Episode 421: Amazon adds Thread and beefs up Alexa

What did you buy for Prime Day this week? This week we tackle if Amazon’s new program to help folks install Alexa-enabled devices is a big deal and Apple’s retail plans for HomeKit. We also discuss fashion-forward wearables, and a new startup called Nodle that’s trying to create crowdsourced Bluetooth-based IoT networks. We have a lot of data on voice thanks to IFTTT and spent some time discussing a friendly French IoT company. Lighthouse combines machine learning, natural language processing and computer vision to create an assistant for your home that can see, hear and speak. Then I chat with Alex Teichman about Lighthouse, his new startup that marries computer vision with a voice-based personal assistant to make your life easier. For the nerds out there, we also discuss the category of sensors available for 3-D sensing and how they differ. This matters for Lighthouse, self-driving cars and maybe even for the next-generation iPhone. Get ready to cover everything from recurrent neural networks to frickin’ lasers! Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel Guest: Alex Teichman co-founder and CEO at Lighthouse Sponsors: Schlage and Affiliated Monitoring Do you need a Mother? It’s on sale. Can Apple build the right showroom to sell the smart home? Louis Vuitton gets into wearables How to use 3-D sensing to make computers see more How Apple may choose to use 3-D sensors to unlock phones The post Episode 120: Learn how 3-D sensors work before Apple puts them in the iPhone appeared first on IoT Podcast - Internet of Things.

13 Juli 201752min

After a week with the Amazon Echo Show I realize that I have no friends–on that device at least. In addition to my review of the Show, Kevin shares a review of the GoControl Z-wave sensor pack he purchased to go with the Wink, and I talk about the Leviton Decora light switch in depth. Reviews aside, we also chat (and sing!) about low power wide area networks, Ingenu’s departing CEO and the closure of the company behind a $500 backup camera. The Plume WiFi pods And because I’m so obsessed with Wi-Fi, I interview Fahri Diner, the CEO of Plume about where Wi-Fi is heading. He’s one of those that convinced me that Wi-Fi will end up in more devices, and he talks about how his deals with Comcast and Samsung will make that possible. We also discuss why you’re going to pay your ISP for Wi-Fi and where the retail model will struggle. You’ll have opinions about this episode. Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel Guest: Fahri Diner, CEO of Plume Sponsors: Schlage and Affiliated Monitoring I’m not totally sold on the Echo Show Say goodbye to Pearl Backup cameras Kevin tries some GoControl security sensors Where will Wi-Fi be? Everywhere! Retail Wi-Fi isn’t a big market The post Episode 119: Amazon’s Echo Show makes me feel lonely appeared first on IoT Podcast - Internet of Things.

6 Juli 201747min

Alexa has new skills thanks to the Echo Show launching this week, and the Google Home gets some fancy new code. Kevin and I discuss how to turn your Echo device into an intercom, my take on the new Eero routers and a new $100 million fund from TrendMicro for IoT security. There’s also Apple’s reported acquisition of an eye-tracking firm to discuss, since augmented reality is supposedly one way we’ll tackle the influx of information connected sensors can provide. We also talk about Petya and ponder what the ransomware threat means for IoT. The Echo Show has a 7-inch screen. And Alexa! This week’s guest is Daniel Elizalde, who teaches a course at Stanford on IoT product management. Elizalde offers his advice on how to develop a connected product from the hardware all the way to the service. In our conversation, he shares common mistakes, does a deep dive on risk management as part of our security discussion and provides a framework for companies trying to “add some IoT” to their business. It’s a helpful listen. Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel Guest: Daniel Elizalde of Tech Product Management Sponsors: TE Connectivity and Affiliated Monitoring Drop in on your Echo-owning friends with Alexa’s new talent What if an IoT company like Wink or Nest gets hit by ransomware? Stacey reviews the new Eero routers In IoT, security is essentially risk management The biggest product mistakes a company can make The post Episode 118: Reviewing Eero’s new gear and IoT ransomware appeared first on IoT Podcast - Internet of Things.

29 Juni 201750min

Intel plans to discontinue several of its boards designed for makers. Kevin and I discuss what this means for Intel’s IoT strategy. We also talk about ARM’s extension of a program that eliminates license fees to design custom chips, Ring’s new doorbell and Hue’s new lights. We then circle back on Amazon’s Whole Foods purchase and the availability of the Dash wand, while Kevin shares his favorite new Alexa Skill. Too hot for the IoT? Next up is blockchain, specifically how it could build sustainable IoT business models and even help generate wealth in the subscription economy. My guest Paul Brody is a principal at EY and a blockchain expert. You’ll learn a new way of thinking about subscriptions, fractional ownership and why blockchain and IoT are like chocolate and peanut butter. Listen up. Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel Guest: Paul Brody from EY Sponsors: TE Connectivity and Affiliated Monitoring What happens to the Intel Quark? I replaced my doorbell transformer to handle the connected options What do you think about Amazon’s interest in food? Using blockchain to share cars or even solar farms Open source software and blockchain can cut consumer IoT operating costs The post Episode 117: Intel’s new IoT strategy has fewer things appeared first on IoT Podcast - Internet of Things.

