The term “connected world” immediately sets some lofty expectations. If you’ve never heard it before, it sounds as ambitious as it does vague. But once you start down the rabbit hole of understanding, you’ll find yourself dealing with some truly heady concepts. We’re no longer talking about personal computers or even the ubiquitous mobile devices […]
Smart Cities
The Blueprint for Building a Smart City
First, there were smartphones and then smart houses. Now, the next disruptive “smart” move is the smart city. As work, life, and society become increasingly connected through the wide adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) devices, it’s a natural progression to build smart cities that leverage tech to provide benefits like convenience and efficiency. […]
Why Private Access to Public Assets Will Decide the Fate of Smart Cities
Tech experts knew it was a long time coming: The interest in smart homes gave way to a desire for smart cities, and the U.S. is running into smart city development full force. A whopping 66 percent of U.S. cities indicated in 2017 that they were investing in smart technology — and 25 percent of […]
The State of Responsible IoT in 2018
What’s the State of Responsible IoT in 2018? After years of concerning news about connected devices that were hacked, bricked, or used to spy on users, a collection of essays by the experts in the ThingsCon network explores where we stand in terms of creating IoT devices that are responsibly made and respect user rights. […]
How Latin America is Drawing in Global Tech Giants
Latin America’s tech-savvy workforce has attracted international companies to maintain support offices in the region for years. However, the recent government commitment to develop innovation hubs, coupled with a growing middle class that lead in the adoption of mobile devices, has made Latin America prime territory for global tech companies to target local consumers. More […]
How to Improve Cybersecurity in a Smart City
The smart city began as a science fiction dream, but it’s very quickly becoming a reality. Municipal infrastructure, integrated with smart technology, will transform the aesthetics, utility, and sustainability of urban landscapes from here on out. To see a smart city in action, just look to Washington, D.C., which has embraced a top-down approach to […]
Incorporating Smart Technology In Design Can Add More Value to Cities
Smart cities can add value not just through money saved by efficient operations but also through the added benefits for citizens and local businesses by adding great design. Let’s change the design — and build a city. The key to building truly “smart” and efficient cities of the future is improving not just infrastructure — […]
Automation to hit poorer workers hardest, says report
The proliferation of robots and artificial intelligence into the workplace will make social inequality even worse and lead to significant job losses, according to a report from the Boston Consulting Group. The report says that while automation will affect a broad range of jobs, the rich will be able to retrain and deploy themselves into […]

