AllSeen Alliance Wants To Open-Source the 'Internet of Things' 86
Nerval's Lobster writes "The so-called "Internet of Things" has rapidly become a buzzword du jour, with everyone from tech-giant CEOs to analysts rhapsodizing about the benefits of connecting everyday objects and appliances to the Web. Despite all the hype, some significant obstacles remain to fulfilling that vision of a massively interconnected world. For starters, all the players involved need to agree on shared frameworks for building compatible software—something that seems well on its way with the just-announced AllSeen Alliance, which includes Sharp, Cisco, LG Electronics, Qualcomm, Panasonic, D-Link, and the Linux Foundation (among many others). In theory, the AllSeen Alliance's combined software and engineering resources will result in open-source systems capable of seamless communication with one another. The Alliance will base its initial framework on AllJoyn, an open-source framework first developed by Qualcomm and subsequently elaborated upon by other firms. Applications and services that support AllJoyn can communicate "regardless of manufacturer or operating system and without the need for Internet access," according to the Alliance, whose Website offers the initial codebase. "Open source is the ideal, neutral staging area for collaboration that can provide the interoperability layer needed to make the Internet of Everything a reality," read a Dec. 10 note on the Linux Foundation's official blog. "When everyone jointly develops and uses the same freely available code, companies can develop innovative services on top of it and get them to market faster." However, not all companies interested in exploring the Internet of Things have joined the AllSeen Alliance. For example, Intel isn't a partner, despite having recently created a new division, the Internet of Things Solutions Group, to explore how to best make devices and networks more connected and aware."
What could possibly go wrong? (Score:5, Insightful)
Wow, what could possibly go wrong with that? Devices which will communicate whether you want them to or not, and with all of that information in the hands of greedy assholes.
This internet of things is a bloody stupid idea to me, and I see precisely zero benefit in having it. Especially if it means everything now becomes a tool for the marketing bastards.
This isn't enhancing our experience with these things, just making them tools for someone else to exploit.
Re:Big Data (Score:4, Insightful)
I can't believe I'm reading stuff like this from people on Slashdot of all places.
Why can't my washing machine/dryer/microwave send my cellphone an alert when it's done and I'm in another room?
Why can't I turn on the lights at home from the grocery store so I don't have to carry my groceries in while it's dark?
Why can't I turn on the jacuzzi during a rough day at work so it's ready when I get home?
Why can't my DVD player turn off my lights and close my blinds when it's time to watch a movie and then turn the lights back on when I pause it to get a drink?
Why can't my refrigerator detect what's in it and suggest recipes and tell me what's expired?
Why can't I check to see if I forgot to turn the stove off after I left the house?
Why can't my sprinklers check the weather forcast and put off watering if it's supposed to rain?
Why can't my blinds and windows automatically open and close to regulate the temperature in the house?
There's no reason all of this couldn't be done. TFA describes something I've always thought was needed. If anyone was able to write software to communicate between the things in your house (and the price of automation went down), I think that the popularity of communications-enabled appliances would soar as developers opened up all of these possibilities and more.
Re:Big Data (Score:4, Insightful)
I'm perfectly aware that these things already exist. The problem is that you have to buy 20 different proprietary apps that only let you control your devices in the way they want you to. The point of the proposal in TFA is that this no longer has to be the case.