There were several acquisitions this week and the end of two prominent IoT platforms to cover, so Kevin and I had a lot to talk about. We kick off the show with Amazon’s purchase of mesh Wi-Fi company Eero and then segue into a conversation about Amazon’s data collection efforts. From there we move into security company ADT buying a DIY security company called LifeShield, and then DIY security company abode entering into a partnership with do-it-for-me helper Hello Tech. After that, we talk about Google’s demotion of the Android Things platform and the end of Samsung’s Artik module and cloud. We cover news from Sigfox, a new wearable, and Arlo’s earnings before getting Kevin’s thoughts on the Hubitat Elevation hub. And we end by answering a listener question on how to prevent smart TVs from spying on you.
Our guest this week is Loic Lietar, CEO of Greenwaves Technologies, a chip design firm using the new open-source RISC-V architecture to design a low-power IoT processor. Lietar explains what RISC-V is, how difficult it is to get the industry to adopt a new processor architecture and what RISC-V could mean for the IoT. He also discusses how the economics of open source silicon could change how chips get adopted and designed. You’ll want to tune in.
I’m surprised in your discussion about Smart TV’s and privacy that you didn’t explain the most obvious option: Don’t use the built-in Smart TV function and plug-in an Apple TV instead.
Apple is very strongly working to protect users’ privacy – some say to the detriment of how some products operate by insisting on not putting everything in the cloud and selling data on everything that you do.
Smart TV can only sell your viewing/watching data for content that flows from their own built-in basic streaming apps. If you watch NetFlix, Apple Video, Amazon Prime, Hulu, YouTube, etc. from the Apple TV instead, the TV manufacturer has no visibility into your viewing habits.
Of course, the individual services can still track and report your usage, but at least the Visio, TCL, Samsung, Sony, and LG’s are not able to do that.
The software of built-in Smarttv’s is terrible. Barely acceptable. If you are concerned about privacy and paying $600 to $8000 for a great TV, why be so reluctant to spend a little more (under $200) to protect your privacy.
I advise all of my clients that are concerned about privacy and security to spend a little extra and use the Apple TV instead.
Robert Spivack
Smart Home Technologist
https://www.DoItForMe.Solutions