NextAlarm: What Was It? NextAlarm was a pioneer in affordable DIY alarm monitoring — one of the first services that let homeowners keep their existing security panel (Honeywell, DSC, GE) and pay dramatically less for professional monitoring. At $8-12/month when ADT was charging $40-60/month, they proved the traditional dealer model was massively overpriced. Detail NextAlarm […]
Home Security Systems
Best Home Security Systems in Houston, TX 2026: Neighborhood Crime Data, ADT vs DIY Options & Systems That Handle Gulf Coast Weather
Why Houston Homes Need Better Security Than Average Houston is the 4th largest city in America (2.3 million residents, 7 million metro) — and its security challenges are uniquely complex. Property crime rates run 40-60% above the national average, hurricane season creates looting risk during evacuations, and the city’s massive sprawl (670+ square miles) means […]
LiveWatch Security Review 2026: Monitronics Bought It, Killed the Brand, Then Went Bankrupt — Full Timeline and What to Buy Now
LiveWatch Security: The Full Story LiveWatch Security was genuinely ahead of its time. Founded in 2002 in Evansville, Indiana, they built a complete online DIY security model years before Ring, SimpliSafe, or Abode existed. You ordered online, they shipped a pre-programmed system, you installed it yourself, and professional monitoring started immediately. Then in 2017, Monitronics […]
Insteon Review 2026: The Smart Home Giant That Shut Down Overnight — Why It Happened and What Surviving Users Should Do
Insteon: What Was It? Insteon wasn’t just another smart home brand — it was one of the first companies to make whole-home automation reliable and affordable. Their dual-band technology (wireless RF + powerline) created mesh networks that were genuinely more dependable than pure Wi-Fi or Zigbee alternatives of the era. Detail Insteon Founded 2005 (by […]
ADT Pulse App Review 2026: Killed Off, Replaced by ADT+ — Migration Steps and 3 Better Alternatives That Cost Less
ADT Pulse: What Was It & Why Did ADT Kill It? ADT Pulse was ADT’s first real attempt at a smart home security platform, launched around 2010. It gave customers mobile app control, home automation, live video feeds, and activity logging — revolutionary for its time, when most alarm companies still relied on keypads and […]
