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Want to keep an ‘i’ on your car while you’re away? Then this clever security camera is the perfect solution. The 3rdi is a wireless device that captures pictures of intruders and sends them instantly to your mobile phone.

The system incorporates a high-resolution colour camera and has a built-in motion sensor. If the infra-red beam is broken, it immediately begins to record pictures. Using an on-board SIM card, the camera then sends you a text message to say the device has been triggered.

Users can log on to a secure site – via a GPRS connection on a mobile phone – and can see exactly what’s happening in their garage or on their drive. The idea is that you can check to see if the alert is a false alarm before contacting the police.

The maker says the video images are date and time stamped, and are good enough to use as evidence in court. What’s more, if you’re prone to worrying about your car while you’re away, you can simply dial in to the camera at any time to make sure everything is in order.

If your mobile is turned off, the pictures are stored on the 3rdi ser­ver for 30 days, which enables you to view the images at a later date. Users can even adjust the system so more mobile phones receive the alerts, or add extra cameras to cover parts of their home. The unit itself is straightforward to install and set up, and is either battery or mains powered.

On top of the £200 for the camera, buyers have to pay for a mobile phone subscription through 3rdi. This costs £9.99 a month, which covers the price of text messages and the WAP Internet connection for the camera – although if you’re con-sider­ing buying, it’s obviously im-portant to ensure that your mobile features GPRS connectivity.