In this day and age of near-Orwellian connectivity, technology, and surveillance, you might begin to wonder just how safe you really are. Are your devices protected from prying eyes? And have you really done everything you can to secure your home against intrusion or robbery? If you’re curious to find out just how secure your networks, devices, and home really are, then here are just a few iPhone apps that can help you to find the holes and button them up.

1. Wyse PocketCloud. Some forms of security are necessarily virtual in this day and age, but just because this app protects your connection doesn’t mean it lacks real-world security value. If you’re worried about accessing your home of office computer remotely, this handy app can put your mind at ease via a secure cloud that can house everything you would normally store on your computer (from files and photos to Word and Outlook). So if you’re looking for a secure virtual desktop, this app delivers. Try it for free or get the Pro version for $14.99.
2. SplashID. These days it seems like it’s all too easy for hackers to gain access to your many online accounts and use them fraudulently. If you’d like to avoid this distressing scenario, think about downloading this app that helps you to create (and store) usernames and passwords that will stymie hackers. You can even store URLs so that anyone tracking your keystrokes will be unable to duplicate your destinations. At $9.99 it’s a bit pricy, but you’ll almost certainly get your money’s worth.
3. Snap. If you ever wondered how easy it would be for others to access your networks and devices, this app will probably scare the crap out of you for just a buck ninety-nine. It auto sweeps networks within range to deliver information about devices that are logged on, including servers, routers, phones, and so on, along with network names, IP addresses, and any other info it can garner. Although it may frighten you to see how many people have access to your network, the upside is that you can get an idea of the kind of security you need to install. Plus, it lets you access other open networks when you’re out.
4. Alarm.com. If you have a home alarm system (like Vivint or ADT) that offers wireless monitoring options, this handy (and free) app will let you control the system (turn on and off alarm zones, lights, electronics, and even the thermostat) and it will send you alerts when alarm zones are triggered (whether they’re scheduled or not). It will even alert you when you forget to arm the alarm for too long (like when you’re on vacation). That’s what you might call a fail-safe security system.
5. EyeSpyFX apps. There are a number of apps to choose from depending on the hardware you use, with options for D-Link, Linksys, Panasonic, Vivotek, or even your trusty webcam. Each one will run you $4.99, but you probably only need the one that’s compatible with your cameras. The gist of the app is that you can use your iPhone to remotely monitor cameras placed…well, anywhere; at your home, office, or other locales. With up to 100 possible views to choose from (meaning up to 100 cameras), you’ll have eyes everywhere. Short of installing multiple alarm systems, this could be the best way to feel safe within your own walls (or ensure security even when you’re away).

Editor’s Note

Thanks to Evan Fischer for this quest post. He is a freelance writer and part-time student at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California.

The iPad is a great tool for doing business on the go and it has already started replacing the laptops in some areas. I think the size is the main advantage for this device — it is not bulky and the screen size is very comfortable for work. Moreover, a variety of apps are available for user to help in business. For me, WorldCard Mobile is the favorite. Let me explain the reason here.

WorldCard HD makes it a breeze to organize, edit and manage the contacts on the iPads. Penpower’s powerful OCR technology recognizes the contact details such as name, address, company name from the image of the business cards and saves them in the users’ devices. If they have a large number of cards, the Batch Card Mode enables them to do it without pain.

As iPad’s camera cannot produce images that are good enough for recognition, users need to add images through their iPhone photo stream to let this app recognize the data. The WorldCard Data files (*.wcxf) can also be imported directly from cloud storage or through iTunes. I think, this app would really get better if Apple could come up with a better camera for iPads.

Attractive features of WorldCard HD:

• OCR technology that guarantees precision and accuracy.
• Ability to store information in Cloud.
• iTunes file sharing to share information from PC.
• Search tool that makes it easy to find the contacts.
• Image optimization to enhance the images and to offer best definition.
• Contact groups can be created as per the needs of users.
• Google Maps to save users time on route planning.

WorldCard HD is an iPad app and it needs iOS 4.2 or later. This app costs US $14.99. If the bunch of business cards troubles you a lot, this is the app you should look at.

Final Score 4/5 Stars

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Feral Interactive Ltd never ceases to surprise me when it comes to them releasing games on the Mac App Store simply out-of-the-blue without any notification ahead of time like LEGO Harry Potter Years 1-4, BioShock, Borderlands Game Of The Year, and more. This time around, Feral Interactive Ltd has released Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood onto the Mac App Store for $14.99. Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood features:

• True story – Fight Airborne Infantry battles based on the actual events of D-Day and beyond.
• Skirmish missions – The new skirmish mode offers 10 standalone missions to play in order, or customise for a unique challenge.
• Online multiplayer – Go online and attack or defend in team-based multiplayer.
• Unprecedented authenticity – Historically accurate battlefields, events, and equipment are all recreated from Army Signal Corps photos, aerial reconnaissance Imagery and eyewitness accounts.
• Real military tactics – Issue orders to Find, Fix, Flank, and Finish your enemies like a WWII squad leader.
• Accessible command and control – Players of all skill levels can make the most of any situation, thanks to an innovative control system.

Here’s the full system requirements:

• Brothers in Arms Earned in Blood does not support Intel GMA series graphics cards.
• In order to run the game with satisfactory performance, your Mac must meet these minimum system requirements: 1.4GHz CPU / 1GB RAM / 128MB Graphics Card (not Intel GMA).
• Full system requirements are available on the Brothers in Arms mini-site at feralinteractive.com/doubletime

Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood costs $14.99 and weighs in at 3.2 GB.

Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood on the Mac App Store.

• 1Password Pro $14.99 -> $6.99
• 7 Cities $2.99 -> $0.99
• Tunes Remote $3.99 -> $1.99
• 1Password $6.99 -> $3.99

• Need for Speed Shift for iPad $14.99 -> $9.99
• Pool Pro Online 3 $4.99 -> $2.99
• HotField $0.99 -> Free
• Cartoon Wars-Gunner $1.99 -> $0.99