Sometimes the Internet of Things Pays Off

And sometimes it never will. The Internet of Things (IoT) is the concept that everything you own will be soon talking to the Internet. I only own 1 such device and I recently had an opportunity to purchase another but I passed on that one. 

Let’s compare and then let me clue you in on a technology pitfall that you probably would not have thought of. Lastly I’ll make mention of security.

 

1. My Nest Thermostat

internet of things

This is the natural gas usage at my house before and after installing the Nest thermostat. I bought it in late January 2015. I had a problem with the first one and had to return it and get another. Then it also has to learn and then have its programming adjusted so the first couple of months are a real learning curve. Even so crunching the numbers provided to me by Consumers Power I can see that since purchasing the Nest my natural gas consumption has gone down by 18.1MCF total for the year which translates to $133.38 plus sales tax savings for the year. The Nest costs $250 so it’ll pay for itself in 2 years and hopefully will last another couple years beyond that so I can reap some actual savings. The interesting thing to me about the graph is that it shows that I’ve saved energy 11 out of 12 months; June being the only exception. That’s consistent savings and it surprises me. I had a programmable thermostat before the Nest! It turned the heat up and down based on a preset schedule. So it really is the superior programming that is making the difference. The Nest can be used in offices too, not just homes.

2. The Wifi Enabled Brita Pitcher. Or as I call it the IoT device that spends your money for you.

internet of things

Let’s see if this pitcher is a beneficial IoT device. First it’s $12 more than the non-wifi enabled pitcher.  It connects up to Amazon Dash then for $5.99 your pitcher will order itself a new filter every time it’s approaching 40 gallons of usage. If you’re an Amazon Prime member then shipping is free. If not, then you’ll pay shipping too. The filter shows up on your doorstep causing you to remember to change the filter. If you’re the person that ignores the flashing red light on the top of your Brita pitcher telling you to change the filter or the type that doesn’t keep the house stocked with that CostCo size 10 pack of filters, then maybe this pitcher is worth it to you.

Let’s assume that I use a 10 pack each year that’s $47.84 in bulk plus the cost of my regular pitcher. Or $12 more for this pitcher and $12.06 more annually for the filters for a total of $24.06 additional cost for the pitcher that orders itself filters and spends my money for me. I passed on this opportunity.

The Technology Consequence you won’t think of. The wifi router in your home probably cost about $50. It is designed to handle up to 10 simultaneous connections. After that, it’s going to struggle. Internet will get slow, connections will drop, VPN will be clunky and things will just start to get weird, unpredictable and annoying.

Ten connections sounds like a lot but it isn’t anymore. Start adding up the number of devices in your home that use the Internet and you’ll see.

Phones, Television, Baby Monitor, Computers, Game Consoles, Nest, Security system, sprinkler system, Garage door, Brita Pitcher…

If you have more than 10 such devices and you haven’t purchased a wifi router in the last year or so that cost closer to $100 then the wifi router you have is probably inadequate. If you have 10 such devices today you’ll have 25 such devices a few years from now. IoT is happening in everything.

Of course I have to mention security. Here’s a creepy link to a search engine that specialized in connecting you to other peoples IoT devices. https://www.shodan.io/ Mostly it’s security cameras and baby monitors. You can just browse through them and watch people living without them knowing it. All because they bought a device without adequate security or they set it up without taking advantage of the security features that it offered. Don’t be one of these people. Please make sure you and only you can log into your devices. Lock it down to Internal only,  two-factor authentication, a very complex password or combination of all of the above. Need some help understanding how to set this up? Just ask us. While we don’t work on home networks we’re happy to dole out a little advice or quick tip here and there.

– Amy

p.s. Did you know that you’re probably the only person in your office that is getting our blog posts? Forwarded it on or have us sign them up for our list

 

About Harbor Computer Services

Harbor Computer Services is an IT firm servicing Southeastern Michigan. We work exclusively under contract with our clients to provide technology direction and either become the IT department or provide assistance to the internal IT they already have. We have won many awards for our work over the years, including the worldwide Microsoft Partner of the Year in 2010. We’re the smallest firm to have ever won this most prestigious award. Most recently we were recognized as one of the top 20 visionaries in small business IT by ChannelPro Magazine (2015). And in 2016 as the top Michigan IT firm for Manufacturing. There are a few simple things that make Harbor Computer Services the best choice for your business. •We are Professionals •We are Responsible •We are Concerned About The Success of Your Business

 

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