Kevin Knoop, a Cape Town-based software developer whose day job in developing remote monitoring and management applications, has built a smartphone app for Paradox home alarm systems, used extensively in South Africa, to extend their functionality to users’ smartphones.
Knoop developed House Alarm because of his own needs. “I used the official app that is available for the Paradox alarm system and noticed that it had a few shortcomings. I thought I can do a better job of it,” he says. “The Paradox app only sends alert notifications via e-mail and I wanted something a lot more responsive.”
House Alarm is compatible only with the Paradox IP100 and IP150 Internet-connected add-on modules that make Paradox alarm systems accessible via a Web portal.
Knoop’s app was designed to connect to and enhance the portal’s functionality.
House Alarm is only available on the iPhone and iPad. Knoop is working on an Android version, but will only finish it if there is more demand.
The app includes push notifications to tell users that their alarm has gone off and which zones have been triggered. There is also a panic button that allows users to trigger the house alarm from anywhere.
Knoop says the app can be used to control lights, gates and pool pumps by adding the necessary hardware to the alarm system’s ports.
It also shows a detailed event log of the alarm system, allowing users to see when an alarm was activated or deactivated.
The app costs US$9,99. — (c) 2014 NewsCentral Media