Security General International Ltd. of San Antonio, Texas, a privately held solutions provider specializing in the distribution of emerging technology products and connectivity solutions, announced the winner of its Big Game contest.

APX Alarm Security Solutions Inc., Provo, Utah, a residential security and home services company, announced its entry into the home automation market with the launch of new products and services that include automatic door locks, video surveillance and lighting and small appliance control. The company also introduced an entirely new identity, rebranding under the name Vivint™. The name change from APX to Vivint is a reflection of the company’s expanded direction and capabilities, according to the company. With this move, the company transitioned from a residential security company to a provider of simple, affordable home automation services that deliver increased safety, improved energy efficiency and greater convenience for customers, the company said in a press release.

iSecurity, a free online trade show and conference organized by SDM and Security magazines returns for a second year on March 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST. Attendees will have the chance to attend webinars, visit vendor booths, network and take part in Q&A sessions with presenters live from their computer screen, wherever they may be.

It is with great excitement that we introduce SDM’s new Contributing Technology Writer, Roy Pollack, to you. Roy will be writing the monthly 5-Minute Tech Quiz. If you have your January 2011 issue handy, please turn to page 65 to take Roy’s first quiz on monitoring technology.

ONVIF, a global standardization initiative for IP-based physical security products, announced that the number of ONVIF-conformant products, including network cameras and video management systems, has reached more than 600.