to a remote PC or other screen. The option of expanding the system with up to six "clocks" is a novel one, though we think it might arouse some suspicion if the same clock is seen all over the house.

If you identify these voyeuristic timepieces in your own abode, at least you have a chance to get out of their range of vision. But if you see one of these "Spykes" rolling around, you're doomed.

February 28, 2007 8:14 AM PST

Spy lamp can bug any room tastefully

by Mike Yamamoto
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(Credit: Spycatcher)

The espionage community has apparently taken up some hobbies since the end of the Cold War--including interior design.

The "GSM Table Lamp" may look like an innocent accent piece from Crate and Barrel, but it doubles as an eavesdropping device that can pick up audio up to 20 meters away. But what really stands out is its global monitoring ability.

As long as it's in a region with GSM coverage, Red Ferret notes that you can call the lamp from anywhere in the world. And no one will be the wiser, as it's activated automatically and silently upon connection.

Then you can just sit back and listen as the poor subject of your surveillance slowly turns into the Gene Hackman character in The Conversation.

February 24, 2007 7:24 AM PST

'Spyke' spy bot is ready to roll

by Mike Yamamoto
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(Credit: Gizoo)

Go ahead, take the kids to McDonald's to get their Happy Meal Robosapiens. You know you were going to have to make a trip there anyway, sooner or later. Besides, that'll give you another excuse to get a robot of your own soon--the "Spyke."

As noted when it was introduced last month, this spy bot made by France's Meccano is outfitted with a Webcam, Wi-Fi connection and Skype's latest VoIP software. And now, thanks to Uber-Review, we know its price and availability: 200 pounds in the U.K., or about $391, with an April 9 target release. We also learned a few more details, such as Spyke's handy habit of returning to its base station automatically when it needs recharging. Maybe it can teach our kids to do the same thing.

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