Tag Archives: internet of things

UK mulls security warnings for smart home devices

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In an attempt to secure the millions of connected devices that find their way into homes in the UK, the government is considering baseline security requirements for Internet of Things products. The new rules could include mandatory labels that tell c...

Learn to Build IoT Applications for Raspberry Pi

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Interested in learning more about all the professional and personal possibilities Raspberry Pi can create in your life? The Raspberry Pi Mastery Bundle will teach you how this low-cost computer hardware is surprisingly versatile and capable.

This bundle of online courses is perfect for those who want to further explore Raspberry Pi, especially the recently launched Raspberry Pi Zero. As one of the most powerful Internet of Things (IoT) and home automation tools on the market today, Raspberry Pi programming is a valuable skill to have in today’s tech workplace.

After you learn the basics, you’ll learn about automation projects, how to display data on external devices, and how to use Raspberry Pi to control robots, among other things. You’ll even discover how to use Raspberry Pi to mine Bitcoin and possible make some spare change.

By the end of the course, you’ll be a Raspberry Pi pro, opening doors in your career and personal life. The complete series is yours for just $34(USD) in the Technabob Shop.

More Awesome Stuff for You to Click On:

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Master Microsoft Excel, and Prove Your Skills in the Process
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Learn All of the In’s & Out’s of Ethical Hacking

FlipFlic IoT Gadget Automates Window Blinds

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We focus so much on automating complex mechanism that we tend to forget about the things that could truly use going through such a process. A good example are window blinds, which now, thanks to FlipFlic can be opened or closed automatically, thus no longer causing you to waste time.

Touted as the first plug & play solution for window blinds, FlipFlic by Jalousier (read my first post on this company here here) is a zero-maintenance IoT gadget – in that it is solar powered and doesn’t require you to change its batteries – that will simply make your life better in more than just one way. Sure, it can save you the time you’d otherwise spend opening and closing the blinds, but on top of that, FlipFlic can also adjust the blinds when there’s too much light or heat. Not to mention that it can help you get a head start in the morning, as it can open the blinds just before you wake up.

“It just hit me; there’s got to be a way to automatically control indoor light and temperature without breaking your wallet on expensive and low tech motorized blinds,” recalls Ksenia Vinogradova, FlipFlic’s CEO and “Mom in Tech,” of the moment when she was confronted with opening 12 window blinds at home and even more at work. “Window blinds are there to regulate incoming heat and light, but it is nobody’s job to open and close them several times a day. Such a simple, but annoying task has got to be automated, just like many other things at home.”

“This is an exciting opportunity to design a really practical product that incorporates a lot of cutting-edge technology, including smart sensors and wireless integration,” added Sergey Vinogradov, FlipFlic co-founder and technology lead. “Our team was challenged to come up with a distinctive and iconic product design that would look terrific in any home.”

As any respectable IoT gadget, the FlipFlic comes with a companion app (available for both iOS and Android) that grants you full control over your blinds. Basically, you can set the FlipFlic to open or close them based on temperature, light, or according to a timer. Best of all, you can control multiple FlipFlic kits from within a single app, so imagine how easy it would be to lighten up a large conference room!

FlipFlic is currently featured on Kickstarter, where Ksenia and Sergey set a funding goal of $50,000. Given the innovation factor, it’s no wonder that the project hit this goal in just 9 days, and it’s now getting stretch goals. Early birds could get a FlipFlic kit for as little as $60, but those spots have long been gone, and now you’d have to pledge $85+ for a kit. Even so, the gadget is well worth the money, as it can help you save a lot of time and frustration.

Bear in mind that you’ll have to choose between a kit for vertical or horizontal blinds when the crowdfunding campaign ends.

Be social! Follow Walyou on Facebook and Twitter, and read more related stories about the Lumafit interactive fitness tracker, or the Revl Arc action camera with built-in stabilization.

