by Chuck Martin on Jan 31, 6:36 PM
Virtual and augmented reality are moving toward mass adoption. Most VR sales have actually been smartphone accessories, despite all the innovations in headsets. This year, the technology for VR and AR devices will advance significantly as major brands like Google, Facebook and Microsoft consolidate their existing technologies into more exhaustive strategies designed to corner the potentially lucrative market, based on a new report.
by Chuck Martin on Jan 31, 9:25 AM
When it comes to smart home technology, most consumers are aware of it, most don't have any and almost all of those who do are quite happy with it. One in four (26%) consumers own a smart home product but there is excitement about the future of home tech in daily lives of consumers, based on a new study. Most (65%) consumers say they are excited about the future of smart technology as part of everyday life in their home.
by Chuck Martin on Jan 29, 6:43 PM
The television is becoming part of the Internet of Things in a big way. In addition to the smartphone and all the new Internet-connected home gadgetry, such as small appliances or remote switches, there remains one massively connected object in most homes, and that's the television.
by Chuck Martin on Jan 26, 8:17 PM
While the Internet of Things will give birth to billions of sensors designed and deployed for the long term, one-shot or temporary connectivity approaches are starting to bloom. Connected bracelets, or as Disney calls them, MagicBands, allow Disney World visitors to enter the parks, unlock hotel room doors and buy food and merchandise. Wristband with barcodes can be quickly printed at the Museum of Science in Boston, allowing visitors to do an instant scan and get a detailed computer analysis of their walking characteristics or check in at the facial recognition station to see what animals cause their pupils to …
by Chuck Martin on Jan 25, 9:34 PM
Pepper the robot is heading to the airport. More specifically, the 4-foot high humanoid robot is joining a global restaurateur to engage with customers as they walk by one of the eateries at the Oakland International Airport. The restaurateur, HMSHost, has teamed with Softbank Robotics America to launch a new pilot program with the humanoid robot starting this week.
by Chuck Martin on Jan 24, 9:18 PM
The world of Internet-connected things is hitting home. Most parents allow their children to take their Internet-connected devices to bed, but most also put a limit on how much time their children can spend using those devices per day. These are among the findings of a global study focused on family dynamics in a connected world.
by Chuck Martin on Jan 23, 9:21 PM
Voice assistants are coming in a big way this year. Last year, 7 million voice-first devices, most notably Amazon Echo and Google Home, hit the market. That was up from only 2 million the year before. This year, 25 million devices will be shipped, bringing the total number of voice-first devices to 33 million in circulation, based on a new study.
by Chuck Martin on Jan 22, 6:12 PM
Self-driving cars are being developed and tested on one hand while many consumers have a wide range of concerns on the other. When so-called autonomous vehicles arrive, consumers have various ideas on what would be acceptable for people in the car to do, since they won't be driving. The most acceptable activity would be talking on the phone, deemed OK by the majority (52%) of consumers in a new survey.
by Chuck Martin on Jan 19, 9:57 PM
One of the fundamental components of the Internet of Things are sensors. Coming in many forms, sensors essentially can tell when something or someone is moving and where. They can track the comings and goings of shoppers in stores, as we saw at the National Retail Federation annual show this week, as well as the tracking of inventory on the way to the store and as it moves around inside.
by Chuck Martin on Jan 18, 9:31 PM
The Internet of Things is moving into retail. Yesterday I wrote here about the retail move to smart shelves, which include small displays for dynamic pricing along with sensors that can tell when a product is taken off the shelf by a customer. The shelving also hosts a beacon, to trigger communications to a nearby shopper who has opted in.