IoT
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MIT created the smart home app of the future
A researcher at MIT's Fluid Interfaces Lab is looking beyond the Internet of Things. With the Reality Editor app, Valentin Heun proves that all of our smart objects can be linked directly together as we see fit. Currently, the smart thermostat, cameras and other connected gear that you have scattered throughout your house probably don't talk to each other and can't be paired for specific tasks. That's where the Reality Editor comes in.
Amazon's Echo speaker wants to play games with you
Amazon seems bound and determined to not let its internet-connected wünderspeaker, the Echo, fall prey to the same fate as the Fire Phone. Good on Jeff Bezos for that. In case you're already bored of the device reading you news headlines and finding restaurant info for you, now the gizmo's Alexa app will play games and even tell you how much gas you have left in your car. Games include Bingo; trivia; simple math puzzles and even rock, paper, scissors. As Android Central points out, the automotive stuff is available via a third-party solution, dubbed Automatic, that interfaces with your car via a $100 adapter. With that, you can ask questions about how far you drove recently or what your gas gauge is sitting at. Or you could, you know, look at your instrument cluster. It's up to you!
Lowe's updated connected home system is built for your phone
While most connected home devices on the market were introduced as mobile-first solutions, the Lowe's Iris system on the other hand, required new users to set it up via a browser. After set up -- while the mobile app was able to share status information and access features like turning items on and off -- it was still a desktop-heavy setup. Today the hardware store-turned developer is fixing that with a new platform built from the ground up with a mobile-first strategy and updated devices.
Bluetooth is getting big range and speed boosts in 2016
If you're like me, you employ multiple Bluetooth devices on a daily basis. From headphones to speakers and household gadgets, the wireless connectivity drives many of our tech habits. Thanks to the Bluetooth SIG, the company that oversees the wireless technology, the connectivity that we use on the regular will be a lot better in 2016. The group announced today that in order to improve the experience with connected devices that fall under the Internet of Things (IoT), its making some big updates. While the changes are aimed at smart home gadgets, industrial automation and location-based services, Bluetooth connections in general will have four times the range and a 100% speed boost without requiring more power. This means faster data transfers for medical uses, for example. The Bluetooth SIG is also working on mesh networking so that a collection of individual devices could work together to blanket an entire area or building. This would have a major impact on homes, with the potential for all of those connected wares to work more efficiently. Of course, it means that setups like iBeacon and Google Eddystone could see improvements, too.
'Robotic fingers' make your dumb appliances smarter
Naran, a South Korean startup, has developed a series novel devices that transforms analog, push-button devices into internet-connected tools for your smart home. The devices, dubbed "Microbot Push" are low-power Bluetooth gadgets that pull commands from an internet hub and physically push analog buttons on, say, your old blender or the toaster oven. That's a radically different functionality than conventional "wall wart" IoT-enablers -- like the Brio or Nyrius -- which simply control the electrical circuits that power your appliances. Additionally, the Microbots can either be manually activated through the associated smartphone app or be automated in much the same way that IFTTT works. Naran plans to launch an Indiegogo campaign for the devices on November 9th.
The coming smart-thing apocalypse
Bad Password is a hacking and security column by Violet Blue. Every week she'll be exploring the trendy new cyberhysteria, the state of the infosec community and the ever-eroding thing that used to be called "privacy." Bad Password cuts through the greed, fearmongering and jargon with expertise, a friendly voice and a little levelheaded perspective. Like some people I know familiar with the ins and outs of digital surveillance (and startle like housecats when an app makes a geolocation request) I don't own any "smart" home items. My 1913 flat is well-connected to the internet, and my living room is a hacker's honeycomb hideout of entertainment playthings, but I'm far too pleased with my paranoia to own something from the class of spyware and advertising honeypottery known as the Internet of Things.
Yves Behar on designing beautiful, functional products
Engadget caught up with world-renowned product designer and co-founder of August, a leader in home security products, Yves Behar at Wednesday's Smart Lock event. I picked his brain about his ever-evolving creative process, how consumer tastes have influenced it and how to build a smart home device that stands out from the crowd.
August unveils a Homekit-enabled lock, keypad and doorbell camera
August Home Inc, makers of the August Smart Lock, announced the forthcoming release of three new products as well as a new service at a press event in San Francisco today. The new product lineup includes a second-generation Smart Lock, a Smart Keypad and a Smart Doorbell Camera. The lock itself offers a number of design improvements over its predecessor including a magnetic faceplate that won't pop off every time you manually engage the lock as well as a stainless steel indicator on the lock sleeve. Plus, being Homekit-enabled, the new Smart Lock will allow users to issue voice commands through Siri rather than opening the app itself. It's available for order today and will retail for $230. The older generation locks will be discounted to $200.
ComEd wants to put a million smart thermostats in Illinois homes
ComEd, the largest power provider in Illinois, wants to give its customers a hand in switching over to smart thermostats like those from Nest and Ecobee. The idea is to get a million of them installed within the next five years, according to The Washington Post. The utilities company is offering $120 rebates to its customers who buy the gizmos and the Environmental Protection Agency tells WaPo that it's the "largest effort of its kind" in the country. ComEd likens the push to switch to the connected thermostats to the not-that-long-ago transition to compact fluorescent bulbs in terms of energy savings. Should the program be a success, it could drop total carbon dioxide emissions in the state by 709,000 metric tons and save folks up to $131 per year on their gas and electricity bills.
