The Internet of Things has long been on the rise. But in 2013 it soared in prominence, with the release of several devices whose functions were augmented by online connectivity. These gadgets were geared toward making everything from toys to your home more useful and accessible. -Philippe [Thank You MIT Technology Review | By Rachel Metz] The Internet of Things has long been on the rise. But in 2013 it soared in prominence, with the release of several devices whose functions were augmented by online connectivity. These gadgets were geared toward making everything from toys to your home more useful and accessible. Newcomers this year included Automatic, which connects to your car’s computer and sends its data to your smartphone to give a picture of how efficiently you’re driving. Nest followed up on its smart thermostat with a smoke and carbon monoxide detector called Nest Protect; it gives more detailed information than traditional detectors about the location and type of emergency it’s sensing. Meanwhile, Microsoft Research’s Lab of Things software can simplify the monitoring, automating, and controlling of all kinds of “smart” devices in your home. We also saw a new wave of wearable Internet-connected gadgets: smart watches like Samsung’s Galaxy Gear, and fitness-tracking devices like Jawbone’s Up 24 that work with phones to gain additional features such as the ability to receive calls and e-mails. According to Gartner, 900 million connected devices were in use in 2009 (excluding smartphones, PCs, and tablets), but by 2020 the market research firm expects the number to climb to 26 billion.
This rapid growth could lead to major compatibility problems, as “smart” devices made by different manufacturers often abide by different rules for transmitting data—that’s why you can’t just plug in a “smart” coffee maker and expect it to coӧrdinate with your “smart” toaster. In December, a new industry group called the AllSeen Alliance emerged. The group will work to ensure the development of Internet-connected devices that can work together. Its members include the Linux Foundation, LG, Panasonic, Qualcomm, Sharp, and HTC. The rise of the Internet of Things also ushers in a new era of security issues that came into sharper focus this year. At the annual Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas in July, security researchers David Bryan and Daniel Crowley discussed several flaws that they had uncovered on gadgets such as a smartphone-controlled, music-playing toilet. Another key Internet trend this year: the rise of messages that quickly disappear after they’re viewed, an app phenomenon popularized by Snapchat, which lets users share video or picture messages that self-destruct in just a few seconds. The spread of Snapchat indicates that even as we share countless details on social networks like Facebook and Twitter, where they are catalogued for posterity, there’s still a desire for digital media that has a short shelf life. Snapchat was founded back in 2011 by two Stanford students, but it was this year that it really took off. Last December, users shared 50 million snaps per day; that figure is now north of 400 million. A slew of other companies are trying to capitalize on the trend, including Wickr, Gryphn, and Blink. Nonetheless, Twitter continues to expand in popularity and importance. In November, the company’s shares went public, with a debut that was much smoother than that of Facebook in 2012. That could help foster IPO dreams in 2014 for other large social Internet companies, such as Pinterest—and someday, for Snapchat. Read More: http://www.technologyreview.com/news/523031/2013-the-year-in-internet-stories/
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The next generation of games consoles could reshape home entertainment. But as Sony and Microsoft release their first video-game consoles in seven years, they’re battling for a world of play that is rapidly changing, as the sharp and ongoing rise in smartphone and tablet ownership has also vastly broadened the audience of gamers
-Philippe [Thank You MIT Technology Review | By Simon Parkin 11.22.13] This month marks a milestone in the turf war for the space beneath our television sets: it’s the first time that Sony and Microsoft have released new video-game consoles within a week of one another. The PlayStation 4 launched in the U.S. a week ago (and launches in Europe next week), while Microsoft’s Xbox One is available around the world as of today. Both systems are Blu-ray-playing supercomputers squeezed into similar-looking black plastic casing; both are designed to usher in a new era of high-definition, online-enabled video games. The consoles are a technological leap over their forebears, with broadly similar internal specifications (eight-core CPUs, eight gigabytes of RAM, 500-gigabyte hard drives). Each has a powerful external camera that facilitates facial recognition and allows some games to be played with the human body rather than a controller. Sony’s focus is on the core “gamer”: the PlayStation 4’s multimedia capabilities are still present but are pushed to one side in favor of games (both the hulking Hollywood-style blockbuster games and the smaller independent variety). By comparison, Microsoft’s more expensive Xbox One ($500 compared to $381) has a broader aim, acting as an HDMI-enabled set-top box as well as offering a vast array of non-game apps, from streaming TV and movie services to a camera-enabled fitness program. Sony and Microsoft must court two separate groups with these machines: the consumers who buy them and the game developers who support them. Some developers believe that the increased power offered by these new consoles will lead to more compelling games. “It was such a pain to get high-detail games onto the last generation of games in practical terms,” explains Steve Gaynor, who worked on Bioshock 2 and the recent award-winning independent title Gone Home. “It meant that teams had to do a lot of hard work to get their games to look as good as they did. Now teams can spend their time just making stuff, rather than figuring out how to make it run on the hardware.” |
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