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From "smart" houses to "smart" cars, from cashless banking to wearable sensors that gather personal health data, new technological innovations are part of the Internet of Things (IoT) and are now integrated with nearly all aspects of daily living, impacting health, home, transportation, shopping, travel, and entertainment. Soon, almost everything will be "smart," interconnected, fully networked, and able to communicate information back and forth.Advances to sophisticated artificial intelligence and machine learning, automation, and augmented reality, mean the internet landscape is undergoing massive change. It's no longer just about accessing information via electronic devices like laptops, smartphones, and tablets. From toasters to transit systems, we are now in the age of the IoT where these interconnected devices and objects learn from data exchanges and adapt and respond to our personal needs and preferences.If you wonder what this could mean for you, read this guide to understanding the way soon-to-be common technologies affect your daily life and how to use these technologies for increased safety, security, convenience, and quality of life. Whether you are a mainstream user of technology, part of the sandwich generation, or a baby boomer trying to navigate the IoT age, this book is your roadmap.

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From "smart" houses to "smart" cars, from cashless banking to wearable sensors that gather personal health data, new technological innovations are part of the Internet of Things (IoT) and are now integrated with nearly all aspects of daily living, impacting health, home, transportation, shopping, travel, and entertainment. Soon, almost everything will be "smart," interconnected, fully networked, and able to communicate information back and forth.Advances to sophisticated artificial intelligence and machine learning, automation, and augmented reality, mean the internet landscape is undergoing massive change. It's no longer just about accessing information via electronic devices like laptops, smartphones, and tablets. From toasters to transit systems, we are now in the age of the IoT where these interconnected devices and objects learn from data exchanges and adapt and respond to our personal needs and preferences.If you wonder what this could mean for you, read this guide to understanding the way soon-to-be common technologies affect your daily life and how to use these technologies for increased safety, security, convenience, and quality of life. Whether you are a mainstream user of technology, part of the sandwich generation, or a baby boomer trying to navigate the IoT age, this book is your roadmap.

Author Biography

Vicki McLeod is the founder of Main Street Communications Ltd., a strategic planning and communications firm based in Greater Vancouver, Canada. In 2013 Main Street was shortlisted by Small Business BC as one of the Top 5 Online Marketers in the province an RBC Women of Influence nominee as a Canadian Woman Entrepreneur of the Year for 2014 & 2015. She was honoured as 2014 Business Leader of the Year in Main Street's home community of Maple Ridge B.C., Canada. She's the author of #Untrending, a local newspaper columnist, and a TEDX speaker. She is the coauthor of Self-Counsel Press title Digital Legacy Plan.

Table of Contents

Preface xiiiIntroduction xvii1 The Internet: Then and Now 11. The Internet As a Research Tool 22. The Internet As a Communication Tool 43. The Internet As a Planning Tool 54. Welcome to the Internet of Things 75. Summing Up 92 Today's Internet: The Internet of Things 111. What Is the Internet of Things andHow Does It Work? 112. What Makes Smart Technology So Smart? 133. Let's Talk Networks 163.1 Wi-Fi 163.2 Mesh networking 18iv You and the Internet of Things3.3 Bluetooth 183.4 ZigBee and Z-Wave 194. A Few Resources 193 Security and Privacy 231. The Right to Privacy 242. How Is Data Used? 253. Data Security 264. The (In)Security of Home Networks 274.1 How to create a strong password 295. The Need for Standardization 304 Connected Home: The Devices 331. All about the Smartphone 362. Voice Assistants 372.1 Meet Siri 372.2 Hey, Google 382.3 Hello, Alexa 403. A Note about Hubs 414. The Connected Home Ecosystem 425. The Majors: Amazon, Apple, and Google 445.1 Google Assistant versus Amazon's Alexa andApple's Siri 445.2 The social side of smart speakers: family,friends, and visitors 466. Final Words of Advice on Choosing aSmart Device Ecosystem 485 Smart Goods and Gadgets for YourConnected Home 511. Safety and Security in Your Home 522. People and Pets: Protecting the Ones We Love 533. Home Maintenance 554. A More Comfortable Home: Lighting,Window Coverings, and Temperature Control 55Contents v4.1 Lighting 554.2 Window coverings 574.3 The smart thermostat: Too hot, too cold,or just right? 575. Appliances, Large and Small 586. Private Spaces: The Smart Bedroom and Bathroom 596.1 Mirror, mirror on the wall: The smart bathroom 606.2 The smart toilet 617. Routines and Scenes 628. Key Principles to Guide Your Choices 626 Connected Home Entertainment 671. What's on TV, besides Everything? 681.1 Streaming sticks 732. Gaming 733. Micro-choice: The Personalization of Entertainment 757 Time to Chill: Travel and Leisure 771. Smart Travel 781.1 Travel and augmented reality and virtual reality 791.2 Travel apps 802. Other Leisure Activities 812.1 Reading and e-reading 812.2 Leisure sports and hobbies 822.3 Social media and communities of interest 838 Smart Shopping 851. Shopping Online 862. Bricks and Mortar 873. Cashless Transactions 884. Delivered to Your Doorstep 919 Smart Health and Fitness 951. The State of Digital Medicine 96vi You and the Internet of Things2. The Doctor Is Virtually In 972.1 Telemedicine apps 993. Staying Healthy: An Overview of Health andFitness Apps 1003.1 Fitness trackers 1013.2 Mindfulness apps 10210 Smart Transportation 1071. Automobiles and Data Collection 1082. Automatic Safety Features and Displays:Is Your Car Smarter Than You? 1103. Automatic Vehicle Features and YourInsurance Policy 1114. Digital Technologies and Public Transportation 1134.1 Car sharing 1144.2 Ride hailing 1155. Cruising to Full Automation 11611 The Future of the Internet:We Are Shaping It 121Download Kit124Worksheets1 Internet Use: Current Personal and Family Priorities 62 The Scope and Scale of In-Home Wi-Fi Use andFamily Entertainment 203 Privacy and You: How Comfortable Are Youwith Data Sharing? 324 Applying the Key Principles: A Checklist 655 Your Digital Health Literacy 1056 Transportation Needs, Today and Tomorrow 119

Long Description

What is the IoT and why should you care?From "smart" houses to "smart" cars, from cashless banking to wearable sensors that gather personal health data, new technological innovations are part of the Internet of Things (IoT) and are now integrated with nearly all aspects of daily living, impacting health, home, transportation, shopping, travel, and entertainment. Soon, almost everything will be "smart," interconnected, fully networked, and able to communicate information back and forth.Advances to sophisticated artificial intelligence and machine learning, automation, and augmented reality, mean the internet landscape is undergoing massive change. It's no longer just about accessing information via electronic devices like laptops, smartphones, and tablets. From toasters to transit systems, we are now in the age of the IoT where these interconnected devices and objects learn from data exchanges and adapt and respond to our personal needs and preferences.If you wonder what this could mean for you, read this guide to understanding the way soon-to-be common technologies affect your daily life and how to use these technologies for increased safety, security, convenience, and quality of life. Whether you are a mainstream user of technology, part of the sandwich generation, or a baby boomer trying to navigate the IoT age, this book is your roadmap.

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