Trees find their voice in AI-powered Chelsea garden
The Chelsea Flower Show will be taking Hesse's words literally this year, with a garden that tells people how it is feeling.
Visitors will be invited to ask the 12 trees of the Avanade Intelligent Garden how they are. Through the power of artificial intelligence, the trees will tell them.
So far, as they endure the driest spring in almost 70 years, their main response has been: 'Thirsty.'
Each of the 12 trees, which include a Sichuan pepper, white willow, purple walnut, river birch and hawthorn, have been fitted with sensors that monitor everything from the pH balance and
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Daily Mail
26 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Keir Starmer is 'seriously considering' introducing digital ID system as a way to tackle immigration and bring public services back into shape, ministers say
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The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
How much does it cost to install a home security system in 2025?
Home security systems can be as simple as a single camera, or as complex as your vision – and budget – allows, with sensors, locks, hubs, sirens, smoke screens, a video doorbell and even 24/7 professional monitoring. How much you choose to spend on an alarm system can stretch from just £20 or £30 for the simplest indoor security cameras, all the way up to over £500 or even £1,000 for a system with multiple high-resolution cameras and other accessories. Plus, some systems require a subscription costing from around £20 to £30 a month to get the most out of them. The good news is, the cost of installing a home security and alarm system can be as flexible as your budget and requirements. The simplest system can include just a single camera or video doorbell, while mid-range systems add in accessories like door/window sensors, sirens, solar panels and motion detectors. High-end options introduce professional monitoring, where an agent responds to your alarm and can even call the emergency services on your behalf, but these services require a monthly fee. Most of today's home security systems can be installed yourself, with only basic DIY skills required. Some high-end systems, like Verisure, require professional installation, but kits from companies like Ring, Eufy, Yale and Arlo are designed to be set up with minimal effort. Often, a security system's companion smartphone app will talk you through the installation process for every component, ensuring it's fitted in the best place to protect your home. Budget home security Unlike the days of complex CCTV systems, the simplest home security products can be installed for very little money. Some home security cameras cost from just £20 or £30, depending on deals and discounts, yet still offer useful features like HD video recording, night vision, audio and a Wi-Fi connection for sending alerts to your smartphone. Install one of these cameras – such as the Blink Mini 2 or Blink Mini Indoor – set it up using the free app, and you'll be notified when nearby motion is detected. These cameras can be perfect for monitoring your driveway, garden, shed, or any other vulnerable area of your home. Buy a camera bundled with Blink's Sync Module and you don't need to pay the company's cloud storage fee, since recordings are saved locally to the module itself. Other budget home security cameras include models from Wyze, Tapo and Ezviz, with some indoor cameras even priced below £20. Spend another £15 or £20, and you can pick up a door/window contact sensor. Some of these don't require a hub to function, so all you do is stick the sensor to a door or window, set it up using the companion smartphone app, and you'll be alerted whenever the door or window is opened. Many connect to smart home platforms like Amazon Alexa and Google Home, too. Mid-range home security Boost your budget to around the £200 mark, and more home security options become available. Video doorbells from companies like Ring start around the £100 mark, and many outdoor security cameras are a similar price. With a doorbell and a camera you have a security system with two high definition cameras, night vision, two-way audio and motion detection. That's enough to monitor and secure the front and back of your home, and create a visual deterrent for would-be burglars. Just be aware that some systems, like Ring, charge a monthly fee for saving camera recordings to the cloud. If you want to avoid this ongoing cost, consider cameras that have the option to save footage locally, such as those from Eufy or Blink. Complete alarm kits are available for around £150 to £220. Eufy's five-piece home security kit includes a keypad, a motion detection and two door/window contact sensors, plus a hub that doubles as a siren and connects everything to your router. This home security system works without a monthly subscription – and, if you add security cameras later, they save footage locally, so there's no monthly cloud storage fee either. Brands like Yale and Ring also sell alarm kits in this price range, complete with motion and entry sensors, keypads and sirens. They can be expanded by purchasing cameras, video doorbells and additional sensors and sirens at a later date, if required. Ring's alarm system only works properly when paired with a subscription, which