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This Blog's on Fire (And Other Stuff)

Vivint protects its intellectual property with Intelligent Ventures partnership

September 17, 2014Tess Nacelewicz

With Vivint this summer launching Vivint Sky, a new cloud-based smart home solution featuring the company's own control panel and software, an announcement this week that Vivint has taken steps to protect its intellectual property with patents really is not surprising. Vivint has entered into a long-term partnership with Intellectual Ventures (IV), based in Bellevue, Wash., IV announced Sept. 16. The company is one of the nation's largest patent holders in the world, according to CNNMoney. IV says...

Cory Van Arsdale, intellectual property, Intellectual Ventures, patent troll, patents, Paul Evans, Vivint

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This Blog's on Fire (And Other Stuff)

Vivint acquires Space Monkey, 'next generation cloud' startup

September 10, 2014Tess Nacelewicz

Vivint has acquired a Utah-based startup, Space Monkey, to enhance Vivint's new Vivint Sky smart home platform, according to a news release issued today. What is Space Monkey? Founded in 2011, the company calls itself a "next generation cloud" provider that offers “both a local storage and remote network backup for higher levels of data security and redundancy,” according to the news release. And Space Monkey bills itself as a cheaper, faster alternative to a data center, according to...

Space Monkey, Vivint, Vivint Sky

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This Blog's on Fire (And Other Stuff)

Vivint Solar seeks to raise $200m through IPO

September 3, 2014Tess Nacelewicz

The fact that Vivint Solar officially filed with U.S. regulators last week for an initial public offering of common stock is an indication that solar continues to be a hot option for security companies. Vivint Solar's parent company is Provo, Utah-based home automation/home security company Vivint, which was bought by The Blackstone Group in 2012 for more than $2 billion. Now, Reuters reported Aug. 26, Vivint Solar has filed for an IPO and set its fundraising target at about $200 million....

GHS Interactive Security, Merrill Lynch, Protection One, solar, The Blackstone Group, Vivint, Vivint Solar

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Chinese fire manufacturer to target U.S. market from new $30m plant in Quebec

August 20, 2014Tess Nacelewicz

Fire alarm manufacturer Maple Armor is investing nearly $30 million to build a new plant near Montreal, from which it intends to target the U.S. market, the company announced this week. The full name of the company is Solutions D'alarme Incendie Maple Armor Canada and it's a division of Beida Jade Bird Universal Fire Alarm, which is a subsidiary of the Chinese company Beida Jade Bird Group. Maple Armor's plan to build the plant in Saint-Bruno, on Montreal's South Shore, is making big news in Canada...

Beida Jade Bird Group, Beida Jade Bird Universal Fire Alarm, Investissement Québec, Solutions D'alarme Incendie Maple Armor Canada, Weimin Cai, Zhendong Xu

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Idaho AG: Door-knocking company must reform sales tactics

August 13, 2014Tess Nacelewicz

I've written before about how ADT filed not just one, but two lawsuits against Orem, Utah-based Vision Security, accusing the door-knocking company of scamming customers. And I've also written about how Vision Security contends it is being unfairly targeted. Now, a new settlement Vision has reached with the Idaho Office of the Attorney General paints a picture of Vision sales reps engaging in unfair sales practices in that state. I reached out earlier this week to Vision attorney Sean Brown for that...

Idaho Office of the Attorney General, Lawrence Wasden, Sean Brown, Vision Security

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Honeywell: New voice programming system saves time for installers

August 6, 2014Tess Nacelewicz

It should only take about four minutes for installers to program and activate AlarmNet communicators with Honeywell's new Interactive Voice Response system. And it's available 24/7. That's what Donna Namorato, channel manager for Honeywell Security Products Americas, announced today in a post at Honeywell's The Security Channel Blog. Here's more of what she had to say: “Honeywell Security Technical Support is now providing an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system...

Donna Namorato, Honeywell, Interactive Voice Response, IVR, The Security Channel Blog

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Protection 1 on the block?

August 5, 2014Tess Nacelewicz

Home security giant Protection 1 is up for sale for more than $1.5 billion, according to a Reuters news report this week. GTCR, the private equity firm that bought Protection 1 in 2010 for $828 million has asked Morgan Stanley to help in the sales effort, the news service reported Aug. 4. I've reached out to Romeoville, Illinois-based Protection 1 for comment on the report, which Reuters ascribed to unidentified sources. Protection 1 is one of the largest full-service business and home...

GTCR, Morgan Stanley, Protection One, The Blackstone Group, Vivint

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Another tech giant making a $200m move into the connected home?

July 22, 2014Tess Nacelewicz

I've written recently about Google's $3.2 billion buy of smart thermostat and smoke alarm maker Nest Labs, and then Nest's $555 million plan to buy Dropcam, which makes video cameras that stream video to a user's computer or cellphone. Also, Apple in June introduced HomeKit, its new home automation/home security framework. Now, Samsung also may be making a home automation push with a $200 million buy of startup SmartThings, according to news reports. The potential deal was first reported in TechCrunch. Forbes...

Apple, dropcam, Google, Nest, Samsung, SmartThings

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Vivint providing actionable intelligence for smart homes

July 16, 2014Tess Nacelewicz

The BusinessDictionary defines “actionable intelligence” as data “that can be used to boost a company's strategic position against industry peers.” But with a new partnership announced this week, Vivint is using data collected from sensors in smart homes to “identify actionable insights to enrich their customers' lives.” Provo, Utah-based home automation/home security company Vivint has partnered with Cloudera, which offers businesses “one place to store,...

Brandon Bunker, Cloudera, Vivint

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Vivint taps into DIY with new online Support site

July 9, 2014Tess Nacelewicz

Vivint is not a DIY company—it offers professionally installed and monitored home security. But its new online Support site—which the company announced this week—is geared toward those who like to take things into their own hands. Vivint notes that it already offers customer support 24/7/365. But in addition to that, the Provo, Utah-based home automation/home security company has launched the new Support site. Here's how it describes its new online service: “If you're a go-getter,...

DIY, Support site, Vivint

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