FreeWave Technologies Launches New Network for Remote Monitoring
FreeWave Technologies, which sells wireless networking technology for machine-to-machine applications in remote locations for a range of industries, including oil and gas, agriculture, and electric utilities, has introduced the WavePro WP201, a shorthaul communication device that can be used to transmit voice-over-Internet protocol, video and sensor data at remote work sites where cellular coverage is lacking. The WP201 is a ruggedized router that contains both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radios, which support 802.11b/g/n and 802.11a/n/ac networks, respectively. It is designed to support local data transmission, as well as connect to a backhaul network to send or receive data over a wide-area wireless or fiber network.
“A lot of customers in the agriculture sector want to be able to have high-speed communications between their vehicles so they can do command and control of vehicles operating in tandem,” explains Brad Gilbert, FreeWave’s director of product management. “In oil and gas, customers want Wi-Fi coverage at remote sights so they can communicate with the back office and maybe have video or VOIP capabilities onsite, which requires a high-data, low-latency network.”
The WavePro WP201 is available now at a list price of $1,500.
Domotz Introducing Support System for Smart-Home Integrators, Manufacturers
Domotz, a U.K.-based firm that has developed an IT support platform for home networks and connected devices, will introduce Domotz PRO, a professional-grade home-intelligence system, on Feb. 9, at the Integrated Systems Europe conference in Amsterdam.
Domotz PRO is a system that home-automation installers, systems integrators, help desks and hardware manufacturers can use to provide remote technical assistance to their customers regarding their home networks and devices—regardless of manufacturer. It also offers installers and help-desk providers tools for remote desktop and device access, remote power management, alerts and network diagnostics. In addition, installers or integrators can use Domotz Pro to create branded, customer-facing apps that consumers can access to perform such tasks as network diagnostics and smart home device management.
Pricing for the Domotz Pro service will start at $2.99 USD per month, per end user (home network), for an unlimited number of devices.
Freight Farms Using Xively Internet of Things Platform
Boston-based Freight Farms, which sells hydroponic farming systems inside used retrofitted cargo containers, says it is employing Xively‘s Internet of Things platform to manage the network of wireless sensors inside the containers (known as Leafy Green Machines) that are used to monitor plant health, as well as to create a suite of apps that allow farmers to monitor the condition of the crops from anywhere. Freight Farms, which IOT Journal reported on last year, says the Xively platform has also allowed it to integrate data security controls, and provides analytics tools that helps Freight Farms to better understand how its customers are using the farms, as well as how it could improve their user interfaces and experience with the Freight Farms products.
Argus Insights Research Finds Disconnect Between Hardware and Apps for Smart Homes
After analyzing nearly 50,000 consumer reviews of smart-home devices and applications, written between August 2015 and this month, Argus Insights reported this week that many consumers expressed significantly greater satisfaction with smart-home devices than with the apps they need to use in order to operate them. Specifically, the research shows that home security pure play provider Vivant and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) company Honeywell achieved high marks for their apps, while some home-security companies (such as ADT, Comcast and AT&T) are failing to, in Argus Insights’ terminology, “delight” consumers with their smart-home applications.
It also found that consumers often have very polar opinions regarding the software and hardware offerings from a single provider. For example, Philips devices were generally rated very well in consumer reviews, while the company’s apps ranked very low. Honeywell apps, as already mentioned, received high scores, but reviewers were generally displeased with the firm’s devices.
The takeaway message, according to the research firm, is that smart-home vendors ought to spend more efforts building a “more synchronized hardware and software ecosystem.” The full report is available here.
Electric Imp Expanding Into Enterprise Market
Electric Imp, which makes an IoT platform designed to help consumer goods manufacturers connect Wi-Fi-enabled devices to cloud-based services using a secure device operating system and application programming interfaces (APIs), says it is broadening its focus to the commercial and industrial markets. In doing so, the company has launched a managed private cloud service designed to give commercial and customers access to IoT devices and related data, while also integrating enterprise data management and security protocols. Electric Imp is also reaching out to potential customers in energy and resource management, health and fitness, office equipment and HVAC systems, with services and tools designed for those industries.
Lastly, the company has formed a relationship with Pitney Bowes, a manufacturer of machines for sorting and handling mail. The two companies are co-developing an IoT connectivity solution for small and midsize businesses, Electric Imp reports. The IoT connectivity solution, which will leverage Electric Imp’s new private cloud offering, won’t be Pitney Bowes’ first foray into IoT. Last year, the firm announced that is using GE’s Predix software to make data from its mail-handling and -sorting machinery more accessible.