Two Great DIY Deals from the Walyou Store

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Complete Arduino Starter Kit & Course Bundle

DIY enthusiasts are getting their share of attention at Walyou Deals this week, and while there isn’t a lot of equipment for them to put together, the two e-book bundles will definitely help them master the popular open-source electronics platform.

Up for sale in our store for the next three or two days, respectively, are the Arduino enthusiast e-book bundle and the complete Arduino starter kit & course bundle, two comprehensive sources of information for the ones who want to use this platform for IoT, iOS or Android projects. Not only are these two bundles heavily discounted, but the latter even includes a full Arduino toolkit that should be sufficient for getting you started.

The first bundle includes the following items, and comes with an 88% discount that shouldn’t be neglected:

  • Arduino Wearable Projects
  • Arduino Electronics Blueprints
  • Arduino Development Cookbook
  • Internet of Things with Arduino Blueprints
  • Arduino by Example
  • Arduino iOS Blueprints
  • Arduino Robotic Projects
  • Arduino Android Projects

Assuming that you already own an Arduino kit, these 8 e-books should be more than enough for designing and building your own wearables or interactive electronic devices. Since so many different aspects are tackled in this course, by the time you finish it you should be an expert.

There’s a particular focus on Internet of Things projects, as Arduino is one of the platforms of choice for anyone interested in developing devices that access Internet data.

Furthermore, you could build complex robots based on Arduino and a wide range of sensors including GPS, magnetic compass, and RF receivers. On top of that, you could learn a thing or two about how Arduino can be integrated with Android or iOS. You might actually end up creating robots that can be controlled using Android or iOS devices, and that’s not too shabby, is it? The only thing you should focus on is putting into practice right away what you have learned.

On the other hand, the second bundle takes things to the next level, as it integrates a full Arduino toolkit:

  • Beginning Arduino ‘Make Your Own Environment Monitor System’ Course
  • Arduino Step-by-Step ‘Your Guide to the Internet of Things’ Course
  • Arduino ‘Make a Remote-Controlled Car’ Course
  • Beginning Arduino ‘Make Your Own Environment Monitor System’ Course

The Arduino Uno included in the bundle comes with 13 circuits with as many breadboard layouts, meaning that you can create 13 different projects. Of course, once you start buying more sensors for the microcontroller, you’ll find out that this platform is incredibly versatile, and can really put your creativity to the test.

Ultimately, the two bundles are only meant to give you an idea about what exactly can be achieved with this microcontroller, thus leaving you to experiment at your own pace afterwards.

Both the Arduino enthusiast e-book bundle and the complete Arduino starter kit & course bundle are available on Walyou Deals, for $29 and $62.99, respectively. Considering the massive discounts, these two deals really aren’t something DIY enthusiasts stumble upon everyday, and since both of them will be gone within a couple of days,

Be social! Follow Walyou on Facebook and Twitter, and read more related stories about the Arduino step-by-step complete guide, or the Raspberry Pi and Arduino-based Nexie entertainment system.

SmartRemote Contextual Remote Control for Smart Appliances: Faceshifter

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For better or for worse, our appliances are getting smarter. But like their simpler ancestors, they usually come with their own remote controls, be they physical controllers or apps. French startup Sevenhugs thinks it has the answer with SmartRemote, a touchscreen universal remote control for connected devices.

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Ideally, SmartRemote works like this: you point it at your TV, and it turns into a TV remote, but when you point it at your LED bulb, it automatically switches to the color and brightness controls. And so on. Right now the remote works only with Philips Hue lights, Sonos speakers and the Nest Learning Thermostat, but Sevenhugs says it has an open SDK that will hopefully encourage companies and developers to make their devices compatible with SmartRemote.

In truth, the remote itself isn’t that smart. It works in conjunction with a mobile app and three location modules that plug into bulb sockets. For best results, the three modules should all be plugged in the same room. The app lets you pair the remote with any device that has Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity, while the modules serve as the remote’s compass. In short, the remote detects not what you’re pointing at, but where you’re pointing to. But you can use that limitation to your advantage. For instance, you can train the remote to show the thermostat controls when you point at your fireplace, or toggle the outdoor lights when you point at your window.

