Episode 95: The industrial internet is gaining ground

You asked and we delivered! This week Kevin discusses the possibility of using the Nvidia Shield as a smart home controller of sorts (and gives his impression of its gaming chops). I give an early review of the Stringify app which is now out for Android and iOS. We also discuss “The Big Show” as folks call the National Retail Federation conference that happened this week, hitting on how players like Intel and Zebra are staking out territory. There’s some Nest news, a bit on another service provider offering a smart home plan and our thoughts on Sonos’ new direction.

The Industrial Internet of Things Lab at National Instruments.

After the news, I brought on three industrial internet experts to talk about the state of the industrial internet of things, tips for smaller companies at setting your pricing in a negotiation with larger players and insights on PTC’s strategy after it bought all of those IoT and augmented reality companies. I’m curious if you guys see what PTC CEO Hepplemann sees when it comes to the future of AR.

Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel
Guests: Jamie Smith, Director of Embedded Systems at NI, Alex Davern CEO of NI, and Jim Heppelmann CEO of PTC
Sponsor: Dell

  • New Raspberry Pis boost compute
  • Can connected retail save the brick and mortar store?
  • Sonos, Nvidia’s Shield and Stringify thoughts
  • Who’s buying the industrial IoT
  • Taking Pokemon Go to the factory floor

Episode 91: The cops want your smart home data

This week’s big story was the Bentonville, Arkansas case where police were seeking data from an alleged murderer’s Echo history. Kevin and I share our thoughts on the case, what police could learn from connected gadgets and what this means for your privacy. We then talk about Google’s new smartwatches coming in 2017, two new open/close sensors I discovered and Intel’s work with Amazon to create a model smart home. We also debate what shape the smart home should take and I’m getting ready for CES next week.

The Amazon Echo in my kitchen.

After a big thank you to the companies who sponsored the podcast this year, I interviewed Guarav Garg, a managing partner at Wing VC about how the fight to be the next big IoT platform will shape up. He has some surprising views on the roles startups will play and where the innovation in IoT will come from (and when).

Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel
Guest: Guarav Garg, a managing partner at Wing VC
Sponsors: Samsung ARTIK and Level Education

  • What could your smart home tell the police?
  • Two discrete sensors for your doors from GE and Sensative
  • Is your ideal smart home controlled by a virtual wife?
  • Consumer electronics are too hard for startups
  • How to think about building platforms for the industrial internet

Episode 87: We’ll govern the internet of things with mob rules

Gosh, it’s another week and another show that features security. We kick it off with this week’s news that features ransomware, botnets and a report from the Department of Homeland security discussing the internet of things. Kevin and I then touch on Intel’s new IoT chief and new Automated Driving Group as well as a bunch of Amazon Echo news. Finally, I discuss my impressions of the IFTTT integration with the Kevo lock and gripe about some frustrating sales practices by August.

The August doorbell cam courtesy of August.
The August doorbell cam courtesy of August.

It’s not all complaints on the show. My guest this week is Nick Feamster, the co-editor of a report out last week by a non-partisan group of technical experts focused on how to secure the internet of things. Feamster offers some tangible suggestions and directions where the industry can play a more active and helpful role. We discuss everything from how to create over the air updates that can be authenticated to how to create new types of routers to improve home IoT security.

Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel
Guest: Nick Feamster, professor of computer science at Princeton
Sponsors: Samsung ARTIK and Bluetooth

  • The future may have more cyber extortion than cyber warfare
  • Intel’s new automated driving boss is the same as the old (IoT) boss
  • You shouldn’t claw back functionality on a connected device for a fee
  • Want to secure IoT? Start with routers
  • Should your ISP help secure connected devices?

Episode 82: IoT botnets and the Nucleus intercom review

Security was the big topic this week after a massive botnet comprised of connected devices disrupted many popular internet services. I hated the thought of all connected devices coming under attack, so I wrote a bit about the realities of IoT security here and also here. As part of my effort to understand what was going on I interviewed Andy Ellis, Akamai’s chief security officer about what happened last week, why it matters and the challenges of making people pay for security.

Three Nucleus devices costs $600.
Three Nucleus devices costs $600.

Kevin Tofel and I mentioned security but then dove into a discussion of the new HomeKit-enabled Bluetooth light switch from Elgato, the new tricks from the Amazon Echo and a few chip stories. ARM launched an IoT cloud service, while Intel launched a new Atom chip. Then Kevin shared a convenient home automation that makes his family feel safer, and I review the Nucleus video intercom platform. It’s a fun show.

Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel
Guest: Andy Ellis, CSO at Akamai
Sponsors: ARM and Hewlett Packard Enterprise

  • Where do we stand on Bluetooth lights?
  • Things are getting weird in the chip world
  • The Nucleus is a good devices for low-tech homes or people
  • Learn the one devices that may enhance your IoT security
  • The internet of things has an externalities challenge

Episode 72: Your IoT efforts can expose you to legal risks

Hell hath frozen over at Intel, with the big news this week that Intel has taken an ARM license so it can manufacture ARM-based chips. We talk about what this news means for Intel, its IoT strategy and more. We also try to make sense of Fucshia, a reportedly new OS that Google has dumped in Github. And for those less enamored of the big companies’ strategies, I also share my review of the Brita Infinity water pitcher that uses the Amazon Dash Replenishment service. You can see if it’s your thing.

