It’s time to swap out my Amazon Echo for a Google Home because all of my integrations are working so well, and because Google added Logitech’s Harmony Hub. August added a lock for the pro channel and Samsung’s Tizen OS has a lot of security flaws. This is not good for anyone, especially Samsung.
We talk also about Zebra’s new tech for tractor-trailers and why virtual beacons from Mist are better than real ones. Finally, I confess to a secret and contemplate an IoT device to solve it. This week’s guest Simon Bungers discusses what happens when the internet of things invades research labs, and how it could change scientists’ job descriptions.
Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel
Guest: Simon Bungers, CEO of Labfolder
Sponsor: Samsung ARTIK
- Google Home just got better. Is Kevin convinced?
- Zebra has good new freight tech and virtual beacons are better than the real thing
- Tizen has some major security flaws. Roughly 40 of them.
- Meet Smart Nora, which may help my husband sleep at night
- Scientists will spend more time with Python than petri dishes
Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Subscribe: RSS
Great discussion here. I have three Echo’s in my house and a Harmony Hub that is connected for voice use. I can turn the TV on and change channels by voice. Works great in the morning when I get up, I tell Alexa to turn on my LIFX lights and also the TV, while packing my lunch in the kitchen. Everything is up and running by the time that I sit down to watch the news.
No doubt in anyone’s mind that Google Home will have the advantage when it comes to better commands and knowledge base. I am eager to try it out. Just have to get my wife on board after buying all the Alexa’s.
This conversation is very timely and informative. I am a big fan. Keep up the great work.
Regarding the Nora, my personal experience with using it over the past 3 months is very positive. My partner has definitely noticed less snoring, and, more significantly, I’ve been sleeping a lot better (not waking up as often during the night and even waking up before the alarm goes off – something that hasn’t happened in years).
In combination with the Nora, I’ve also been using the S+ Sleep Sensor from ResMed (http://www.resmed.com/us/en/consumer/s-plus.html). This goes beyond the basic “sleep vs. wake” tracking that a Fitbit or a Pebble Watch performs to track REM vs. Deep Sleep as well. ResMed has been around for about 30 years as a manufacturer of sleep apnea-related products, so their reputation is pretty well established.