Internet of Things: Inventors and Operators
As a continuation of the Internal of Things discussion yesterday, our second key idea I’d like to discuss is that there are two basic groups of IoT use cases. One is centered around enterprises and entrepreneurs looking to invent new IoT products or services, and the other focused on those looking to optimize their operations. And the truth is that many of our clients, the businesses who stand to gain or lose the most based on their IoT strategy, represent both roles. They are inventors, and they are operators as well.
Let’s say you’re looking to invent new IoT offerings. You must invent and innovate and improve products with interconnections in mind. Think about the type of data those products are generating or are capable of generating.
What new connections are you making, and how will you capitalize on those connections? How will you use the data? What insights are you able to uncover, and how will you leverage them to do what you do better? What new capabilities will the data enable?
There’s a new app, one of the winners of our SportsHack Challenge this year at Impact, that is capable of mapping crime data to create safe run routes, allowing runners to determine where the safest nearby areas are to run, anywhere in the world. Clever stuff.
And to be clear, all innovations or inventions are not focused on an app or product or service itself. Some of the better, more significant innovations over the last few years are focused on evolving or transforming the way people interact with those things. Or on how products and services interact with other devices or organizations.
An example is how Yarra Trams is using IBM big data, mobile, analytics and cloud technology to improve service reliability and get passengers where they need to be, faster and more efficiently than ever before.
Or maybe you are focused on optimizing your operations, bringing things together to create new value. Doesn’t matter if it’s a global supply chain, a production line, a fleet of rental cars or a server farm. And the irony is that today, a fleet of cars actually isn’t that different from a server farm—just on wheels.
Being an operator is about creating the system using technology from multiple vendors and then analyzing, synthesizing and optimizing, fighting to make it work better, more seamlessly, more fluidly.
The new connected car IBM will be working on with Toyota is an excellent example, where these guys are transforming everyday vehicles to gather all sorts of data that can adjust the suspension to accommodate road conditions, send drivers text alerts in real time about inclement weather and so much more.
As an example, we (IBM) helped the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC WASA) integrate advanced analytics with asset management software to reduce downtime with predictive maintenance on its aging infrastructure. DC WASA instrumented thousands of water meters with automated meter reading technology that enables the Authority to use data to create a deeper understanding of usage patterns to provide citizens with more sophisticated pricing and demand response options.
Or maybe you’re both an inventor and an operator.
The point is simply that it’s important to understand the primary IoT use cases, and it’s also important that you know exactly how you or your clients fit into those use cases to build the right strategy for optimizing the IoT.
Tomorrow I will discuss the level of relationship and hierarchy around technology. But really, this point is less about prioritization and more about understanding how the pieces of your infrastructure puzzle fit together to bring you the best big picture the IoT has to offer. The IoT is the next concentric circle around the cloud. And of course, it is populated by things. But it’s also populated with people.
3 Thoughts on Internet of Things
Now, I’m no Einstein, but I do want to offer you three thoughts in the spirit of this quote. Three key ideas to keep in mind when developing or optimizing your strategy for the Internet of Things.
First, the IOT is both like, and unlike, the Internet. Based on our experience across a diverse set of industries and clients, …
… there is an approximately 70 percent overlap between the two. So there is no question that if you have a highly effective Internet strategy, you’re far ahead of those who don’t. Because that Internet strategy proves that you’re already well equipped for the majority of what the IoT will throw at you.
But it also means there is a 30 percent piece that is unique.
And like most things, the devil of the IoT is in the details. In other words, to be successful moving forward, we must focus on the unique aspects of the IoT. And the truth is that if we don’t respect those differences, failure is inevitable.
OK, then what are the aspects of the IoT that make it unique from the Internet? For simplicity, we’ve categorized those things into four primary areas.
1. Different devices. And more of them. And new ones being invented virtually every day. It is within those devices that the potential to create this common language of the IoT begins; that is the genesis point for unity.
2. Different protocols. Different rules for data exchange between different systems. Again, if we think about the Tower of Babel analogy, the potential exists with the IoT, but if we aren’t speaking the same language, or at least using protocols that are compatible, what good is it to us?