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Sevenhugs plans on raising funds for SmartRemote on Kickstarter on February and start shipping on September. It seems like a magical device, but I’d still rather have it as an app on my phone or perhaps on a smartwatch. I wouldn’t be surprised if the sensors on smartphones would be enough to let it determine its location and orientation on its own.

[via Werd, TechCrunch & MacVoicesTV]

CES 2016: Samsung Introduced TVs, Smart Gadgets and Home Appliances

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Samsung-CES-2016-2

Samsung had their CES 2016 keynote in Las Vegas in order to show what they’ve been working on and what they’ll offer customers throughout the year.

Las Vegas, Nevada is the main stage for CES 2016, the world’s greatest technology, electronics and consumer products show on the planet, where several industry giants reunite to show their projects for the year that has just started. Among all of these companies was Korean giant Samsung, particularly well known for their products when it comes to smartphones, TVs and several other devices and gadgets acclaimed worldwide. Among what they introduced at their keynote were tablets, virtual reality features and even Internet of Things solutions and gadgets for health.

Samsung TVs at CES 2016

Samsung started out their keynote talking about their new SUHD TVs with curved designed and improved image quality thanks to their new technology, quantum dot display. These new TVs are special for being the first to not have any cadmium among their components, making it truly an eco TV, but on top of this it features better contrast and a wider variety of colors than any screen before it – all of which can be appreciated from any point in the room without any kind of glare thanks to its curved screens. These TVs run on Tizen OS, through which users can access tons of movies, streaming services and games, but they also intantly recognize devices (video game consoles, blu-ray players, home theaters, or whatever) so they can adjust to these automatically, without users having to meddle with the settings.

After this segment, they discussed the future of their VR headset, the Gear VR, and their plan to produce cameras capable of recording in 360 degrees in order to create immersive experiences aimed to bring virtual reality to the masses, outside of the niche of enthusiasts and gamers.

The Internet of Things according to Samsung

Samsung introduced a new and spectacular fridge (seriously, this fridge stole the show) called the Family Hub Refrigerator, which helps families connect offering new ways to organize, shop, and buy food giving and receiving instructions through its 21.5” inches screen in Full HD LCD with a touchscreen. Among the things the Family Hub can do are included:

  • Food Handling: with three cameras located inside the fridge, anyone can check out the food inside from anywhere in the world through a smartphone app. What’s more, thanks to their association with MasterCard, Samsung will offer an online shopping service where you can order food from many different chains and retailers through the fridge’s interface (this service will only be available in the USA and South Korea as of now).
  • Family communication center: This fridge allow the family to write notes, take pictures and share a calendar or art from its touchscreen, so everyone can communicate without having to depend on paper and pens.

  • Internet of Things: Samsung are aiming to strengthen their ecosystem of interconnected products, and this fridge is a part of that. Users can control lights, unlock doors and more straight from the Family Hub, as long as the other products are compatible.
  • Connected entertainment: The Family Hub Refrigerator features a fantastic screen and set of speakers where users can stream their favorite TV shows, music, or any kind of media, which makes the kitchen feel more homely and bridge the gap between it and the livingroom.

Mobile productivity and premium wearables

In order to close their CES 2016 keynote, the Korean giant introduced the new Galaxy TabPro S, a new premium tablet with the best features from the Galaxy family as well as all of the perks of a Windows computer. It is designed to last and respond, and comes with a full keyboard and touchpad so users can pick how to control it. Despite this, the most interesting thing about it was its terrific 12″ inches Super AMOLED Display capable of Full HD Plus.

 

This tablet wasn’t the only thing they introduced on the last segment. There was also quite a bit on the Gear S2, a smartwatch that comes in platinum and rose gold variants with designs by Alessandro Mendini and Colombo. This new smartwatch by Samsung is the first one to offer Samsung Pay functionality, an alternative for your shopping which is making its debut in South Korea and the USA this 2016, and will receive expanded compatibility to many other devices.

