What is the internet of things?
This blog will try to explain what the internet of things is and how it might affect you.
To start with its not the most exciting name for an up and coming explosion of technology. But it does explain what it is quite nicely.
The internet of things is the proposed next wave of technological change that is about to come about. In a nutshell giving everyday objects and living creatures an internet connection.
So a quick bit of background. Computers and printers and such like all carry a little postcode round with them called an IP address (internet protocol). Just like a postcode they tell people where they to enable people or in this case computers or other connected devices to communicate with them.
The internet of things is the opportunity of giving everything an IP address. The most obvious examples so far have been your fridge freezer, kettle, and boiler. Why would you do this?
If your fridge has an internet connection and an IP address it can communicate with other internet connected devices what is happening. It can tell you its temperature, or if the door has been left open. It could do lots more too but would require other things to also be connected.
We already have this with our heating and water if you use Nest. From your phone you can control the temperature of the house and even adjust it. You can do this from anywhere in the world as long as you have an internet connection.
You can already programme your TV from your phone or tablet and soon everything will have an IP address and will be connected. When this happens its going to change things a lot.
Making everyday things smart are going to change the way we live. For the better? Who knows I would hope so.
It is now a case of when these devices become available and how much they cost. Each and every day more devices are being connected and people are having great ideas all the time.
Nest are going to be a big player in this market and are already making big waves.
How will this affect business? Hugely, as we become more and more used to being able to see data and makes changes to everyday objects we will expect the same at work. Information is going to flow fast and everything will be creating data that all needs to be understood and managed.
Technology is becoming a key component of our lives and with each generation it is becoming woven into them as standard.
It will also mean more issues for people to defend. For example what if a hacker could see all the data by home and appliances were producing? Its nothing exciting to be honest but the whole privacy debate will come about.
As long as its as safe as possible I think convenience will win.
So there we have it, the future is now my friends and the internet of things is just the beginning.
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Author- Speaker - Consultant. Passionate about all things digital.