starts from £4.99 a month, but rises to £7.99 and £15.99 for extra features. Top-end home security If you have more money to spend, the systems already mentioned can be expanded almost indefinitely to include dozens of sensors and cameras. Pricier security cameras offer 4K video resolution, extra storage and integrated solar panels for unlimited power, plus artificial intelligence to control and train features like facial recognition. But, while products from Ring, Eufy or Yale can create an impressive home security system, one feature is still missing: professional monitoring. This is where a call centre is contacted the moment your alarm is triggered. An agent can then speak to you, directly through the alarm system, or even use your security cameras (with your prior permission) to assess the situation. If they spot a burglar, a fire or other serious concern, they can call the emergency services on your behalf. If they can't determine what's caused the alarm (and can't get hold of you either), they'll dispatch an agent to visit your address in person. Security companies that offer professional monitoring in the UK include Simplisafe and Verisure, with the latter also featuring a system called ZeroVision Alarm, designed to disorient burglars with a thick, non-toxic smokescreen. Verisure is a made-to-measure home security system only available with professional installation, and priced from around £300 upfront, plus an ongoing monthly fee of around £40 to £50 a month. Simplisafe's kits cost from around £250 to £700, plus a monthly fee of £27.99 a month for professional monitoring. Can I install a home security system myself? DIY vs pro installation Almost all of the systems mentioned above can be installed yourself. Many require little more than a drill and a screwdriver, since security cameras, video doorbells and other accessories all usually come with the relevant screws, brackets and wall plugs in the box. You may also need a ladder to install outdoor security cameras, and for motion sensors that work best when fitted high in the corners of each room. Some devices, like door/window contact sensors, fix into place with integrated adhesive strips. Others can simply be placed on a shelf or windowsill. Security systems often use their smartphone app to guide you through the installation process for each component, with easy-to-follow instructions and advice for putting everything in the right place. Of course, it's perfectly reasonable to pay for a professional installation if you prefer. But for keen DIYers, installing these systems shouldn't require much time or effort. This is also true for Simplisafe, although the company offers professional installation from £129 (plus the cost of the system itself). The installer will also talk you through how the system works. Lastly, Verisure alarm systems cannot be installed DIY. 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Times
2 hours ago
- Times
Trump's ‘biggest deal ever' is no such thing, but I have faith in Europe
European funds and shares jumped for joy when the American president, Donald Trump, announced he had agreed 'the biggest deal ever struck by anybody' with the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen. Unfortunately, the euphoria proved short-lived, as markets realised that this new deal means most companies in most countries will collectively pay billions more tax to trade in the world's biggest economy. However, slashing tariffs from 30 per cent to 15 per cent on most exports to America represents a substantial improvement on earlier fears. Closer to home, the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, also met Trump at one of his Scottish golf courses to — among other things — tee up American import taxes set at 10 per cent for our cars and zero for aircraft engines, which Starmer hailed as safeguarding our world-class automotive and aerospace industries. Coming down from the clouds of global politics and macroeconomics, this small, long-term DIY investor is glad I ignored many pessimistic predictions elsewhere to keep faith with British and continental funds and shares. This year's stand-out winner so far is a little-known London-listed investment trust, whose share price has soared 60 per cent since March. That's when I paid 53p for Seraphim Space Investment Trust (stock market ticker: SSIT) shares, as reported here at that time. They traded at 85p at close of play on Friday. One stellar attraction of this £239 million space technology fund is its focus on defence companies listed in Europe. These businesses are benefiting from increased demand from continental countries since America warned that everyone must pay more for our own security in future. But Seraphim's chief executive, Mark Boggett, emphasised that extraterrestrial technology can also have more peaceful applications. He told me: 'Satellite-driven weather forecasts are increasingly vital to modern agriculture, providing real-time, precise data that helps farmers make smarter decisions about planting, irrigation, pest control and harvesting. 