There's change in the air. A convergence of technology is taking all the best elements of mobile tech and combining them with ordinary devices. Meanwhile, everything from the way we think of fitness to how we pay for a cup of coffee is being reinvented to deliver convenience to all.
Internet of Things
Imagine a home where every object has a digital identity. Appliances will receive their own IP addresses and access the internet, while the walls between what was once considered the home computer and the kitchen appliance are breaking down into so much digital rubble. An appliance can contain a microprocessor, a network identity, and limited intelligence that goes far beyond traditional household gadgets.
The Rise of the Smart Home
With every appliance and electronic gadget given its own IP address, any device in the home can access the internet or chatter from one gadget to another. A digital thermostat without wiring can be fixed to a wall in moments, setup with a Bluetooth or WiFi configuration code to access the home network and used to control the air conditioning, smartly turning off the heating to certain rooms or remembering previous climate-control settings.
Security Systems of the Future
It's among the oldest pieces of technology in the world, but the key needs to change, to catch up to all the other innovations in the home. A keyless entry system is being made available for excited consumers with smartphones. The smartphone stores a virtual key in a downloaded App. Exit a vehicle upon returning home, get close enough for the lock to detect the authorized smartphone, and the lock will open, turning on hallway and outside lighting. Additional options include turning on heating in the hallway and automatically opening the garage room when the family car returns home.
New Smartphone Hardware
Behind the above applications of new technology is the smartphone. Even current generations of smartphones can interface with the smart appliances and systems in the home, adjusting heating while stuck in traffic, checking through a video App to see who's at the door thanks to installed IP cameras. Garage door openers can be linked to smartphones through companies like Garage Intel, Inc, too.
This is the start of another digital revolution, one that centers around mobile tech. Satellite wearables are pairing to pocketed smartphones to invisibly monitor fitness data, tracking everything from sleep patterns to heart rate. It may begin with smart watches but the tech is set to take over apparel of all kinds.