The Internet is all geared up to enter into our homes in a never before way. Most major tech brands are themselves preparing to usher in this newest trend. The latest entrants in this are Amazon and IBM. By announcing their foray into the Internet of Things genre, both these brands have ended the speculation around this and made things clear for us.

What is IOT all about?

For the uninitiated, Internet of Things (IOT) is all about connecting us and simplifying technology for our day to day convenience. It is a network of devices controlled through sensors and made capable of communicating with each other and thereby make things convenient for us. So, to make the Internet work for you, you will need smart devices, which are already getting designed that way.

With high-end sensors fitted into your gadgets such as smartphones, kitchen appliances and even your car, your devices are all set to become smarter and you will be able to control and manage them easily, even when you are physically far. Sitting in your office you can switch on the lighting system at home and tapping on your smartphone could start the thermostat to make your bedroom cool and comfortable before you return.

This gives rise to the immense scope that tech companies can tap on. Devices, sensors, data handling… there is need for the entire infrastructure to be developed and streamlined. This is where Amazon and IBM are stepping in.  

Amazon’s Contribution

Amazon is soon going to offer to its users band-aide buttons that will help re-stock consumable at home, just by pressing the button! Well, the tiny size of these buttons hardly reveals the capacity and convenience it will offer to users. Once these Wi-Fi-enabled wireless buttons are configured, you can use them to re-order online. You could also use its smartphone apps to re-order stocks.

IBM’s Plan for the big step

On the same lines, IBM is preparing to develop technology to help companies manage their big data, the data generated through devices and sensors and the communication via the Internet among different devices and software. To materialize these plans, IBM is focusing on mobile devices, cloud computing and analytics to securely manage the generated data.

Certainly, both Amazon and IBM are spending huge bucks to get this to us. The grand announcement itself hints that technology lovers and specifically the IOT-smitten users are in for a big treat sometime soon…