As surveillance gadgets become smaller and cheaper, increasing numbers of ordinary people are buying them.

There are innumerable surveillance gadgets on the market today. And it is not like you have to go to a shop to buy them. You can do all your research online and have them delivered in a short time. They are easy to put up and use and usually do not require expert help (unless it is a high end device which needs to be wired by an electrician or specialist). Whether it is home or office or workplace, many surveillance gadgets are the norm.

Visual surveillance

Most public places, banks, airports, shops, malls, roads and high traffic areas have CCTVs. Whether it is a case of big brother watching you or not, CCTVs provide some protection against crime in the sense that at least they catch the action so criminals and miscreants can be caught more easily. Part from noticeable CCTVs, people also use hidden or disguised cameras in their homes and offices.

These may be nanny cams or cams disguised as clocks or other ordinary devices to capture all the action. They may record video alone or with audio. The better devices are motion activated so they don’t waste battery life. Cameras also include those which are outside the house to provide protection against unauthorized entry.

They can also be miniature cameras disguised as everyday items like pens, lighters, calculators and mobiles. These are for recording when on the go.

Audio surveillance

Telephones, whether landlines or mobiles, can easily be bugged and conversations recorded. The bugs are small and virtually undetectable. As far as mobiles are concerned there is spy software which can be installed on the phones to track all calls and messages, sent and received.

You can also buy from hundreds of different recording devices, most of which are disguised so nobody will know that you are recording them. With advances in technology all the stuff is digitized and can be transferred to the computer for easy tracking and hearing. In fact many mobiles now come with built in voice recorders which can record phone conversations or even conversations around within a certain radius.

Then there are devices which are so powerful that you can easily listen through walls. These are more expensive, being high end and often used during covert operations.

GPS trackers

GPS tracking devices now come attached to many mobile phones so that if they are lost or stolen, they can be found. These devices are so small and so easily available that they have many uses. For example when put on fleet cars or transport, the vehicles can be tracked and time sheets checked to see that the driver was where he said he was.

These devices can also be used on pets and even small children so that you don’t ‘lose’ them. Valuable assets can also be put in bags containing GPS devices.

Night vision

Binoculars and monoculars are not used only be spies and those on covert missions. They are easily available to the general public to use and can be used to see in the night and in the dark. They are useful not only for surveillance purposes, but also during camping and wildlife observation.

Computing

There are many spy softwares available which can be used to ‘spy’ on work done on the computer. While some of them may have more benign uses, such as keeping an eye on your kids’ computing habits and protecting them from predators, others can be used for industrial or corporate espionage.

Many surveillance gadgets, though available off the net, may not be strictly legal for use in most places. In fact most evidence collected through your own efforts may not be admissible in courts for any kind of wrongdoing. Hopefully, you will be using surveillance equipment only for protection or for your own knowledge and safety.

Author Bio: D Harrison runs Spyreview, a site with reviews of latest spy gadgets. Spy gadgets Covert spy cameras

Category: Computers and Technology
Keywords: spy gadgets, spy camera, video surveillance equipment, audio surveillance, location tracking