The Internet of Things (IoT) is an obscure sounding name for any collective technology, even in an industry sector where jargon and buzzwords are common.To give a brief overview, the Internet of Things refers to a “collective of internet-connected consumer devices, manufacturing systems, business tools, customer service appliances, medical equipment, agricultural sensors and other things.”Many of us are now somewhat familiar with the term in the consumer space, but it has plenty of business applications too. The market is set to boom, with analysts at IDC predicting that it will be worth a whopping $7.1 trillion (£4.5tn) by 2020, up from $1.9 trillion (£1.2tn) in 2013.So what benefit does IoT offer to businesses? And are they ready for it, given that many enterprises are traditionally slow to respond to technological advances.Certainly it seems that many of the well-known technology vendors around the globe are responding to this fast- growing industry niche; … [Read more...] about Are companies ready to embrace the Internet of Things?
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Microsoft announces $5 billion investment in Internet of Things
Microsoft committed today to a $5 billion investment in the Internet of Things (IoT) over the next four years. As part of the investment, the company says that it will focus on IoT research and development, security, development tools, services, and growing its partner ecosystem. "With our IoT platform spanning cloud, OS and devices, we are uniquely positioned to simplify the IoT journey so any customer—regardless of size, technical expertise, budget, industry or other factors—can create trusted, connected solutions that improve business and customer experiences, as well as the daily lives of people all over the world," Microsoft said in a blog post. "The investment we're announcing today will ensure we continue to meet all our customers' needs both now and in the future." News of the investment comes a week after Microsoft announced a major reorganization, focusing the company more on AI and edge computing. "Computing experiences are evolving to include multiple senses … [Read more...] about Microsoft announces $5 billion investment in Internet of Things
3M taps C3 IoT as Internet of things, AI platform
C3 IoT won a multi-year deal artificial intelligence and Internet of things deal with 3M.The customer win is a big one for C3 IoT, which has been gaining momentum as an IoT platform and has some of the largest production implementations. 3M will use C3 IoT to develop and deploy AI applications starting with predictive healthcare and supply chain analytics. 3M also can expand usage of C3 IoT to other businesses and customize SaaS applications for inventory optimization, fraud detection, CRM and predictive maintenance. Previously: C3 IoT raises $100 million, eyes global expansion | C3 IoT lands Department of Defense deal for aircraft predictive maintenance | C3 IoT updates platform, adds AI, machine learning tools, more AWS integration | C3 IoT, AWS tighten Internet of things, cloud integration | C3 IoT CEO Tom Siebel: CEO, boards driving IoT, digital transformation deals For 3M, C3 IoT is one vendor in the mix of a multi-year business transformation effort. 3M plans on scaling C3 IoT … [Read more...] about 3M taps C3 IoT as Internet of things, AI platform
What is the IoT? Everything you need to know about the Internet of Things right now
Video: Everything you need to know about the Internet of Things What is the Internet of Things? The Internet of Things, or IoT, refers to billions of physical devices around the world that are now connected to the internet, collecting and sharing data. Thanks to cheap processors and wireless networks, it's possible to turn anything, from a pill to an aeroplane, into part of the IoT. This adds a level of digital intelligence to devices that would be otherwise dumb, enabling them to communicate without a human being involved, and merging the digital and physical worlds. What is an example of an Internet of Things device? Pretty much any physical object can be transformed into an IoT device if it can be connected to the internet and controlled that way. A lightbulb that can be switched on using a smartphone app is an IoT device, as is a motion sensor or a smart thermostat in your office or a connected streetlight. An IoT device could be as fluffy as a child's toy or as … [Read more...] about What is the IoT? Everything you need to know about the Internet of Things right now
How Microsoft can enable the internet of things
As the Internet of Things (IoT) phenomenon continues to grow, Microsoft has responded by contributing two new editions of Windows 10 – Core and Enterprise – that are aimed at radically different parts of the devices and systems market.Here's how Windows 10 IoT is used today, and where it might be going in the future.Windows 10 IoT Core The Core edition is a barebones Windows kernel that has been stripped down significantly in order to run on low-power hardware. It is not a full version of Windows, but it is enough to light up the hardware and run whatever application is being designed for that board. This version of Windows 10 has no shell and essentially supports only universal apps – those coded to run in the managed environment of the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) and NOT traditional x86 or x64 apps. This OS version supports a maximum of 256MB of RAM and 2GB of device storage and can run on the x86 chip platform or the ARM platform for low-power … [Read more...] about How Microsoft can enable the internet of things