Thanks to its innovative gadgets and interconection features, Samsung have proven why they are among the industry leaders, and why it’s more important looking towards the future than having nostalgia for the past.

Be social! Follow Walyou on Facebook and Twitter, and read more related stories at The Samsung Galaxy S7 Will Come In Two Sizes and CES 2016: Everything LG Introduced At Las Vegas.

 

CES 2016: Samsung Introduced TVs, Smart Gadgets and Home Appliances

Posted on by
Samsung-CES-2016-2

Samsung had their CES 2016 keynote in Las Vegas in order to show what they’ve been working on and what they’ll offer customers throughout the year.

Las Vegas, Nevada is the main stage for CES 2016, the world’s greatest technology, electronics and consumer products show on the planet, where several industry giants reunite to show their projects for the year that has just started. Among all of these companies was Korean giant Samsung, particularly well known for their products when it comes to smartphones, TVs and several other devices and gadgets acclaimed worldwide. Among what they introduced at their keynote were tablets, virtual reality features and even Internet of Things solutions and gadgets for health.

Samsung TVs at CES 2016

Samsung started out their keynote talking about their new SUHD TVs with curved designed and improved image quality thanks to their new technology, quantum dot display. These new TVs are special for being the first to not have any cadmium among their components, making it truly an eco TV, but on top of this it features better contrast and a wider variety of colors than any screen before it – all of which can be appreciated from any point in the room without any kind of glare thanks to its curved screens. These TVs run on Tizen OS, through which users can access tons of movies, streaming services and games, but they also intantly recognize devices (video game consoles, blu-ray players, home theaters, or whatever) so they can adjust to these automatically, without users having to meddle with the settings.

After this segment, they discussed the future of their VR headset, the Gear VR, and their plan to produce cameras capable of recording in 360 degrees in order to create immersive experiences aimed to bring virtual reality to the masses, outside of the niche of enthusiasts and gamers.

The Internet of Things according to Samsung

Samsung introduced a new and spectacular fridge (seriously, this fridge stole the show) called the Family Hub Refrigerator, which helps families connect offering new ways to organize, shop, and buy food giving and receiving instructions through its 21.5” inches screen in Full HD LCD with a touchscreen. Among the things the Family Hub can do are included:

  • Food Handling: with three cameras located inside the fridge, anyone can check out the food inside from anywhere in the world through a smartphone app. What’s more, thanks to their association with MasterCard, Samsung will offer an online shopping service where you can order food from many different chains and retailers through the fridge’s interface (this service will only be available in the USA and South Korea as of now).
  • Family communication center: This fridge allow the family to write notes, take pictures and share a calendar or art from its touchscreen, so everyone can communicate without having to depend on paper and pens.

  • Internet of Things: Samsung are aiming to strengthen their ecosystem of interconnected products, and this fridge is a part of that. Users can control lights, unlock doors and more straight from the Family Hub, as long as the other products are compatible.
  • Connected entertainment: The Family Hub Refrigerator features a fantastic screen and set of speakers where users can stream their favorite TV shows, music, or any kind of media, which makes the kitchen feel more homely and bridge the gap between it and the livingroom.

Mobile productivity and premium wearables

In order to close their CES 2016 keynote, the Korean giant introduced the new Galaxy TabPro S, a new premium tablet with the best features from the Galaxy family as well as all of the perks of a Windows computer. It is designed to last and respond, and comes with a full keyboard and touchpad so users can pick how to control it. Despite this, the most interesting thing about it was its terrific 12″ inches Super AMOLED Display capable of Full HD Plus.

 

This tablet wasn’t the only thing they introduced on the last segment. There was also quite a bit on the Gear S2, a smartwatch that comes in platinum and rose gold variants with designs by Alessandro Mendini and Colombo. This new smartwatch by Samsung is the first one to offer Samsung Pay functionality, an alternative for your shopping which is making its debut in South Korea and the USA this 2016, and will receive expanded compatibility to many other devices.

