The Internet Of Things, You may not have heard of it. But you will. Options

[TallDarkAndHands...]

A big push is being made to make everything "joined" up. This will mean everyday objects like your fridge, kettle, heating etc will have network connectivity and be effectively on line.

How do you feel about it? Is this progress or are we opening ourselves up to more cyber crime etc.

[Simon Kirby]

A big push is being made to make everything "joined" up. This will mean everyday objects like your fridge, kettle, heating etc will have network connectivity and be effectively on line.

How do you feel about it? Is this progress or are we opening ourselves up to more cyber crime etc.

I don't know that it's either.

Relatedly (sort of) have you dabbled with a Raspberry Pi yet? I have a project in mind but haven't had the time for it (not around the house, it's an environmental monitoring project to look at dissolved oxygen and other telemetry) but I could see how Raspberry Pi could make household automation possible. I find the technology quite exciting (a 64-bit Arm motherboard for £30? That's insane, right?). I don't know that I particularly want my electricity meter on the internet and I can't possibly envisage how my life would be any the richer for my oven, washing machine, and talkie-toaster to be networked, though I don't suppose I could have envisioned 40 years ago how in the near future so much of my life would depend on computerisation, so maybe the internet of things will be a Good Thing. Who can say.

[On the edge]

It's just the latest consulting house sales scam. They even have seminars and published theses on this! All to let the gullible part with a wadge; its in the same box as TQM, Business Process Re-engineering, Cloud Computing....etc.etc.etc. Yawn.

We already know that 'things' have technology inbuilt, can connect to another bit of technology and another. Where a purpose is identified; they will. Driverless cars for instance.

There is little point in doing it simply for the sake of the technology. Smart meters have been mentioned. Once you look and find how much electricity your 56 inch tv uses and how often the freezer kicks in, after a week you'll not bother. However, if you and your neighbours have some small scale renewable stuff, you might want to persuade each other to share a battery and then tell the grid to **** off.

The real issue is how you stop rouges abusing such connectivity, or the data. No one wants some jerk calling up and suggesting your car needs a service, so they've booked it in for you. Equally, feedback suggests some electrical engineers will walk funny when people show them where to fit washing machines a supplier can turn on and off for you. Similarly, given what public service staff already try and do with data they aren't supposed to abuse, it's worrying to think about what those torchered minds could come up with.

[GMR]

A big push is being made to make everything "joined" up. This will mean everyday objects like your fridge, kettle, heating etc will have network connectivity and be effectively on line. How do you feel about it? Is this progress or are we opening ourselves up to more cyber crime etc.

To be honest it is the future and I agree with it. Everything will be done from your phone. Even keeping an eye on your property (which actually can be done now). You could be on the other side of the world and you can still check your house, make sure the lights come on at a certain time.

[GMR]

It's just the latest consulting house sales scam. They even have seminars and published theses on this! All to let the gullible part with a wadge; its in the same box as TQM, Business Process Re-engineering, Cloud Computing....etc.etc.etc. Yawn. We already know that 'things' have technology inbuilt, can connect to another bit of technology and another. Where a purpose is identified; they will. Driverless cars for instance. There is little point in doing it simply for the sake of the technology. Smart meters have been mentioned. Once you look and find how much electricity your 56 inch tv uses and how often the freezer kicks in, after a week you'll not bother. However, if you and your neighbours have some small scale renewable stuff, you might want to persuade each other to share a battery and then tell the grid to **** off. The real issue is how you stop rouges abusing such connectivity, or the data. No one wants some jerk calling up and suggesting your car needs a service, so they've booked it in for you. Equally, feedback suggests some electrical engineers will walk funny when people show them where to fit washing machines a supplier can turn on and off for you. Similarly, given what public service staff already try and do with data they aren't supposed to abuse, it's worrying to think about what those torchered minds could come up with.

Every new technology will always be a challenge to crooks. But that won't stop technology and nor should it. I am still waiting for the day when we get better mobile coverage on our phones. Or fanatic speeds from you broadband.

[On the edge]

Every new technology will always be a challenge to crooks. But that won't stop technology and nor should it. I am still waiting for the day when we get better mobile coverage on our phones. Or fanatic speeds from you broadband.

Quite agree! Patchy mobile cover is really a national disgrace. Speed isn't really the issue, it's more about responsiveness.

As for rural broadband, falling for the blandishments of the steam age telegraph provider to deliver it was a serious mistake.

[user23]

A big push is being made to make everything "joined" up. This will mean everyday objects like your fridge, kettle, heating etc will have network connectivity and be effectively on line.

How do you feel about it? Is this progress or are we opening ourselves up to more cyber crime etc.

Just as many TVs are now online, I think it's inevitable for things like heating but perhaps less so for simple devices like kettles and toasters.

[je suis Charlie]

Even cars are now online, Google maps, apps, texts, the lot! Bit OTT for my taste.

[TallDarkAndHands...]

Just as many TVs are now online, I think it's inevitable for things like heating but perhaps less so for simple devices like kettles and toasters.

If you connect everything to everything will we reach a stage where something like the Internet reaches a stage of consciousness and if so what are the implications? Skynet?

[je suis Charlie]

If you connect everything to everything will we reach a stage where something like the Internet reaches a stage of consciousness and if so what are the implications? Skynet?

Oh nos! I hide under bed now. Its all brexits fault! I'll be back!

[TallDarkAndHands...]

Oh nos! I hide under bed now. Its all brexits fault! I'll be back!

I think the queues at Dover maybe! 😂

[user23]

If you connect everything to everything will we reach a stage where something like the Internet reaches a stage of consciousness and if so what are the implications? Skynet?

We're probably a few years away from that.

What's both more interesting and at the same time worrying is the potential for collection huge amounts of data on everyone

[On the edge]

We're probably a few years away from that.

What's both more interesting and at the same time worrying is the potential for collection huge amounts of data on everyone

I think most people would be very surprised at what data is freely available about them and more, what is already being talked about in usage terms.

[TallDarkAndHands...]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-37738823

And so it begins... Your toaster could be attacking the security forces at this very moment......