The Wi-Fi connected Brita pitcher sells for $44.99.
The Wi-Fi connected Brita pitcher sells for $44.99.

Our guest this week explains why you should call your lawyer before deploying sensors or flying drones to collect interesting data. Elizabeth Wharton, an attorney at Hall Booth Smith (@lawyerliz on Twitter) has been working on IoT issues and security for the last decade. She talks about the regulatory environment, things companies should worry about, and a future fight over end user license agreements.

Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham
Guest: Elizabeth Wharton an attorney at Hall Booth Smith
Sponsor: ARM

  • Intel’s new deal with ARM is the tip of the iceberg
  • What is Fuchsia? We take a guess.
  • Is this pitcher for you?
  • A word of warning for drone-happy entities
  • Insurers and lawyers may be the reason we get rules for the IoT

Episode 55: Find out what Ford learned from Tesla

With ride-sharing, electric vehicles and millennials who aren’t super keen on owning a car all converging, the auto industry is in a panic. But Ford, led by both Bill Ford and Ford CEO Mark Fields has created a plan to keep the carmaker relevant, even if fewer people buy cars. With this being said, there will always be people out there who love vehicles like the Ford Maverick and collecting vintage cars. In this week’s show, I chat with Don Butler, executive director, Connected Vehicle and Services at Ford, about moving from making cars to delivering transportation. Butler shares Ford’s thoughts on connecting the car, the integration with the Amazon Echo, and a few things Ford has learned from Tesla. Is this exciting news?! An upgrade at long-last to the Ford! If you want to get yours ordered, you may want to have a look at the car finance options available to you. Of course, getting a car on finance isn’t the best option for everyone. Some people still prefer to buy their cars outright. However, with the prices of newer vehicles, this can be difficult. Although, more people are finding ways around this. For example, some people might look into applying for a Petal credit card to help them build their credit up. Having a reputable credit score can increase an individual’s chances of being able to receive a loan from a bank, allowing them to own their car instead of paying for it monthly.

The 2017 Ford Escape is possibly the smartest car Ford has to offer said Butler.
The 2017 Ford Escape is possibly the smartest car Ford has to offer said Butler.

Before Butler and I get talking, Kevin Tofel and I discuss Intel’s job cuts and internet of things strategy as well as a Zigbee chipmaker’s acquisition. We then talk about the challenge of matching tech components to the long lifespan of some home products. Kevin bought a Pine 64 development board and we talk about what he should do with it, we add a few other updates on devices such as the Philips Hue lights and cover a new deal to bring connectivity to your clothes

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Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel
Guest: Don Butler at Ford

  • Can Intel matter in the internet of things?
  • My smart bulb’s radio broke so now it’s dumb
  • Connected clothes are coming
  • What Ford learned from Tesla
  • Discover Ford’s biggest asset as it seeks to transform its business

Episode 47: New money for IoT startups, new routers for homes and Eero’s CEO

This week was so full of small news items Kevin and I could barely keep up. We kicked off the show with a review of the Eero routers that launched on Tuesday, that I tried for this show and wrote about for PCMag, and we also had Eero CEO Nick Weaver on the show to explain why previous routers have sucked for so long, what Eero is doing about security woes and why the company is not focusing on software to help manage devices … yet. Weaver has a lot to say about Wi-Fi in the home and the state of the industry, especially about security, so check him out. The majority of homes now have access to the internet. With routers being password-protected if a Netgear router is one that is installed within the home, knowing how to access the Netgear router login will enable members of the family to be able to use the internet freely. The same goes for any router that’s purchased.

If you’ve just brought your new router home, you may be trying to get to grips with the default usernames and passwords – see here for more.

The Eero router 3-pack.
The Eero router 3-pack.

But first, Kevin and I heard back from Philips about its messed up Android app that we discussed last week, we covered Verizon’s surprising gains in the Internet of things and Nokia’s launch of a $350 million fund for startups interested in building technologies that help make a highly distributed and connected world a reality. We also talked about some Mobile World Congress news, such as AT&T’s partnership with Intel to test new LTE-enabled drones, a new IoT network from Ingenu, and a new chip design from ARM for wearables. We also snuck in a business idea for anyone who wants it. Maybe you can take it to Nokia’s new fund. So give a listen and we hope you enjoy.

Hosts: Kevin Tofel and Stacey Higginbotham
Guest: Nick Weaver CEO of Eero

  • Why the I love the Eero routers (for my very specific home)
  • Verizon is doing really well in IoT!
  • MWC news round up with Nokia, a new IoT network from Ingenu, AT&T and more!
  • Why existing routers have weak security and lame software
  • How to focus on what really matters in designing your consumer product