3. Different types of analysis. And of course, different types of data that are all growing at an exponential rate. And then there’s all the historical data, ripe with value, that has yet to be tapped. How will it be analyzed? How can you refine your focus and make this now seemingly unmanageable task manageable once again?
4. And different partners. Yes, of course it is good to be strong in business processes and operations. But achieving IoT success means having the skills and capabilities that neither IT organizations nor industrial organizations have alone. It will require the right kind of partnerships, the right teams coming and working together to achieve a common goal.
So that’s the first key idea, the importance of focusing on that which differentiates the IoT from the Internet and refining your expertise, skills and partnerships to capitalize on those differences. To transform those technical challenges into business opportunities.
We'll see the other 2 ideas tomorrow!!!
Video Blog: Teaching binary to Toddlers! Is it important for all to Code?
Why are fewer people graduating with a technical degree (12% today vs 37% in 1984)? Why should you care?
Listen to this video blog to see how people are starting to train their kids earlier on how to code because of the upcoming importance to ALL on the power of coding!
I'd love to hear your thoughts!!!
As a social tool, LinkedIn is growing in Influence
I love the research from the Global Web Index and today's aha moment was around LinkedIn. As outlined in our GWI Social report, LinkedIn’s active user figure has increased by 50% in the las6 months.
Did you know that 30% of online 16-64s have an account on LinkedIn? And 1 in 8 have said they have actively used LinkedIn within the last month.
In fact, 1 in 10 online 45-64s are active on LinkedIn – making it the second oldest network in terms of its age profile and giving it a user base which is similar to Facebook’s.
What’s more, a quarter of LinkedIn’s active users are in the top income quartile, while almost half say they tend to buy brands they see advertised. In both cases, this puts LinkedIn ahead of Facebook – giving some indication as to why the social networking giant is after a bigger slice of this premium audience.
Easier mobile app development tools take over SmartCamp Europe Regionals
Our final SmartCamp Regional event for the year was held last week in London. We had 9 startup finalists; that's the largest SmartCamp Regional we've ever had! Eight countries across Europe, including Israel, were represented. It was a truly amazing event!
Watch this short video about the SmartCamp Europe Regional!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI7csH3_hbg&w=560&h=315]
The results produced two winners who will be going on to the SmartCamp Global Finals: Kinetise and WakingApp. Congratulations to these two startups for winning what proved to be one of the most competitive SmartCamps ever!
There is a common thread between these two startups. Both are native digital app companies with mobile solutions that allow anyone to create a mobile app, even if they don't have hardcore programming skills. Drag and drop features are evident in both solutions, making it much easier and faster to deploy the features you want and need into your mobile app.
But why make mobile app development easier for non-developers? According to Piotr Pawlak, CEO of Kinetise, it is "because of the developer shortage. There is simply not enough engineers in the market" to keep up with demand.
Kinetise and WakingApp have tapped into the future of mobile app development, and I couldn't be more excited to have them compete at our Global Finals! You can follow them on Twitter @Kinetise and @WakingApp.
The People's Choice Award went to Magick, winner of SmartCamp Nordics. It's clear to see why they are so popular since their mobile, browser-based financial trading solution makes it so much easier to perform financial trades, especially in the foreign currency exchange trade. Something tells me you'll be hearing more about Magick, like in financial magazines! You can follow them on Twitter @MAGICKnu.
And I'm so thrilled that Andiamo, one of my favorite startups, received a Special Mention during the event. Andiamo, our SmartCamp London winner, has a solution that uses 3D scanning and printing technology to create orthotics for children in a fraction of the time it took with previous methods... and cheaper, too! They are literally improving the lives of so many children and their families with this innovative solution. Congratulations to Andiamo and continued success! Follow them on Twitter @AndiamoHQ.
Follow my blog post for more on the upcoming SmartCamp Global Finals for 2014!
New IBM Digital Marketing Agency program provides game-changing marketing solutions
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The 3-D Ultrasound Medical Scanner That Runs On Your Smartphone
Imagine that every doctor’s office – perhaps even every pharmacy – had a low cost imaging device running on a smartphone. The scanner would be able to provide instant, real-time pictures inside damaged limbs and inside other parts of the body, significantly reducing the time taken for diagnosis.
No referrals, no hospital visits and faster treatments.
