Kevin Ashton coined the term "The Internet of Things" way back in the late 1990s. Most every year since has been proclaimed by some futurist as the year the Internet of Things will take off.
2014 may be the year it finally happens. According to the Wall Street Journal's 'Internet of Things' in Reach:
From meat thermometers monitored with a smartphone to Wi-Fi-equipped dog collars, devices and services in homes and businesses are increasingly being connected to the Internet, a long-awaited trend that is causing a surge of optimism in the tech sector ... Devices on the market or the drawing board include smart door locks, toothbrushes, wristwatches, fitness trackers, smoke detectors, surveillance cameras, ovens, toys and robots.
Echoing the WSJ's optimism, Network World says the Internet of Things will see major gains in industrial and enterprise settings in 2014:
The Internet of Things will continue to creep into consumers' homes in 2014, but the real growth in the next year is likely to be in the enterprise.
Belkin may be one of the reasons the Internet of Things creeps into homes in 2014. Their We-Mo product line includes a wide range of smart devices, including the smart croc pot pictured below.
And to answer your question - no I don't know why you'd want a smart croc pot.
There are still things holding back the Internet of Things. Security is a big one, but conflicting wireless standards and the costs of these systems are also potential problems.
But despite these issues and after a long gestation period, the Internet of Things seems to be taking off.
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