FakeTV keeps burglars guessing

Here's a new twist on the old "lights on a timer" trick: A little, LED-flashing gadget that simulates the glow of a TV set while you're on vacation.

About the size of a coffee cup, FakeTV ($49) comes equipped with a built-in processor and a dozen "super bright LEDs" that mimic the light patterns thrown off by your typical TV, including the effects created by pans, slow fades, scene cuts, and "swells" of lights.

Before you head off for vacation, you set the FakeTV's timer, put it in your living room or bedroom, and voilà—from the outside, it'll look like you're still at home, indulging in some late-night viewing (and hopefully, bad guys will pick another house to burgle).

And while it doesn't do 1080p or come with HDMI inputs (sorry, folks), the three-watt FakeTV won't put much of a dent in your power bill, and it'll save wear and tear on your LCD/plasma in the bargain.

Related:
The FakeTV: welfare home security gets a $49 upgrade [Boing Boing]
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