Tricky thing, monetizing the Internet of Things. Certainly, subscription services and usage-based rate plans are among the most discussed methods of IoT monetization, but declining consumer interest has left the market in a lull. IoT is caught between the initial hype and the projected promise of a connected world, as consumers pull back on device purchases and companies struggle to solidify a fluid ecosystem. A report out today from cloud consulting agency THINKstrategies Inc., in partnership with IoT monetization platform goTransverse (Tranverse LLC), explores the current challenges companies face in IoT monetization. The white paper calls out the lack of value-added services and... more »

When it comes to monetizing the Internet of Things' vast network of sensors and activity logs, the assumption is there's value in the data. Value, however, can be a highly subjective lens for crafting IoT's ecosystem bound to overlap with nearly every industry imaginable. One company wants to make data more available within organizations, a goal directed at achieving real-time accessibility for building business applications and making faster decisions. MemSQL, Inc., with a speedy database platform for real-time analytics, promises to help companies adapt and learn from their data in real time by using in-memory performance, horizontal scalability and advanced SQL analytics. The company is... more »

Updated: There's more data being collected on you than companies know what to do with. Dubbed the "data lake", this growing repository of information bears the promise of better business and improved customer service. But what do you get in exchange for the data shared? Organizations across industries are increasingly turning to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies to predict future consumer behavior, boost the user experience and stave off cyber criminals, among enhancing other critical business functions. In fact, the AI-powered predictive analytics market will reach $18.5 billion by 2021, according to a recent report. And as more Big Data and... more »

Is the ear a more accurate body part than the wrist for collecting biometric fitness data? Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. is exploring the possibilities, signing a major deal with Valencell, Inc. to power its Samsung Gear IconX cord-free fitness earbuds, announced today. With a global wearables market projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 35 percent over the next five years, according to BI Intelligence, a major issue with wearable technology is that the measurement process still remains a mystery to most consumers, leaving some to question just how accurately a wearable device can assess metrics. Biometrics hopes to address many of these... more »

Where does Nest roost at Google's restructured company, Alphabet, Inc.? With a sluggish product portfolio and the dramatic departure of co-founder and CEO Tony Fadell, Nest's place on the Google/Alphabet family tree follows a tangled trail.   Bringing a fresh perspective as the new Product Manager for Nest, Mehul Nariyawala returns to the company's roots of sexy intelligence. The Nest Outdoor Cam, announced today, relies heavily on machine learning to deliver a contextualized service that knows the difference between a human face and a curious mosquito, and gets selective with motion alerts. Nest has spent the last year studying the shortcomings of other home security cameras to address... more »

Updated. Comcast is acquiring Icontrol to boost its Xfinity smart home platform. What’s the buy mean for SHaaS market consolidation and rivals? Before smart homes were smart, there was Icontrol Networks, Inc.  An early entrant in the home automation market, Icontrol helped establish the Smart Home-as-a-Service (SHaaS) sector and twelve years after its launch, Icontrol is witness to market consolidation. Divvying up its assets, Icontrol is being sold to Comcast Corp. and Alarm.com, Inc. Its smart home software will become part of the Comcast Xfinity Home offering, while its standalone Piper smart home security system will go to Alarm.com. To date,... more »

While the Internet of Things has been a consumer-centric concept representing the data deluge benefiting the most innovative of enterprises in recent years, the discussion is beginning to shift to business methodologies as the IoT market finds its footing. What does it mean to glean insight from the billions of connected devices expected to populate the earth in the coming decade, and how are traditional businesses evolving for new opportunities? Billing services has seen a natural transition to IoT monetization, having the data bedrock to extend subscription services and usage-based pricing. Today we hear from goTransverse President Michael Beamer, who explains his... more »

The Internet of Things can’t predict all circumstances of the future, but its aggregate data can encourage proactive ambitions. Such has been the case with insurance companies looking to sensor data for consumer truths, the insight needed to provide more accurate rates and appropriately resolve claims. Progressive Corp. was an early adopter of IoT technology, promoting its in-car tracker Snapshot to see how many miles its customers really drive on a regular basis. Now property insurance providers are hoping whole-home automation suites can not only lower rates, but prevent claims altogether for fire and flood damage. Powering monetization opportunities in IoT for the... more »

How do I tell an algorithm how much I love a song? Through data, presumably, and good design. A well designed app can infer the emotion behind user actions, teaching its artificial brain how to better serve humans by being more human. As the consumer web moves beyond the like button, services like Pandora (Pandora Media Inc.) design apps to more passively collect the data necessary to anticipate needs, provide the best recommendations and ultimately win the masses. It starts with love   I love music enough to pay top tier subscriptions for two rival apps: Pandora and Spotify AB. For me, each serves... more »

At the bleeding edge of technology, scientific miracles solve real problems. Digitization is heralded as the savior in this scenario, the mega trend transforming businesses, products and services across the board. Characterizing the current state of the Big Data market, digitization is leveraging human input for software development to optimize business. It’s a hot topic being discussed at this week’s Big Data SV conference, where one analyst considers connected objects a resource enabling today’s digitized business. “The whole concept of digital transformation is, ‘how do I let data do the work of the business that previously might have been done by... more »