A little personal news: I just got back from the Washington Ideas Forum, where I was invited to a dinner with some leading thinkers on smart cities. Much of the conversation went above my head, but I ended up leaving with a few takeaways.
Whenever people talk about smart cities, they invariably speak about implementing technology from the top down. It’s all about asking the question, “How can governments provide better services?” Usually, the answer involves a connected network of sensors that help reduce waste. But there’s another way of looking at smart cities. In most developed countries, people carry … [Read more…]
I have to say, at the beginning, I was skeptical of the Internet of Things. Yes, I concede many smart devices are useful—even indispensable! Smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, even smart lights, speakers, and routers make sense to me. But I draw the line at smart forks, smart plates, and smart fridges. These tools won’t catch … [Read more…]