Bud Light's connected fridge ensures you never run out of beer
There's no good time to run out of beer. And if it's going to happen, it's usually when you have friends over or your team is in a close game. To ease the frustration of drinking up all of your suds, Bud Light has the Bud-E Fridge. The mini fridge for folks who are #UPFORWHATEVER monitors the number of bottles inside (it holds 78, by the way) and lets you now when they hit the "optimal temperature" for drinking. There's also a display on the outside, so a quick glance at the door lets who know how many beers you have. Those stats are beamed via WiFi to a mobile app on both iOS and Android which will also alert you if the game day supply is too low when your favorite NFL team is getting ready to take the field. It also has a countdown timer so you'll know the exact moment those beers hit the proper temp.
Nest gets more smart home devices talking to each other
Getting your connected-home gear to actually connect with one another can be a pain. Nest is trying to alleviate at least some of that hassle by adding Weave, its ad-hoc networking system to Works with Nest, it's third party development platform. Weave lets items talk to each other without relying on a home network. The company is also introducing APIs for the Nest Cam with basic camera controls and access to motion and sound events. Plus, it launched a Works with Nest store with hardware that, well, work with Nest. Finally, it showed off a new lock from Yale that works with the fancy new features it just announced.
Google's secret strategy for controlling your home
Yesterday in San Francisco, Google launched a pair of new smartphones, some AV devices and a Surface-like tablet. But future events could just as easily devote a large portion of their running time to the Internet of Things and smart home devices. Tilt your head by 90 degrees and you can almost spot Google's subtle strategy to become the dominant name in your home -- after all, as the phone market begins to play itself out, it's only natural that the firm would move onto the next big thing. After years of lingering on the periphery of the industry, perhaps souped-up lightbulbs and thermostats are ready for their day in the sun.
Microsoft kit helps you run Windows 10 on a Raspberry Pi
Sure, it's no secret that you can run Windows 10 on a tiny Raspberry Pi 2, but actually doing that could prove to be a challenge. What parts do you need? And what do you do with it when you're ready? That's where Microsoft and Adafruit think they can help. They've released a Windows IoT Core Starter Kit that gives you everything you need to get going, including an SD card preloaded with Windows 10 IoT Core and the tools you need (both hardware and software) to start on some projects. It'll cost you $115 if you need a Raspberry Pi 2 at the same time, and $75 if you already have one sitting around. That's a lot of money to spend on such a modest device, but it might pay off if you'd like to spend more time creating clever machines than searching forums for help.
Samsung's SleepSense tracker shuts off the TV when you snooze
Samsung has just revealed its take on the sleep-tracking concept with a new device called SleepSense. Rather than making you wear something on your wrist at night (which is a non-starter for a lot of folks), Samsung proposes that you slip the flat, disk-like device under your mattress, like similar devices from Withings and Misfit. It will then monitor your heart rate, breathing and movement during sleep with a claimed 97 percent accuracy. That information is transmitted to a smartphone app, which gives you an "individual sleep score" based on seven factors, including total sleep time, the number of times you awoke and the percentage of REM sleep.
Amazon's Echo will soon control SmartThings devices
Just in time for the release of SmartThings new home automation hub next month, it looks like the Samsung-owned smart home platform is getting Amazon Echo integration soon, according to a (now unpublished) blog post. Echo can already control other smart home platforms with your voice, like WeMo and Wink, so it was only a matter of time until SmartThings got its due. It'll let you do things like control SmartThings lights or power plugs simply by shouting commands to the Echo. While it had a bit of a rocky start, we're big fans of Echo now, which handles voice recognition much better than Siri or Google Now. While its unclear when the integration will officially launch, SmartThings noted that Echo will work with its older hub, as well as the upcoming one.
Target attempts to unravel the connected home with new showroom
Target wants you to have a connected home. It even created a showroom called Open House in the middle of San Francisco to help its shoppers figure out how such a home is supposed to work. But a side effect of this new mini store is that it could show device makers how the Internet of Things should work. With a combination of vignettes meant to show off situations that can be solved with the help of a connected home and so-called Deep Dive tables that showcase a product's features, the retailer aims to educate its shoppers. But while a controlled room carefully decorated with gadgets is cool, it's those tables that will give shoppers a sense of how something works both on its own and with other products. It's an interactive window into which devices are truly connected and are trapped in a manufacturer's ecosystem.
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!
The cable box might solve the Internet of Things' biggest problem
The issue with the Internet of Things (IoT) and the connected home is that they're not even remotely connected. At least not seamlessly. Thanks to competing communication protocols and manufacturers building closed ecosystems, you need a new app every time you add something "connected" to your house. But developer Alticast has proposed another solution. One that uses something that's already in the home: your cable box.
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!
ARM makes another stab at boosting the Internet of Things
ARM's been championing the Internet of Things for several years now, and for good reason: it's poised to win big as more devices tap its low-power chips. Last year it unveiled an Internet of Things platform, now at Computex it's targeting device makers and its chip building partners by announcing an IoT subsystem for its Cortex-M processors. Basically, that means it'll be easier for semiconductor companies to take ARM's designs and build chips that are ideal for connected devices, while also integrating ARM's mbed IoT platform. The company also announced its new "Cordio" low-power radio, which runs below 1 volt and packs in Bluetooth 4.2. Dipesh Patel, ARM's EVP of technical operations, noted that Cordio will be ideal for extremely low-power connected devices like beacons. All of this may seem a tad dull, but if ARM wants the whole Internet of Things ecosystem to take off, it's essential for ARM to make it as easy as possible to build for it.