22 Juni 201747min

There was a lot of Wi-Fi news this week with new routers and services from Eero. Meanwhile, the Wi-Fi Alliance has created a certification program for builders to ensure that newly constructed homes get the best in-home coverage available. Since I was out this week, Kevin and I recorded early, so there’s news of AWS Greengrass and Softbank buying Boston Dynamics. Plus, Kevin and I share how to connect your smart locks to Alexa and further information on the WeMo dimmer. This is BigDog, one of Boston Dynamic’s scarier robots. Image courtesy of Boston Dynamics. My guest this week tackles a serious topic. Davida Herzl, the CEO Aclima, discusses how we can use sensors on cars to map pollution data and shares the results of a study conducted in Oakland with Google. We talk about the importance of scientific validation for sensor data and algorithms as well as how to charge for this type of data. Beyond that, she shares why she thinks this sort of granular pollution monitoring is the future of fighting climate change. Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel Guest: Davida Herzl, the CEO Aclima Sponsors: Affiliated Monitoring and TE Connectivity So much news on the Wi-Fi front How to tell Alexa to lock your doors using IFTTT Testing Wink’s new service and WeMo’s dimmer Where in Oakland is pollution the worst? All IoT companies should be validating their data The post Episode 116: Meet Eero’s new routers and see how Aclima uses IoT to stop pollution appeared first on IoT Podcast - Internet of Things.

15 Juni 201750min

Apple’s disclosure of the HomePod, a connected speaker and personal assistant, drove much of the IoT news this week. However, research from Pew on how rapidly people are becoming connected and the lack of transparency about how our data is used might end up being the story with real legs. Kevin Tofel and I discuss both this week, along with some Wink news, how he feels about the Google Home and a brand new purchase I made. The Apple HomePod. Image courtesy of Apple. To continue with the HomePod theme, I spoke with three different people to get a sense of how voice affects adoption of smart home technology, what the HomePod could mean for HomeKit adoption and what another voice-activated speaker means for privacy. Scott Harkins of Honeywell, Adam Justice of ConnectSense and Nuala O’Conner of the Center for Democracy and Technology joined me for the discussion. Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel Guests: Scott Harkins of Honeywell, Adam Justice of Connect Sense and Nuala O’Conner of the Center for Democracy and Technology Sponsors: TE Connectivity  and Affiliated Monitoring Wink gets on the services bandwagon Pew says you will never not be connected Honeywell says voice is a killer app for smart homes Could you connect HomeKit devices without changing the hardware? It’s good to see a company selling privacy The post Episode 115: All about Apple’s HomePod appeared first on IoT Podcast - Internet of Things.

8 Juni 201749min

What makes a phone essential? Or Essential as is the case with Andy Rubin’s new company that features a new smartphone and teases a new connected home assistant? Kevin and I discuss what we know, and Kevin also explains a surprise decision he’s made regarding Google (here’s the link he mentions during the show). We also discuss Apple’s potential AI chips, ARM’s new designs and a way to add capacitive touch to wood! Finally, I share my WeMo dimmer switch thoughts. The Essential Phone in white. This week’s in the guest segment we discuss assistants and bots in the home and enterprise. Bret Greenstein, VP of Watson IoT for Consumer Business at IBM, shared a bit about Watson and IoT, but his biggest service might be his help breaking down how analytics, machine learning and AI all relate. It’s a good mix of the future for enterprises and consumers. Enjoy the show. Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel Guest: Bret Greenstein of IBM Sponsors: Aeris and Affiliated Monitoring Essential Phone and Home launch thoughts Kevin’s surprise purchase The WeMo dimmer is nice, but pricey Time for an AI vocabulary lesson What happens when computers know how you feel? The post Episode 114: The Essential Phone and IBM’s Watson tries IoT appeared first on IoT Podcast - Internet of Things.

1 Juni 201750min

It has been a week since Google I/O, which gave Kevin and me time to wade through some of the developer videos and ponder the features Google is announcing for the home and for Google Home. The jury is still out on whether Kevin is buying the device, but he is tempted, y’all! We discussed Dish’s integration with the Amazon Echo, the new maker tier on IFTTT and IKEA’s plans to make its smart lights work with a variety of platforms. Google’s Home speaker and AI assistant. Our guest this week gives us a chance to discuss both the smart grid and saving sea turtles, which I imagine is a relative rarity. Michael Bell, the CEO of Silver Springs Networks, joined us this week to talk about scale, the future of the electric grid and the trouble with solar power. He also talks about new businesses for Silver Springs and turtles. Enjoy the show. Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel Guest: Michael Bell, CEO of Silver Springs Networks Sponsors: Aeris and Smart Kitchen Summit Google Home makes calls, offers shortcuts and has new partners IFTTT gets way more flexible The smart grid is just the beginning How to scale to 25 million devices (and then more) Saving sea turtles with smart street lights The post Episode 113: Google Home gets way better appeared first on IoT Podcast - Internet of Things.

25 Maj 201752min