Lutron lights up Amazon Echo’s life
Lutron Electronics has added its Caséta Wireless system to the growing list of devices that support Amazon Alexa range, which includes the Echo, Dot, Tap, and Fire TV. The Caséta Wireless system features various connected LED lights that can change color or brightness on demand. The integration of Alexa allows users to change the lights […]
Surveillance at the Heart of Smart Cities
Today’s cities are living entities. They develop, grow and become more complex over time. Yet, many of their most pressing issues, such as the need for utility improvements and monitoring crime, remain the same. Like never before, city officials have the capabilities to implement analytics technology. But surveillance will be at the heart of smart […]
Could drone beehives solve delivery issues in tomorrow’s cities?
Amazon has presented a few weird ideas for delivery and its latest, a skyscraper beehive filled with drones, is no exception. The patent application is another look at how Amazon plans to integrate drones and improve ‘last mile’ delivery. Most of Amazon’s warehouses are located on the outskirts of cities and it would take too […]
Smart data exchange will bring value to smart city innovation
When it comes to smart city innovation, it’s arguable that most use cases are not that exciting to the average resident. A connected garbage bin, traffic light or parking meter is not going to cause applause and adoration for city officials at least in the first instance. But as more and more local systems start to […]
How IoT and Big Data Applications Will Revolutionize Our Smart Cities
There’s no doubt about the fact that cities have evolved a lot over the past few years. They’ve transformed from small enclosures within walls to slouching metropolises which are home to millions of people. Not only have their sizes and nature changed but Smart Cities have also been able to provide the best environment for […]
3 benefits a smart city can gain from smart infrastructure
The Internet of Things is sweeping across the globe at breakneck speeds, and before we know it, our entire lives will be facilitated by connected technology. We’re already seeing the IoT make an incredible impact on how the industrial world operates, and we’re seeing it seep into household goods to bring convenience and efficiency to […]
We get Smarter with the Internet of Things (IoT) and so do Cities
Many people continue moving to urban centers for all kinds of different reasons. The logic and reasoning may include looking for employment, seeking a change in lifestyle and a variety of reasons that couldn’t possibly be listed, let alone guessed. As migration from rural to urban areas increases, cities must become efficient if they want […]
Why China’s own ‘Bay Area’ matters now for your company
Over the past few years, I’ve had the pleasure of spending significant time on the ground in China for ReadWrite and ReadWrite Labs. While here in China, I’m continuously discovering new opportunities that exist and even more reasons for foreign startups and corporations to consider getting started in China. However entering a new market can […]
Why are we still putting up with power outage downtime?
One of the biggest causes of downtime and data loss comes not from hackers or other nefarious activities, but from massive power blackouts that are caused by faulty equipment or machine “downtime”. In fact, loss of power leads as the top IT related disaster most organizations face. San Francisco’s massive April power outage, for example, brought […]
Coworking spaces and IoT — what could possibly go wrong?
The IoT and coworking spaces have a lot in common. Both need to strike a careful balance between forging accessible yet secure connections to engage with and protect their growing communities. It’s a tough call. Lucas Seyhun, co-founder at The Farm Coworking, said: “While we work with some of New York’s leading technical startups, we […]
AT&T and GE’s Current partner to build smart city solutions in Atlanta
In an announcement timed with this year’s MWC Americas, the city of Atlanta is receiving an Internet of Things (IoT) boost, in the form of a sensor-enabled data network that monitors traffic, parking, and pedestrian movement. AT&T, Current by GE, and Georgia Power have collaborated to fit 200 LED streetlights in the North Ave. Corridor, Buckhead […]
6 Reasons Why IoT Leaders Are Focused on Tampa
Recently leaders from technology and the multifamily gathered in Tampa, Florida for an event called “Building Cities of the Future”, A CRE and Urbantech Summit. Tampa is already on its journey to becoming a smarter city, and thus was the perfect setting for this event. The one day event was designed to bring together executives […]

Consumers Are Willing To Give Up Some Privacy—For The Right Products
A Pew study reveals the quid-pro-quo attitudes.

Android N To Use Oracle’s OpenJDK For Java APIs
Google replaces JDK with Open JDK

China Passes Law Requiring Encryption Keys From Tech Companies
For the new mandate, the Chinese cites American precedent.

The Biggest Company In Tech Fears Britain’s “Snooper Charter”—And Startups Should, Too
An assault on encryption.

Rise Of The Self-Driving Car—And The Next Platform Holy War
Autonomous vehicles will radically change lives. No wonder everyone wants in.

Why Spark And Hadoop Are Both Here To Stay
Skip the hyperbole and the holy wars and get down to facts.

Google And Uber Chiefs Discuss The Future Of Transportation
Eric Schmidt and Travis Kalanick share insights, and even bizarre stories.

Taxicab Industry Has A New App To Compete With Uber
But in the ride-sharing war, Arro still won’t hit the target.

How Self-Driving Cars Could Radically Transform Cities
Think more green space, fewer roads and faster commutes.

Uber Makes Nice With Cities, Offering Them Ride Data For Traffic Planning
Let’s forget about all that other unpleasantness, shall we?

How Big Data Reveals The Secret Life Of Cities
Meet StreetLight’s (blurry) Panopticon.

Nest’s Smart Home Ambitions Extend Past The Thermostat With Thread
The smart thermostat maker joins others to found Thread, a group with a new wireless protocol for mesh networks.

AT&T Takes On Google, Eyeing 21 Cities For Ultrafast Internet
Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Atlanta are in line for an upgrade.

Google Fiber May Be Coming To More U.S. Cities
Google is looking into the possibility of expanding its high-speed Internet service to 34 additional U.S. cities.