internet of things
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How hackers are using Bluetooth to track police activity
A Bluetooth identifier seems trivial, but it could reveal a lot of information about where cops are and what they’re up to, like when their body cams are recording or they turn on the sirens to respond to a call.
The Matter smart home standard is finally available
The Matter smart home standard has finally been released, and companies like Amazon, Apple and Google are adopting it.
New UK law will hit smart home device makers with big fines for using default passwords
The UK has introduced the PSTI Bill, a suite of new regulations designed to improve security on smart home devices, the government announced.
SpaceX is buying an Internet of Things smallsat company
SpaceX has bought Swarm Technologies, a company focused on small satellites that power internet-of-things services.
Amazon will add Tile tags to its Sidewalk device network next month
The integration is a boost for Tile amid competition from Apple's AirTags.
Hackers could have locked users inside a smart chastity device
A security vulnerability in a chastity sex toy could have let attackers lock you in permanently, on top of sharing messages and location data.
ARM wants to transfer its IoT divisions to Softbank so it can focus on chips
ARM announced a plan to spin off its two IoT divisions and transfer them to Softbank, which bought the chip designer back in 2016.
Wink smart home users have one week to subscribe or be shut off
Wink is moving its smart home technology to a subscription, and owners aren't thrilled.
The future of NFC includes wireless charging for earbuds and smartwatches
t might soon be much easier to buy a smartphone that can charge small devices like earbuds or smartwatches. The NFC Forum, responsible for near-field communications tech, has unveiled the Wireless Charging Specification (WLC).
Carnegie Mellon built an 'opt-out' system for nearby tracking devices
It's getting easier to control what your smart home devices share, but what about the connected devices beyond your home? Researchers at Carnegie Mellon's CyLab think they can give you more control. They've developed an infrastructure and matching mobile app (for Android and iOS) that not only informs you about the data nearby Internet of Things devices are collecting, but lets you opt in or out. If you're not comfortable that a device in the hallway is tracking your presence, you can tell it to forget you.
How home assistants ruined us, an explanation
Our situation became clear when my friend ran through Trader Joe's screaming "ALEXA WHAT TIME IS IT?" This wasn't a cringey mockumentary comedy segment. It's the way we live now. I'm certain San Francisco's sea of terrified Postmates and Prime delivery runners parted for her, trampling an Instacart personal shopper already wallowing in the misfortune of crawling along the baked goods aisle, feeling blindly under tortillas for lost earbuds. Everyone wondering if they should yell at Google or Siri to call 911. Several cameras are trained on everyone, of course, to memorialize and broadcast these special moments forever.
Stanford's new tech-laden hospital includes pill-picking robots
Technology only seems to find its way into hospitals in fits and starts. Stanford, however, is about to find out what happens when you build a tech-oriented hospital from the ground up. The university has opened a new hospital in Stanford Health Care's campus that aims to be as capable and connected as the phone in your pocket. You can control entertainment lighting and climate from a pad near your bed, while an updated MyHealth mobile app can help you contact a physician or guide you through the hospital's halls. However, the sheer automation of the hospital may be its real highlight.
IKEA's remote for its Sonos-powered speakers ships October 1st
When IKEA launched a line of Sonos-powered SYMFONISK speakers last month, the Swedish furniture giant promised an accompanying remote. Spotted by Tweakers, the product page for the puck-shaped controller is now live. The SYMFONISK remote will launch at €14.99 in black and white color options. It will hit the UK and Europe on October 1st, with a North American release likely to follow shortly after.
The FIDO Alliance wants to bring password-less security to IoT devices
The FIDO Alliance's mission is to reduce our reliance on passwords, so it doesn't come as a surprise that it's working to remove password use from internet of things devices. In fact, it's hoping to strengthen IoT security altogether and has formed two groups to establish industry standards for IoT devices before they become much, much more commonplace. At the moment, a lot of smart products come with default passwords and have poor security in place, which could make them vulnerable to cyberattacks. We doubt anybody would want to worry about their toaster or their fridge getting hacked all the time.
UK mulls security warnings for smart home devices
In an attempt to secure the millions of connected devices that find their way into homes in the UK, the government is considering baseline security requirements for Internet of Things products. The new rules could include mandatory labels that tell customers how secure a device is, and retailers could be prohibited from selling anything without an IoT security label. The UK has only just begun the consultation process, though, so these rules won't be written into law just yet.
Intel's new chips are for smart cars and the Internet of Things
Intel has been investing in IoT for years, playing catch up to compete with companies like Qualcomm that got to the market early and saturated it with their chipsets. But a declining PC market pushed them to make more drastic moves, cutting 12,000 jobs back in April to refocus on IoT and data centers, which made up 40 percent of their revenue last year. Continuing that commitment, today Intel announced two new Atom processor lines: the E3900 series for connected devices and wearables along with the A3900 for smart auto apps.
Best of Public Access Vol.9: So What'cha, What'cha Want?
by08.13.2015
Google is Alphabet now, in one of the more confusing rebrandings since Netflix thought that Qwikster would be a good idea. This week, in addition to trying to think of clever headlines about the Alphabet announcement, we heard back from the Def Con hacker conference, and electropop band Yacht ensured no one would ever see their album artwork when they released it via fax machine only... because there is nothing artists hate more than you actually looking at their work.
Engadget giveaway: win a smart home starter kit courtesy of Wink!
The changeover to smart homes seems inevitable, but you do have to make a reasonable investment in networked gear or you'll be stuck building a smart(ish) home one lonely, Bluetooth item at a time. This week, though, one lucky Engadget reader is going to get a boost into the future with a selection of Wink and other compatible smart home items. There's a Wink Relay so you don't always have to dig out your phone to control settings and a Wink Hub to unify the system -- compatible with WiFi, Z-wave, ZigBee and Bluetooth frequencies. That will cover the lamp dimmer, LED lightbulbs, connected lock and sensor pack in this prize bundle as well. If you get hooked, it's easy to expand your smart home's abilities by adding more items to the network as you go. All you need to do is head to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to three chances at winning this IoT starter pack courtesy of Wink. Winner: congratulations to Luis B. of North Miami Beach, FL!
Engadget giveaway: win an iPhone 6 and BOX courtesy of Bitdefender!
There are more internet-facing devices scattered throughout our homes than ever before and that warrants some thought on security. Bitdefender's Box can help keep your data safe and network malware free when connected to your router and running local interference with its antivirus software. The umbrella of protection includes IoT devices like smart TVs and appliances, gaming consoles, smartphones and computers, helping to block threats and digital intruders. Box's mobile app lets you monitor the system for vulnerabilities, keep everything up to date and extends data protection with its Private Line service even when your handset is outside the home network. One lucky Engadget reader will get to try out that mobile safety and home protection this week with by winning their very own iPhone 6 and Bitdefender Box. All you need to do is head down to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to three chances at winning. Winner: congratulations to Jo G. of East Palo Alto, CA!
HP abandons futuristic tech for its futuristic supercomputer
HP has abruptly changed course on its 'Machine,' a new type of memory-driven computer it thinks will radically alter large-scale data processing. When the company first launched it last year, the plan was to use a new kind of memory chip called the "memristor," which is as fast as DRAM but can permanently store data. The problem is that the tech, which HP expected to commercialize with Hynix in 2013, still isn't ready. Rather than giving up, though, HP has decided to take it in another direction by using both conventional RAM and phase change memory.