Thanks to its innovative gadgets and interconection features, Samsung have proven why they are among the industry leaders, and why it’s more important looking towards the future than having nostalgia for the past.

Be social! Follow Walyou on Facebook and Twitter, and read more related stories at The Samsung Galaxy S7 Will Come In Two Sizes and CES 2016: Everything LG Introduced At Las Vegas.

 

MultiAdaptor’s Connected Notepad Interacts with Think With Google

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MultiAdaptor Connected Notebook Think with Google 01

Ever wanted for the things you write down in a paper notepad to show up in an app? MultiAdaptor’s connected notebook achieves this, albeit in a simplistic manner, and the app it interacts with is Google’s marketing service, Think With Google.

MultiAdaptor, a British branding agency based in London, was commissioned by the Mountainview tech giant to make the marketing research publishing tool better known in creative companies. While the initial request was to design an exhibition, MultiAdaptor figured out that developing an interactive product and sending it to potential customers could be far more effective for promoting Think With Google.

Industrial designer Roland Ellis, the one who was in charge with developing this notepad, created a conductive bookbinding glue that brings together the reusable Arduino circuit board found at the back of the work book with the printed pages. MultiAdaptor went as far as to claim that the conductive glue is the first of its kind, so the agency is definitely worth some praises for that. As for the notebook’s pages, they are covered with screen-printed conductive ink that can be activated using even common graphite pencils. This way, the developers not only did way with cables and circuits, but also made sure not only that the Arduino circuit board could be reused with another set of glued printed pages, but that the notebook itself can be used with regular writing tools.

“Our notepad had to be compact and convincing,” explained MultiAdaptor. “Conductive ink allowed us to interface with digital content using a pencil, but we wanted to avoid the expected ‘R&D’ aesthetic of cables and circuitry and create something more simple and human.”

As seen above, the notebook is delivered in a blue box, with a blue graphite pencil and an USB cable that’s used for activating the product. Basically, you need to connect it to a computer with the provided cable, then head over to the Think with Google website and pick two options from a list, using either the provided pencil or just any other one. However, I don’t know whether mechanical pencils are as good. After selecting articles, stats, or case studies, the respective content is shown on a dashboard called ‘My Edit.’ Ripping a page off the notepad will enable users to start over with their content selection.

Needless to say, the notepad can be used independently of the Think With Google app and website, and viceversa.

“The digital experience is also designed to reflect the Google brand – something simple and helpful, but playful and innovative too,” concluded MultiAdaptor.

There has been no word on the final number of connected notepad that will be printed and assembled, but for the time being, 1,000 of them are on their way to creative agencies in the UK and Italy. The following video provides more details on how MultiAdaptor’s connected notepad came to be.

Be social! Follow Walyou on Facebook and Twitter, and read more related stories about wearables powered by energy producing clothes, or the Wuf smart dog collar that lets you talk to your pet from miles away.

[via CreativeReview]

Amazon Turns Dash into Internet of Things Button: Merch Imitating Hack

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The Dash Button was originally intended to make it easier for loyal customers to order products from Amazon, but we’ve seen how you can easily hack it for other purposes. It looks like the company took notice of the Dash’s potential, because it’s created a variant that connects to its new Amazon Web Services Internet of Things (AWS IoT) cloud platform.

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Unlike the original Dash Button, the AWS IoT Button has three click types – single press, double press and long press – so it’s more versatile. It also connects to and is managed from the AWS IoT console. Here’s a sample project that uses the AWS IoT Button by YouTuber Janakiram MSV:

As it needs a few seconds to establish a WiFi connection each time it’s pressed, it’s a little slow, but if your application doesn’t require instantaneous response, it should be sufficient. AWS IoT is still in beta, as such Amazon isn’t selling the button yet and is instead giving it away at its AWS events, but I imagine that will change once their platform launches. Check out the button’s FAQ page for more info.

[via Hack A Day]