IoT news of the week for April 21, 2023

Well, this is a blow to DIY security systems: Think your Nest cam or Ring doorbell is going to identify thieves after they rob your home? Or stop them? Think again. This story notes that thieves are using Wi-Fi jamming devices to disable security systems. Gratefully, the thieves using a signal jammer in this story got caught because their jammer didn’t disable a poolside camera that was away from the house, which allowed the homeowner to see the robbery as it was taking place and call the police. (CE Pro) — Stacey Higginbotham

Qualcomm launches more chips aimed at the IoT: Man, I remember decades ago when all I had to cover out of Qualcomm was a few application processors and combined modems. Now it feels like every week the San Diego chip designer is launching new silicon for everything from cars to robots. This week, Qualcomm launched four chips aimed at the industrial IoT. The Qualcomm QCS8550 and QCM8550 models combine Wi-Fi 7 (this isn’t even a thing yet) chips with processors designed for heavy performance, AI, and graphics. These should end up in industrial robotics and drones. The Qualcomm QCS4490 and QCM4490 processors have Wi-Fi 6E and 5G cellular connectivity and are designed for industrial handheld tablets and computing products. They will run Android and will have support through 2030 because industrial clients like longevity in their edge devices. (Qualcomm) — Stacey Higginbotham

Actility integrates with Unabiz for an LPWAN power play: Yes, we have covered half a dozen deals by various Low-Power Wide-Area Network (LPWAN) and long-range (LoRa)-specific network providers that are integrating their systems with Unabiz. Actility is simply the latest to add integrations, for its Think Park network, into Unabiz’s UnaConnect software platform. It’s also bringing Sigfox data into the Thing Park platform and Actility LoRa networks. I’m trying to think of who hasn’t signed a deal with Unabiz so I can count down the days until I write about that particular integration. (Actility) — Stacey Higginbotham

Bosch claims it is saving customers €1B a year with its industrial tech: I’m not sure where the writer of this article got this data, but maybe it was during Hannover Messe, which was this week. He claims that Bosch’s bet on industrial technology and an industry-wide focus on sustainability has driven demand for Bosch technology. The writer quotes the conglomerate saying it is saving €500 million ($548 million) annually across 240 of its own factories thanks to using technology to optimize operations. The article also credits Bosch as saying it is saving its customers €1 billion annually selling “environmental technology for industry.” (RCR Wireless) — Stacey Higginbotham

Ecobee turns into an energy monitor of sorts: When Generac purchased Ecobee in 2021, I wondered what benefits that might bring to customers. I found out this week, as Generac announced an in-house integration with the thermostat brand it bought. Owners of the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium or Enhanced models can now see the real-time status of their Generac generators. There’s a new button on these thermostats to view the status, and any alerts from the generator system will automatically appear on the main screen of the Ecobee. Got a Generac and an older Ecobee model? Don’t worry, the company plans to add this functionality to all Ecobees from 2014 and up soon. (Generac) — Kevin C. Tofel  

Google’s smart home tablet stand is pricey! With Google I/O coming up next month, we’re looking forward to the previously announced Google Pixel Tablet. Last year, Google said this tablet could be turned into a smart display and now, based on an early listing for the Pixel Tablet Stand that appeared online this week, it seems that doing so will cost $129. I would hope Google offers a tablet-and-stand bundle that discounts the stand because $129 for what’s basically a magnetic stand and charger seems a bit much to me. It’s possible the stand has integrated speakers as well; in that case, the price is a little more palpable. (9to5 Google) — Kevin C. Tofel   

TI brings cheap wireless circuits to the IoT: Device makers looking to add connectivity to their IoT product have a new, inexpensive choice this week. Texas Instruments introduced its SimpleLink family of Wi-Fi 6 companion integrated circuits for use with microcontrollers and processors. There are two versions, one with just Wi-Fi and one with both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE 5.3. Pricing starts at $1.60 each, based on 1,000 units; TI says larger volume pricing will follow in Q3 of this year. I pay more for a small bag of potato chips and they’re not even connected! (Texas Instruments) — Kevin C. Tofel  

Presence detection using millimeter wave from Aqara: Any technology that can determine presence in my home without using cameras is good in my book. That’s why I’m looking forward to trying the newest product from Aqara. Launched this week for $82.99, the Presence Sensor FP2 has plenty of features to justify its price. Aqara says one unit can monitor multiple individual zones in up to 430 square feet and detect up to five different people at a time. The millimeter wave radar implementation is supplemented by a light sensor as well. And all automations are run locally, not from the cloud. I can’t wait to try one of these, although I’ll have to invite some people over since my wife and I are empty nesters now. (Aqara) — Kevin C. Tofel  

Google Home brings connected camera improvements: If you’re using the Google Home Public Preview software, you may already know about this. I am not, and I’m betting most of you aren’t, either. The latest software update speeds up connected camera feeds on smart displays, phones, and even your WearOS watch. This applies both to the live feed and recorded images, according to Google. Oh, and any camera alerts sent to your WearOS watch will now have an image attached as well. Handy! (9to5 Google) — Kevin C. Tofel