Several low-cost medical imaging devices driven by smartphones are now arriving. One of the most interesting approaches is from the Butterfly Network which proposes to make a small ultrasound scanner able to run on a variety of smartphones.
One issue with low-cost portable scanners is that family doctors and pharmacists will need training to interpret scan results. But scanner makers are also likely to offer a real-time on-line interpretation service to assist. And for a fee. Compliments of Ray Hammond -- a true futrologist!
Great Black Friday Retail Analytics - compliments of IBM!
Our mega Black Friday wrap report is now out and it's chalked full of data goodness. So grab a cup of coffee, fire up the analystics machine, and start the day off right with our Benchmark.
The headline: Black Friday drove a 9.5% sales increase from last year!
While Thanksgiving is starting to eat into sales, Black Friday continues to pay dividend for online retailers with a 9.5% sales jump vs. last year according to IBM’s real-time analytics.
Mobile shopping makes its mark on Black Friday as nearly half of online retail traffic came from mobile devices after beating the 50% mobile traffic mark on Thanksgiving. Black Friday mobile sales reached nearly 27.9% of all online sales, an increase of 28.2% last year.
New York City shoppers topped all online shoppers in Black Friday sales, according to the IBM data. New York was followed by Washington DC, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Chicago.
In the battle of mobile devices, smartphone users were driving the most traffic on Black Friday, but it was tablet users who converted more sales.
Health & Beauty and Home Good online outlets were among the big winners on Black Friday according to IBM data analytics reports. Health & Beauty sales surged 56.9% while Home Goods built a 43.2% increase.
Facebook users coverted orders at nearly four times as many sales than Pinterest on Black Friday. Facebook also drove a higher average order value ($109.94) compared to Pinterest ($100.24)
Summarized -- Here's other Top 8 Factoids:
- Mobile drives over 49.6% of all online retail traffic on BlackFriday
- Mobile drives more than 1/2 of all online retail traffic for 1st time on Thanksgiving
- NYC is the #1 shopping city! Top cities for online retail sales on BlackFriday: NYC, DC, Atlanta, Los Angelos, Chicago
- Smartphones drive clicks but tablets drive cha-chings on #BlackFriday
- Retailers get more targeted with the #BlackFriday email promotions sending 11% fewer messages
- Apple iOS takes nearly 4x bigger bite of #BlackFriday mobile shopping sales vs. Android
- Apple devices drive more than 2x traffic to online retailers than Android and Apple iOS shoppers spend $121.86 per order vs. $98.07 for Androd – a 24% difference!!
- Facebook users convert sales at more than 2x rate of Pinterest on #BlackFriday
The evolution of retail: EyeQ and RosieApp from North America Regionals move on to SmartCamp Global Finals
We're seeing an incredible transformation in retail right now driven by Cloud-Analytics-Mobile-Social (CAMS)! Nowhere was this more evident than at the US Regional SmartCamp Finals recently. The winners chosen by our crack judging team of VCs and startup experts both had something in common: they are transforming the customer experience for retailers and brands.
eyeQ gathers data about in-store customers to help retailers understand how purchase decisions are made at the shelf. How does the customer react to a given product? What role does gender bias play? How much time are they taking to make a purchase decision? eyeQ collects all this information on the Bluemix cloud platform, giving brands better customer insight. (Follow them on Twitter @eyeQinsights)
Likewise, Rosie makes it possible for small and medium-sized brick-and-mortar stores to offer a robust online shopping experience for their customers. They collect data on a shopper's buying habits and then translate that into an enhanced online shopping experience. Their platform brings together the whole retail supply chain to deliver exceptional customer experience. The mobile-based RosieApp lets customers keep control of when their key groceries run out and order and deliver them automatically! A powerful recommendation engine suggests relevant products. (Follow them on Twitter @RosieApp)
Winning their second People's Choice Award, BeehiveID's solution for authenticating online identities clearly has a popular following of supporters and customers. Their solution is a critical service in our increasingly mobile and online lives! (Follow them on Twitter @BeehiveID)
Congrats to all our winners! And we look forward to seeing eyeQ and Rosie at our SmartCamp Global Finals!
Helpful links:
eyeQ -> http://www.eyeqinsights.com/
Rosie -> https://www.rosieapp.com/
BeehiveID -> http://beehiveid.com/