'By reducing the uncertainty of unpredictable weather, these forecasts improve crop yields, enhance resource efficiency and build resilience. a Seraphim holding, is building its own satellite constellation to derive truly global data, enabling hyperlocal and highly accurate short-term weather forecasts. • A robot surgeon? I'll put my money on that 'These have achieved some impressive savings: 20 per cent less crop loss due to unexpected freezes or hail, and $41 saved per acre in wasted irrigation costs.' Less happily, bad weather in west Africa hit the cocoa harvest, pushing up the price of this commodity and hurting profit margins at the Swiss chocolate-maker Barry Callebaut (BARN). You might never have heard of this wholesaler but you have probably eaten its products, which are sold by better-known retailers such as the Cadbury-owner, Mondelez (MDLZ), and the KitKat-maker, Nestlé (NESN). The world's biggest chocolate-maker provides another example of how it can pay to be sceptical about talk of trade wars and instead believe that commercial relations will continue, despite shocks along the way. Barry Callebaut shares I bought for 766 Swiss francs in April now cost SwFr1,008. This is an increase of 31 per cent in little more than three months, which tastes sweet enough to me. On a sour note, Adidas (ADS), the German sports goods group, said Trump's tariffs would add €200 million to its costs because it makes 30 per cent of its trainers in Vietnam. That tripped up the share price, which plunged 18 per cent last week, causing this stock to fall out of my top ten. Ouch! • FTSE 100 slides as markets retreat on new Trump tariffs Higher taxes are bad for business, whatever opponents of free trade may say, because they transfer wealth from consumers and shareholders to governments. This explains why shares in the Dutch brewer Heineken (HEIO) slipped 7 per cent on Monday, despite it reporting higher than expected profits. Dolf van den Brink, the chief executive of the business, whose brands also include Amstel and Foster's, pointed out that the beer it exports from Mexico to America continues to face 30 per cent tariffs. He said Heineken is considering shifting more production to America, adding: 'We look at all options from continuing with our current set-up, a more hybrid version, or otherwise.' Amid all that anxiety and uncertainty, Heineken looks a bit hungover. But shares I bought for €45 in January 2014 were trading at €60 on Friday, yielding 3.2 per cent dividend income, so I intend to retain a glass half-full view of this global business. Similarly, easily my biggest European shareholding is the Paris-listed Franco-Italian firm EssilorLuxottica (EL), which makes a third of all the optical lenses on this planet. Its best-known retail brands are the American sunglasses makers Oakley and Ray-Ban, which now offer artificial intelligence-enhanced eyewear via a joint venture with the Facebook and Instagram owner, Meta Platforms (META). Sales of more than two million smart glasses since October 2023 suggest EssilorLuxottica is succeeding where earlier attempts at wearable technology failed. Google Glass, internet-enabled specs from the technology giant Alphabet (GOOGL), were largely withdrawn a decade ago and discontinued completely in 2023. • A 20% return in 4 months? I'm riding the investment trust wave But Oakley and Ray-Ban models, such as the classic Wayfarers, spare customers the embarrassment of feeling conspicuous and sales are rising strongly. While I have no wish to see share prices flashed up before my wondering eyes, this baby boomer likes the sound of discreet hearing aids, hidden away in stylish shades or spectacles. Either way, EssilorLuxottica shares I bought for €96 in March 2019 were coming through loud and clear at €259 on Friday and are now my fourth-most valuable holding. It all goes to show why it can pay to look through short-term fears and instead invest in long-term hopes that international trade will eventually return to something nearer business as usual. Even world-leading European healthcare companies cannot guarantee that shareholders will always enjoy healthy returns. Novo Nordisk (NOVO), the Danish pharmaceutical firm that was first to obtain authorisation for weight-loss wonder drugs, suffered a 25 per cent share price shrinkage last week. A profits warning wiped €60 billion off what had been Europe's most valuable company. Sad to say, there may be worse to come as Novo struggles with American tariffs, copycat drugs and the risk that it could become collateral damage in Trump's improbable bid to take over Greenland, which is a protectorate of Denmark. Yes, really. Mr Market is a manic depressive at the best of times, lurching from excessive exuberance to the depths of despair, and the drugs don't help. Despite the widespread popularity of Ozempic and Wegovy flab jabs, Novo has lost 66 per cent of its stock market value over the past year. What a downer! Fortunately, I first invested more than four years ago, when few Brits had heard of this business, paying 254 Danish krone per share in June 2021, allowing for a subsequent stock split. Then I sold a five-figure parcel at DK926 last August, as also reported here at those times. They fetched just DK309 on Friday. This raises the important point that it is never too soon to take a profit. If nothing else, we need to turn paper gains into real ones to compensate for losses elsewhere. Another Danish pharma firm, Bavarian Nordic Research Institute (BAVA), where I paid DK258 last August, had slumped to DK123 before it recommended a takeover bid at DK233 on Monday. We can't win them all. Full disclosure: Ian Cowie's shareholdings
