M2M is not only a cool acronym, kind of James Bond like, but a very interesting category in the wireless industry. M2M in this context means machine-to-machine wireless connectivity. A few other terms that describe this category are "the Internet of Objects" or the "Internet of Things." All of these terms relate to machines that can talk or exchange data with other machines via wireless connectivity.
One strange example that I wrote about a few months ago was a bathroom scale that would wirelessly tweet your body weight to your Twitter list every time you weighed yourself. The scale, a machine, was collecting data and sending it automatically via a wireless connection to another machine (server).
A recent example that I found particularly interesting was Redbox. These are the DVD rental kiosks that we see everywhere now days. Did you know that Redbox machines are M2M enabled? You can go to the Redbox website, find a kiosk near you that has a movie you want and reserve it online. You can also use their micro-app for iPhones to find a movie in a kiosk near you and rent it.
A quick digression - look for a large number of new mobile micro-apps to be announced at SAP's Sapphire event in May. Companies like Vivido Labs and Sky Technologies, and many others, will be releasing many new mobile micro-apps for iPhones, BlackBerrys, Android and other OSs. These are typically small, one purpose or business process, mobile apps that are integrated with SAP.
Here in Boise, Idaho there is a local success story involving M2M with a company called Telemetric. Here is their description: Telemetric provides wireless remote monitoring and control of equipment and machinery using cellular networks. We provide solutions that enable electric, water and gas utilities and their customers to measure, monitor and control usage of valuable resources. Our solutions improve system efficiency, asset management, speed up responses to service interruptions and equipment problems, and automate reporting functions resulting in lower operating costs and more reliable service.
Telemetric develops monitoring equipment that measures and reports wirelessly to other machines. Managers can watch dashboards and see the measurements from remote equipment.
The bottom line is that field data collection does not always require a person with a ruggedized handheld computer to be traveling around collecting data. High value assets and equipment can be set-up with monitoring devices that report their status to other machines and servers that can be programmed to do certain things based upon the data coming in. I am now writing a new analyst report on M2M to be released in June 2010.
Related articles:
One strange example that I wrote about a few months ago was a bathroom scale that would wirelessly tweet your body weight to your Twitter list every time you weighed yourself. The scale, a machine, was collecting data and sending it automatically via a wireless connection to another machine (server).
A recent example that I found particularly interesting was Redbox. These are the DVD rental kiosks that we see everywhere now days. Did you know that Redbox machines are M2M enabled? You can go to the Redbox website, find a kiosk near you that has a movie you want and reserve it online. You can also use their micro-app for iPhones to find a movie in a kiosk near you and rent it.
A quick digression - look for a large number of new mobile micro-apps to be announced at SAP's Sapphire event in May. Companies like Vivido Labs and Sky Technologies, and many others, will be releasing many new mobile micro-apps for iPhones, BlackBerrys, Android and other OSs. These are typically small, one purpose or business process, mobile apps that are integrated with SAP.
Here in Boise, Idaho there is a local success story involving M2M with a company called Telemetric. Here is their description: Telemetric provides wireless remote monitoring and control of equipment and machinery using cellular networks. We provide solutions that enable electric, water and gas utilities and their customers to measure, monitor and control usage of valuable resources. Our solutions improve system efficiency, asset management, speed up responses to service interruptions and equipment problems, and automate reporting functions resulting in lower operating costs and more reliable service.
Telemetric develops monitoring equipment that measures and reports wirelessly to other machines. Managers can watch dashboards and see the measurements from remote equipment.
The bottom line is that field data collection does not always require a person with a ruggedized handheld computer to be traveling around collecting data. High value assets and equipment can be set-up with monitoring devices that report their status to other machines and servers that can be programmed to do certain things based upon the data coming in. I am now writing a new analyst report on M2M to be released in June 2010.
Related articles:
- M2M, Route Optimization, Handhelds and Business Intelligence
- Mobile Applications and Mobile Data Services
- Fire Control Panels, M2M, Mobile Solutions & Australia
Kevin Benedict
Author of the report Enterprise Mobile Data Solutions, 2009
Mobile Strategy Consultant, Mobile Industry Analyst and Web 2.0 Marketing Expert
http://www.netcentric-strategies.com/
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
twitter: http://twitter.com/krbenedict
http://kevinbenedict.ulitzer.com/
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant and Web 2.0 marketing expert. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.
**************************************************
Author of the report Enterprise Mobile Data Solutions, 2009
Mobile Strategy Consultant, Mobile Industry Analyst and Web 2.0 Marketing Expert
http://www.netcentric-strategies.com/
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
twitter: http://twitter.com/krbenedict
http://kevinbenedict.ulitzer.com/
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant and Web 2.0 marketing expert. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.
**************************************************
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