Twilio launches asset tracking service as part of IoT platform expansion: Twilio, which got into the IoT with its acquisition of Electric Imp in July 2020 and the creation of a new IoT platform two months later, has finally launched another IoT product. This week, it introduced a customizable asset tracking tool that provides customers with the device, software, and cloud backend needed to offer asset tracking. The device can connect to up to 400 cellular networks worldwide and is aimed at a variety of industries, from logistics to equipment management in construction and mining. It’s nice to see that Twilio hasn’t completely forgotten about the IoT. (Twilio)
Do you have any advice for the FTC on surveillance technology? If you want a chance to comment on the Federal Trade Commission’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) on Trade Oversight and Data Security, then sharpen your pencils, because Monday is the deadline for comment. I reported on the creation of ANPR after it was released in August. Government agencies publish these documents before creating regulations around certain issues. They point out the direction the agency is leaning in and ask for feedback. In the case of surveillance technology, the FTC asks how companies monitor customers, what harm can result from that surveillance, how aware consumers are of that surveillance, and more. Go read the document to get an idea of how important this issue is today and how important it will continue to be in the future. (FTC)
All I want for Christmas is surveillance technology: Speaking of surveillance technology, Mozilla is back with its list of “Privacy Not Included” holiday gift ideas. Every year, the Mozilla Foundation creates a list of connected products and analyzes their privacy and data practices to determine which ones are of concern and which ones are leapfrogging. So, if you’d like to see if you should get your loved ones a video doorbell for the holidays, but they’re active members of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, then here’s the list to buy. (Mozilla)
This induction cooktop startup is worth watching: You all know that as we move towards greater electrification of homes and cars while addressing the existing limitations of home wiring and gaps in renewable electricity generation, I want to combine smart homes and systems energy management to help manage a finite electricity supply. That’s why I was excited to see a startup called Impulse attach a battery and software to an induction cooktop to help mitigate the immense power an induction cooker can draw from a home’s electrical panel. . Impulse is also considering using this battery as a source of energy storage inside the home, a role I also expect electric vehicles and water heaters to play in the future. The stoves themselves won’t be released until next year, but I like the thinking behind it and can’t wait to see more innovation on the appliance side. (Tech Crunch)
Renesas launches combined NB-IoT and Cat M module: Chipmaker Renesas has added a combined NB-IoT and LTE Cat-1 M module to its stable of connectivity options and this particular module can stay in sleep mode consuming just 1 microamp of power. That’s pretty cool, and the combined nature of this setup should reduce the costs associated with using either connectivity standard in end devices. (IoT business news)
Hey Google, feed the dog: Aqara has a connected pet feeder that can dispense food based on a voice command, a schedule, or even a tap on your pet’s bowl. I don’t think I would give my dog the ability to bang the bowl for food, but maybe other animals have more discipline. The feeder costs $100 and could solve a complicated question that comes up every morning and most nights in our house: Did someone feed the dog? It would be nice if Google or Siri could say “yes”. (The edge)
IBM will kill its Watson IoT Cloud: A few months ago, Google said it would kill its IoT cloud platform and now IBM is following in its footsteps. Big Blue sent a note to Watson IoT Platform users stating that their cloud access would die effective December 1, 2023. However, I don’t think that will leave many people struggling as IBM’s cloud was not popular and because IBM’s IoT platform really wasn’t much beyond a way to use MQTT to transfer data into IBM servers. Unlike cloud offerings from AWS and Microsoft Azure, which have plenty of analytics capabilities and services for data once it’s in the cloud, IBM doesn’t really have much there. It should also make switching easier for users. We’re probably seeing the end of this cloud as part of a global realization that scaling is a big challenge for the IoT, especially since pilots can start out and stay small for quite some time. time before they become large enough to be significant from an income point of view. Meanwhile, delivering cloud capacity is a game of scale that requires significant upfront investment. IBM made this investment but few customers came. (The register)
Encrypted packets can also tell stories: Researchers at the University of Georgia have released a program called ChatterHub that can examine encrypted packets traveling to and from a smart home hub to determine what is going on inside the home. Based on the time of day and packet length, researchers can use AI to make educated guesses about when someone turns on the lights, locks the doors, or tells Alexa to play a song. . The researchers suggest hub makers can use packet padding to make packets all the same length, or insert random packets into the daily traffic mix to help prevent such findings, but I’m not sure if this is the priority of most concentrators. security decision makers. Perhaps a bigger concern of this research is understanding that even encrypted smart home data will tell hub makers more about you than you might think. (Tech Xplore)
OnLogic adds a connected Pi 4 for industrial use: OnLogic, which makes custom industrial computers, has created a second computer that will use the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 for industrial use cases. The Form Factor 202 device will add connectivity and a touchscreen interface so OnLogic customers can easily deploy and program the computer to suit their needs. The Factor 202 is now available, which apparently means OnLogic can source the very popular Pi 4 Compute Module. (OnLogic)
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