The Lay Technologist ™

Technology is still largely uncharted territory. This is in part because hardware platforms, networks, and sensors keep evolving and adding functionality. It is also because the field is embraced by a fresh and creative breed of engineers and creative people who keep tinkering with evolving technologies. As a result, we have "fortuitous" creations or inventions that are underappreciated, lesser known, and under valued. Therein lies a unique opportunity for the savvy user (or tech investor) to find hidden and underappreciated gems. Embracing this perspective, we can re-program our thinking to look beyond the current top performers and "must haves" for the underappreciated, undiscovered, and lesser-knowns. This phenomenon (if we can call it that) is also observable in mobile apps, which have made it easier for smaller pieces of software to enter the market, thereby reducing barriers for smart, creative, and savvy developers to disseminate and test out solutions. ...

Smart Home is a misnomer. At best, saying that it is “smart,” suggests that it’s somehow intrinsically-advanced, which is far from the truth. Until we can 3-D print homes within a few weeks or use advanced materials for walls, we’re still fundamentally building using centuries old methods. Alternatively, calling “smart” can also imply that it has somehow “graduated” and reached an endpoint. Given the continuously-evolving ecosystem of devices, network hubs, and platforms, this would also be untrue. Thus, we are left with the “Learning” Home. A home that continues to evolve and improve as software advances and hardware is added. And that’s also where this tech journey starts.   Homes Weren’t Born Smart On the heels of first-time home-ownership, savings drained, and at the peak of Nest -frenzy, I was eager to make our new place not just our own on paper, but also in function. Fresh paint? Check. Adventurous accent walls? Check. Self-learning Nest thermostat?–...

The acronym is simple, but what is going into 5G is anything but simple. We discuss the salient goals set for the fifth generation (5G) of mobile broadband, and summarize the potential impacts and applications. We also critically compare it to existing local and personal area network setups to see if it will be as revolutionary as we all hope for it to be. Who's leading all of this? It's worth noting the impressive level of cooperation for mobile broadband networks. Standards are important for industry and society to develop a cohesive wireless infrastructure. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) serves that role. It is comprised of stakeholders in industry, government, and academia, and it sets the vision and goals for the successive standards, including the upcoming 5G wireless broadband.  In setting the objectives, it takes into consideration the limitations of current standards and attempts to foresee the future needs of an increasingly-connec...