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http://www.bladox.com/doc/sec_ed_ug_en-2.pdf

I've wondered if surreptitious software installation could be defeated on a GSM device by using some something like this: http://www.bladox.com/doc/sec_ed_ug_en-2.pdf which sits between the hardware and the SIM, and is running a custom made application. With the GSM standard the SIM queries the hardware to find out if it is capable of taking over-the-air updates. This device could spoof what the hardware sends to the SIM so the network operator sees a non-OTA updateable device. Also if the network operator wanted to install a SIM based app this device could capture it. If anything outside of your defined parameters were taking place the device shuts things down. Possible? Please test and report back :D

While I haven't used the product I think the idea behind this "turbosim" app. is good for securing sms messages : http://www.bladox.com/doc/sec_ed_ug_en-2.pdf It is based on Sim ToolKit (STK) which runs on all modern GSM phones. Basically, your SIM can have apps. on it but only big biz gets to put them there (banks etc). This thing gets sandwiched between the legit SIM and the phone. The security editions' encryption uses Shneier's Twofish algorithm (128 bit). I didn't see the product on their product list but the guy who sells them says to include a note and he'd load the security apps on the sim before shipping. Never got around to it though.

I recently discovered something called a "Turbo SIM" located here: http://www.bladox.com/index.php?lang=en It is essentially a tiny microcontroller that sits between your mobile handset and your SIM card(sandwiched). The GSM standard allows network operator approved apps. to run from within the SIM. It is called "SIM toolkit" or STK. Only big business (banks etc) seem to run apps in this STK mode. The TurboSIM makes your handset think your own apps are on the SIM. The programmability of this gadget is cool as the GSM standard says that when the legit SIM is booted up it queries the hardware to find out what its capabilities are and a string of bits are returned from the handset to the SIM. One of these bits indicates whether or not the hardware is capable of OTA updates. Capturing this data and spoofing it would be trivial it would seem and is being done for other reasons (look at the forums). Something to think about.

The iPhone was actually hacked first by some people in the Czech Republic who run the site bladox.com. It requires one of their "Tubo Sim" products to do but is much less complex than this hack which followed shortly after. You can check out the timeline of these events at iPhone-Hacks.com.

If you go to Bladox you can buy an add-on that has various I/O points. A simple mechanical thermostat will give you a signal for low temp, and water is conductive so you can create something for that too. A third switch for power failures and you're set to go for signalling.

Empty water pipes where you can, then switch off the main tap and leave the taps open (use air where possible to drive out water). Use electric heating to keep the house at 10C or higher (not too much higher, you're just trying to fight condensation, mould forming and freezing pipes).

And check 3 times that you have indeed turned the gas off. Once you turn the main tap off, once by lighting a ring on your gas cooker and watch it die so the pressure is off the line and 3rd by going back to the tap and check it's still off. Gas is very unhelpful in preserving building integrity :-).

With the above mobile you'll be able to monitor, and the thing will still SMS you even when power fails (unless the cell goes down with it, so maybe set up a watchdog SMS so you know it's still live) - dirt cheap solution, and all it takes is a cheapo pay-as-you-go mobile phone.

Oh, and the motion sensor will tell you about earthquakes and someone stealing the phone itself :-).

Just make sure you keep the account topped up..

Earlier this year, I worked on a project to connect a barcode scanner to a cellphone using a daughter board that connected to the SIM socket. The end result was to send a SMS message with the barcode to a database. It was the first time I had ever worked on anything to do with hardware and I was amazed when it worked. I have absolutely no training in electronics at all. The daughterboard used a pair of AVR microcontrollers. The guy producing the daughterboard, was really helpful. His site is at http://www.bladox.com./ Check out the interesting boards he produces.

maybe bladox smspal could be used

One can make any mobile phone "smart" with turbo. Open os, gpled apps, hwd ports, a/d converter, i2c, etc.