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There’s no denying that technology has had a significant impact on the way people live their daily lives. When the Internet became widely available back in the 1990s, it was considered groundbreaking. However, few of those early netizens could have predicted the world we’re living in today, where everyday devices, including appliances, smartwatches, and home security systems are connected to the internet, communicating and sharing data with each other. The Internet of Things (IoT) is behind this interconnected world we live in, and in this article, we look at what that means for consumers.
What is the Internet of Things?
What was once solely the domain of science fiction movies and novels has become a reality — we live in a world where smart devices are more common than landline phones. We can utter a few words into a smartwatch on our wrists to turn on the lights at home, adjust the thermostat, or even start brewing coffee. However, these things aren’t magic; they’re possible thanks to a network of interconnected devices and systems called IoT.
The development of IoT has arguably been just as groundbreaking as the development of the Internet itself, especially how it’s grown into a place where people seek entertainment. Gaming has moved online, including the table games that were traditionally played in brick-and-mortar casinos. Gone are the days when it was necessary to leave home to play casino games; today, online blackjack and more are available online. In a similar way, IoT has made home entertainment more accessible, with people using voice assistants to find content on streaming platforms and gaming consoles connecting to smart home systems to create immersive environments.
How IoT Improves Everyday Life
If one word comes to mind when thinking about IoT, it’s probably convenience. IoT makes our day-to-day lives a lot easier. With a smart home system installed where you live, you can automate things like adjusting lights, locking doors, and managing groceries. A smart speaker like Alexa can set a reminder for you to go to the dentist or play music in the background while you work, and all you have to do is speak a couple of voice commands to get it done. At the same time, a smart fridge can keep track of your food and let you know when it’s time to go grocery shopping. It can even suggest recipes to you based on the ingredients you have on hand.
Around the world, people are doing their part to minimize their carbon footprint and establish habits that benefit the environment. IoT devices are making this easier. They come equipped with energy-saving features that help consumers save money while reducing waste. A smart thermostat isn’t just energy efficient; it helps teach users how to optimize their home’s heating and cooling, and the payoff is often lower energy bills. Smart lighting is becoming increasingly common, too, making sure lights are only used when needed and, as a result, reducing the amount of electricity households use.
We’ve heard a lot about personalization in recent years, and IoT devices are at the forefront of this trend, collecting and analyzing data about their users to tailor experiences to them. If you have a fitness tracker, there’s a good chance you use it to monitor your activity levels, sleep patterns, and heart rate. That information doesn’t just sit idly on your wrist doing nothing. Instead, these devices use it to provide you with personalized health recommendations. If you use a smart assistant, you may have noticed it gets to know you and your habits better over time. That’s because it learns your preferences and adjusts its responses based on your previous interactions with it. In that way, these IoT devices become like an old friend who’s known you for years, something most consumers appreciate.
